Repertoire 2: The Introit

The Introit Gaudeamus omnes ("Let us all rejoice") from the 14th–15th century Graduale Aboense. — The Introit *Gaudeamus omnes* ("Let us all rejoice") from the 14th–15th century *Graduale Aboense.*

The word “Introit” (pronounced ĭnʹ troyt or ĭn-trōʹ-ĭt) is a shortened form of the Latin antiphona ad introitum, meaning “antiphon at the entrance”. It is normally the first part of the Mass to be sung [i], and it is intended to accompany the procession of the priest, deacon, and servers into the sanctuary of the Church. In doing so, it also calls all present to be attentive to the momentous event which is beginning to take place.

Here is what the GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal) says about this moment of the Mass:

When the people are gathered, and as the Priest enters with the Deacon and ministers, the Entrance Chant begins. Its purpose is to open the celebration, foster the unity of those who have been gathered, introduce their thoughts to the mystery of the liturgical time or festivity, and accompany the procession of the Priest and ministers. [ii]

Let's look a little more closely at each of these aspects of the Introit, so as to more fully understand the nature of this first sung part of the Mass.

Opening the Celebration

When we hear the words “open the celebration”, it is crucial to remember that the Sacred Liturgy is no ordinary celebration. It is one of transcendent dignity, instituted by Christ, handed down through the Apostles and their successors, in which heaven and earth are meant to meet. If the arrival of a president, king, queen, or foreign ambassador is greeted with appropriately dignified words and music, how much more does the presence of the infinitely good God warrant a most worthy and reverent welcome? However helpful this analogy might be, it does have its limits. For in contrast to the grandiosity that is often customary for state visit arrivals, the musical dignity of this moment of the Mass – and for that matter, all moments of the Mass – is achieved, not through its grandiosity, but through its sacred character. We can observe and study this sacred character in the traditional liturgical music of all the Rites of the Catholic Church – when it has been done with skill and in a spirit of loving adoration. And in both East and West, the development of this music has been oriented towards its universal availability – in other words, it is intended to be nobly accessible to all kinds of people, in the most humble as well as in the most exalted of circumstances.

Now there is another indispensable element at the heart of this celebration to which we are being introduced by the Introit. This is the hidden reality of what has been called the “Mystery” of the Liturgy, which by its nature implies a strong contemplative dimension of our participation in this event. As an objective article of the Catholic Faith, Christ becomes truly present in the Eucharist; the limits of time and space are transcended as his Holy Sacrifice on Calvary is re-presented on the altar, in sacramental form. But such articles of Faith will tend to appear perplexing, if not preposterous, if we ourselves do not somehow discover and engage in the hidden reality of Christ's Person, in our hearts and in our minds.

Such a contemplative dimension does not mean that we must become monks or nuns, or that we dismiss the beautiful diversity of cultures, or that we stifle the vitality of our worship. But it does mean that whatever our vocation, whatever our temperament or culture, we are called to be truly present and attentive to the One who loves us and offers himself fully to us for our salvation. Traditionally, the music of the Introit, and of the entire Mass, has been formed from within this experience of an encounter with God in Christ, and with the intention of drawing others into this same interior dimension of adoration, transformation, and communion. This music, through its characteristic modes, melodies, rhythms, harmonies, dynamics, and other qualities, has been integrally developed with the sacred texts so as to effectively communicate this contemplative dimension.

Now anyone who is familiar with traditional sacred chant and polyphony will realize that this deeply spiritual aspect is by its nature rooted in a long living heritage. Any attempt by a composer, however brilliant, to “start from scratch” will be destined to either idiosyncrasy or provincialism. But thankfully, we can also see composers throughout Church history who have indeed put down such deep roots... and through their docility to the Holy Spirit have been inspired to bring forth fresh new works which are a worthy continuation of our patrimony. A little later on in this post I'll be sharing specific resources drawn from this living tradition, old and new, for the Introit as well as all other sung parts of the Mass.

Fostering Holy Unity

The second purpose of the Introit, as mentioned above in the GIRM, is that it should “foster the unity of those who have been gathered.” This is no small task, considering the great diversity of cultures, backgrounds, age-groups, and temperaments among the people who comprise the congregation of any given Mass. And there is often a tremendous diversity among regular churchgoers, as to what kind of music they might prefer for the singing of the Liturgy. Some are attached to more traditional hymns, chants, and choral music, while others are terribly bored by what they consider to be such “old” music and feel at home with more contemporary styles.

Such great diversity should help us to see that it is simply a dead end to attempt to satisfy the musical tastes of everyone in the context of the Liturgy.[iii] Instead, we need to re-discover the characteristic element of universality which is found in our great traditions, and somehow apply it to our choice of repertoire and in the way we sing this repertoire in each Mass. While to a certain extent this universality needs to be experienced to be fully understood, we can say a few important things about it here:

While not being emotion-less, it steers clear of music that is charged with strong emotional or sentimental content. Thus, it attracts our focus to something much deeper (and more deeply fulfilling) than our diverse and shifting emotions – namely, to the Word of God which the music clothes, and to the loving presence of God whose infinite goodness is beyond words.
In its manner of presentation, it must also avoid any non-liturgical styles, be they classical, operatic, popular, folk, etc. which might evoke associations with various secular contexts and thus distract from the unifying principle of worship. Instead, church musicians must cultivate an awareness and application of an authentically sacred “style”, rooted in tradition, which while discreet and reverent is also full of life and love.
In order to be universal, this music must also be done well, and only attempted within the reasonable limits of the singers' and musicians' competence. This is not to say that all those who sing and play instruments for the Liturgy must have the kind of professional training appropriate to concert performance, opera, and other secular venues. But they do need to be consistently diligent in their approach; any semblance of sloppiness, poor musicianship, or frequent errors will thwart rather than foster the unity of those present. Just as in medicine, church musicians must also follow the fundamental maxim of first, do no harm!
This role of sacred music to foster a holy unity among those present at Mass, should also elicit a deeply spiritual orientation on the part of those singing and playing this music. When choir directors, singers, and instrumentalists approach the Liturgy with a prayerful dependence on the Holy Spirit, their music can have the power to draw people's hearts and minds to God, and thus unite them in this awareness and adoration. Lacking such a fervent spiritual approach, the music might indeed impress and/or please others, but it will not have the same power to unite those present in that “worship in spirit and truth” to which we are called by Christ.

Introducing the Mystery

The words of the Introit (as with all the other audible words of the Mass) must be pronounced clearly, naturally, and with adequate volume, so as to be easily received and understood by all. If they are sung in Latin or another language that is not understood by those present, it is important that a translation be provided. Why is this the case? It is because these words, normally taken from the Psalms and other Sacred Scriptures, are intended for our prayerful meditation, as indicated above in the GIRM. To “introduce our thoughts to the mystery” does not mean that we approach the Mass merely or primarily as an intellectual exercise. But just as in lectio divina, we are called to prayerfully meditate on a given sacred text, so as to enter more fully into the presence of God, and some aspect of truth which its words are intended to communicate.

The word “mystery” is used here in a slightly different sense than earlier on, when we spoke of the Mystery of the Mass. Here, it is referring to some particular aspect of our relationship to God, some theological truth, or some event from salvation history, which while having an objective literal meaning is also a deep and inexhaustible well for our meditation. While this mystery is always meant to be in harmony with a particular liturgical feast or season, the connection is often implicit rather than explicit. You can find an overview of all the texts for the Introit over the entire liturgical cycle, by clicking here.

Accompanying the Procession

Just as the Mass is no ordinary celebration, so also is this procession no ordinary entrance: as the priest (along with the deacon and other ministers) processes to the altar, he must do so with profound humility, reverence, faith, and love, as his role is to truly represent Christ rather than his own personality or individual qualities. As a fitting accompaniment to this entrance, the music must somehow communicate, however modestly, these same essential dispositions. But in contrast to some of the more reflective parts of the Liturgy which will come later, there does need to be a greater energetic flow to the Introit, corresponding to the physical movement of the priest and others toward the sanctuary. Again, this all needs to be done in a dignified and balanced way, informed by our inspired traditions.

My hope is that the recordings which are presented with this podcast and blog will help give a more tangible sense of how all the various qualities mentioned here can be understood and applied. And for those who are interested to study further the unique musical qualities inherent in each sung part of the Mass, I would heartily recommend Dr. William Mahrt's enlightening book, The Musical Shape of the Liturgy. [iv]

What about Hymns and other Spiritual Songs?

It has become a widespread custom in most Roman Catholic parishes, since the Second Vatican Council, to replace the Introit, as well as the Offertory and Communion chants, with hymns or other spiritual songs that have been chosen by the those responsible for the liturgical music in each individual parish or community. While this has been allowed by Church authorities, and diligently promoted through the work of Catholic liturgical music publishers, it has also tended to sidestep an important fact. For while such music might well be a fitting complement to the Mass, it does not actually belong to the Mass itself – that is to say, to those sacred texts which have been handed down from Christ and the Apostles, and reverently developed over the centuries through the apostolic authority of the Church. These sacred texts, as explained in earlier blogs, have been classified into two groups:

The Ordinary of the Mass – those parts which remain the same for most Masses throughout the year. These include the Lord, have mercy, the Glory to God, the Creed, the Holy, Holy, Holy, the Our Father, and the Lamb of God.
The Propers of the Mass – those parts which change from one Mass to another, prescribed for each particular Sunday and Feast day. The parts of the Propers which are commonly sung by the congregation or choir include the Introit, the Responsorial Psalm (or in its traditional form the Gradual), the Offertory Chant, and the Communion Chant.

Thus, when we sing the Introit or any other of the Mass's Proper texts, we are actually “singing the Mass” rather than merely “singing at Mass”. This does not mean that we should throw out the beautiful and edifying hymns which have also become an important part of our Christian and Catholic heritage. But we should keep in mind that in the Liturgy these are at best a fitting “extra” - a complement or adornment – in contrast to the Propers which belong to the substance of the Mass which we have received as a holy gift through the Church.

The structure of the sung Introit is composed of an antiphon – a succinct phrase, usually from the Sacred Scriptures – which is repeated two or more times, with verses from the Psalms (or at times other scriptural canticles) – sung between repetitions. After the last verse, the doxology is always sung (“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit...”) as a fitting act of adoration. In contrast to even the best of hymns, this structure and content lends itself to liturgical worship in at least four ways:

The words of the antiphon are simple and succinct enough to be understood, internalized, and remembered by all those present.
These words, over the course of the liturgical year, also represent that full breadth of human experience in relationship to God, which is typical of the Psalms.
The rhythms of the sung melodies, while intended to be robust, are typically non-metrical and adapted to the rhythms of the words, favoring a more contemplative approach to the sacred text.
The aspect of the loving worship of the Triune God is always present and clearly expressed, through the final doxology.

Having said all this, it is important to note that hymns and other spiritual songs can still be an important complement to the ultimate goal of singing of the Entrance chant and other Propers. As long as they are theologically sound, skillfully composed (both poetically and musically,) appropriate to the particular liturgical theme of the Mass, universally accessible to the congregation, and presented with good musicianship, they can also be a wonderful source of edification. And to the extent that they are crafted so as to be easily remembered and internalized, they can be carried throughout one's life - as a cherished means of turning to God in praise, thanksgiving, and supplication.

Finding the right balance between the introduction of the sung Propers and the singing of worthy hymns and other spiritual songs, requires good prudential judgments to be made in each parish situation. While sometimes this will require an either/or decision, at other times it might be possible to include both the Propers and other hymns or spiritual songs which are not discordant with them. In the parishes in which I have served as music director, we have done this as often as it has been feasible, while still leaving ample time for prayerful silence. At the beginning of the Mass - especially for particularly festive Liturgies, and in close coordination with the priest, we have started with an opening hymn as a kind of “prelude” to the Mass, and then gone on to the Introit as the Priest, Deacon, and servers begin their procession to the sanctuary. But this does usually mean a few extra minutes added to the length of the Mass – which the priest and church musicians must be ready to embrace without stress. To see how this has worked well for us, you might want to observe how we did it in our sung Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit, viewable here.

Who sings the Introit?

Because of the fact that the texts and music of the Entrance chant, as with all the Propers, change from one Mass to another, in many places they have been sung on a regular basis solely by the choir (also called the Schola Cantorum, or simply the Schola, meaning “school of singers” but used now to indicate a choir singing the Liturgy.) However, depending on the general musical skills of the congregation, it might also be possible for them to join in singing this opening chant, as long as adequate sheet music is provided for each particular Mass.

When sung by the Schola alone, it is vitally important that the words are clearly and naturally pronounced with understanding, and sung prayerfully with adequate power, so as to resonate strongly in the hearts and minds of all those present. In this way, the choir can effectively accomplish the above-mentioned purposes.

When the congregation is invited and given the resources to sing the Introit antiphon (for a cantor or choir still will need to sing the verses), this will necessitate that the musical setting be simple enough to be read and sung with ease by many of those present. While this might seem a bit daunting, I have had the privilege and delight of hearing this occur in various parishes on numerous occasions! Of course, even when this happens, it is rare that every single member of the congregation will sing, if for no other reason than not everyone has the capacity to do so. The principle to be kept in mind is that whatever choice is made, those who sing this music must be able to do so with relative ease and confidence; in this way the focus can remain on the prayer rather than on struggling with the notes and words to be sung.

Where to Find the Music

Thankfully, there are now an abundance of places to find the necessary sheet music / scores, for those who intend to have the Introit and the other Proper chants sung in their Liturgies. But this also means that each parish will need to do a little bit of research and discernment as to which of these resources might best suit their needs. I am going to share here some of the most prominent among these resources; my list is not meant to be exhaustive, and I encourage those who have found other good sources, to share them in the comments section below!

The website of the CMAA (Church Music Association of America) has an amazingly broad selection of settings for the sung Propers, here. This includes settings for both English and Latin Propers, either in pdf format or with links to purchase books.
CanticaNOVA Publications has an excellent website for easily finding the Proper texts of each Mass throughout the 3-year (Ordinary Form) or one year (Extraordinary Form) liturgical cycle. Here is their website, and here is the page with links for the planning of specific seasons, Sundays, and feast days.
Fr. Samuel Weber has been one of the leading pioneers in composing and publishing fine chant settings for all the English Propers throughout the liturgical cycle. One of the unique features of Fr. Weber's adaptations, is that he typically provides four or five different options for each antiphon, which correspond to various levels of musical difficulty and skill. These can be found in his book, The Proper of the Mass for Sundays and Solemnities, which can be found here at Ignatius Press, or at amazon.com.
Adam Bartlett, founder of Source and Summit (formerly Illuminare Publications) has done an immense and well-crafted work in composing chant settings of the English Propers for the entire liturgical cycle. Through his website, sourceandsummit.com, one can find excellent resources for parishes: books, as well as services which supply digital scores which can be printed for each Sunday and each feast day.

And in addition to all of these, I am presently pursuing a long-term project of composing my own original settings of the English Proper texts for the entire three-year liturgical cycle. Some of these have already been completed; one can get a good sense of my work in the sung Mass which we will be listening to in a moment. And for any parishes or communities who would like to request or commission settings for a particular Sunday or Feast day, I would be more than happy to provide these, within the parameters of my time and work load availability.

“The Love of God”

Let's listen now to the Introit from the Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit, sung by the Cor Unum Chorale. Its text, taken from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans, and Psalm 103, is indeed a profound well for our lifelong reflection and meditation. The antiphon reads:

The love of God has been poured into our hearts, alleluia, by his Spirit who dwells in us, alleluia, alleluia.

The verses, taken from Psalm 103, begin with:

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all that is within me bless his holy Name.

The sung words of the antiphon, on the one hand, invite us to an ever-deeper thirst for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The singing of the verses of Psalm 103 can help us to look beyond our own thoughts and feelings, to find delight in praising the infinite goodness of the Lord who will not withhold any good thing from those who love him.

One last note before we begin to listen: for those who have the interest and available time, I am also including at the end of my blog post, links to several recordings of other Entrance chants. These include traditional Latin chant and polyphonic Introits, as well as great examples from the Byzantine Rite. While these latter correspond to the introductory role of the Western Introit, they have been expanded since antiquity to include several separate sung parts.

So now let's listen, and to the extent that you are able to do so, please join us in learning to sing this Introit. The words and music for the antiphon are to be found on this blog page, as an image and a free pdf download. For those who wish to obtain the entire SATB score, here is a link which leads to the place where you can order this.

And as always, I look forward to your thoughtful input!