Vespers for the Blessed Virgin Mary in English, with Hildegard chants
- angelamrocchio
- May 1
- 18 min read
Image: stained glass window featuring Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) at work composing music (source of image unknown)
"By tradition going back to early Christian times, the divine office is devised so that the whole course of the day and night is made holy by the praises of God. Therefore, when this wonderful song of praise is rightly performed by priests and others who are deputed for this purpose by the Church's ordinance, or by the faithful praying together with the priest in the approved form, then it is truly the voice of the bride addressed to her bridegroom; It is the very prayer which Christ Himself, together with His body, addresses to the Father." — Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium), 1963, par. 84
I have a soft spot in my heart for sung Vespers — especially when incorporating traditional Latin antiphons with English psalmody set to Gregorian psalm tones. My original intention for this article was to put together all the music for a sung Vespers, utilizing the music (especially the antiphons) of Hildegard von Bingen. I quickly realized, however, that choirs have vastly different musical needs and abilities, and there is no "one size fits all" approach when it comes to singing modern-day Vespers.
There is no "one size fits all" approach
What originally was going to be a simple Vespers booklet turned into a liturgical choose-your-own-adventure. Roman Catholic parish musicians will benefit from the included Vespers "cheat sheet", resources for antiphons, description of psalm tones and their relationship to proper antiphons, and nearly 70 sheet music files included here. This project is a monumental labor of love. It is my sincere desire that sacred musicians be empowered to plan their own parish Vespers as a result of the contents contained here. All I ask in return is that you drop me a note (Angela at info@chantacademy.com) if you choose to implement the materials found within these articles.
This article is a follow-up to another just-published blog post, Reclaiming the music of Hildegard von Bingen, with songs in chant notation. The Hildegard chants referenced in this article may be found in that post.
I also recommend reviewing 7 things that Sung Vespers can teach us about life, and if you are seeking insight into the terminology used in this article, be sure to visit Gregorian Chant & Early Sacred Music: a layman's lexicon for the parish musician.
OUTLINE
I. Roman Catholic Vespers: outline and rubrics
II. Psalm tones, antiphons, and modes
a. Demonstration of the anatomy and function of a psalm tone
b. Matching modes and antiphons
c. Psalm tones in Hildegard's time
d. Vespers psalm tones, and the manner of pointing
e. Gregorian antiphons, and pointing English texts to Gregorian tones
f. Ordo Cantus Officii: source for Gregorian antiphons for the Liturgy of the Hours
g. Marian feast days throughout the year
III. Principle of Progressive Solemnity
IV. Scores for Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary
a. Opening verse and dismissal
b. First Vespers from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1. Psalm 113 + proper antiphon
2. Psalm 147 + proper antiphon
3. Ephesians 1:3-10 + proper antiphon
4. text for the reading
5. Responsory
6. Magnificat + proper antiphon
7. texts for the intercessions
c. Second Vespers from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1. Psalm 122 + proper antiphon
2. Psalm 127 + proper antiphon
3. Ephesians 1:3-10 + proper antiphon
4. text for the reading
5. Responsory
6. Magnificat + proper antiphon
7. texts for the intercessions
"Pastors of souls should see to it that the chief hours, especially Vespers, are celebrated in common in church on Sundays and the more solemn feasts. And the laity, too, are encouraged to recite the divine office, either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually." — Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium), 1963, par. 100
I. Roman Catholic Vespers: outline and rubrics
All stand. In the absence of a deacon or priest, the one who presides is among equals, and does not enter sanctuary or greet and bless the people.
Opening verse by priest or deacon, if present; otherwise, by another minister.
All make Sign of the Cross at the words, “God, come to my assistance.”
Hymn. Remain standing. The hymn texts provided for certain feast days are proper to these celebrations.
Antiphon 1 + Psalm * Sit or stand, depending upon custom.
Antiphon 2 + Psalm * Sit or stand, depending upon custom.
Antiphon 3 + Canticle * Sit or stand, depending upon custom.
Sit.
Reading No introduction or concluding verse is given.
optional: Homily
optional: sacred silence
All stand.
Responsory
Antiphon + Magnificat * All make Sign of the Cross after the antiphon, at the beginning of the Magnificat. There may also be incensation of the altar, then of the priest and congregation.
Remain standing for Intercessions, Lord’s Prayer, and Concluding prayer.
Intercessions by priest or minister; may be sung.
Lord’s Prayer
Concluding prayer (and Dismissal, if appropriate)
With blessing by priest or deacon, if presiding; in absence of priest or deacon, another minister concludes with “May the Lord bless us…”
You may wish to conclude the liturgy with the appropriate seasonal Marian antiphon, and/or Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
The texts for Vespers** are carefully laid out by the Church. Please consult an appropriate resource to determine the proper antiphons, psalms, and other prayers for the ceremony (e.g. divineoffice.org, the 2015 Ordo Cantus Officii, or a printed volume of the Liturgy of the Hours.) It is also recommended to consult the 1971 General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, which may be accessed here.
* For psalmody, alternation of the verses can be done in a variety of ways: side to side, between cantor and assembly, men alternating with women. Each psalm and canticle is concluded with the doxology. Antiphon may be repeated after conclusion of doxology.
** Solemnities have a dedicated Evening Prayer I / First Vespers on the preceding day, with an Evening Prayer II / Second Vespers the day of, each with their own proper texts. Most Feasts have a single celebration of Vespers, on the day of.
download: Vespers "cheat sheet"
The above has been formatted for your convenience into a one page "cheat sheet", which may be downloaded here:
II. Psalm tones, antiphons, and modes
Tones are simple, formulaic melodies to which lots of text can be sung. Some are called psalm tones because they are composed for the singing of the Psalms. Tones are kind of like a hymn melody which repeats itself from verse to verse, except tones are not metrical. Rather, they sport an elastic reciting tone of a single pitch, on which the majority of a verse text is sung. This stretchy reciting tone is what enables the formulaic tone melody to adjust equally well to short and long verses.
Let's demonstrate with a little exercise.
1. Speak aloud the first two verses of Psalm 113 with intention and sensitivity:
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
May the name of the Lord be blest
both now and forevermore.
2. Now sing the text, all on one single pitch, still observing the natural speech patterns you expressed when speaking it.
3. Add a cadence just before middle of each verse, and at the end of each verse (i.e. wherever a breath is required).
4. Utilizing the same cadence for both the middle of the verse (the mediation, or mediant cadence) and the end of the verse (the termination) is a bit repetitive. So, let's apply a different cadence to the mediant:
5. Now, since there will be an antiphon sung before the psalm begins, let's add an intonation to transition from the antiphon into the psalmody. We'll only add it to the first verse, though, unless it's a really special text from the Gospel (e.g. the Magnificat).
"The reciting tone…is the modal center. The accents are a foil to this center. The fact that these foils fall on accents means that the foils receive a certain emphasis. This gives a wonderful balance between stability and variety: stability from the reciting tone, variety from the emphasized foils. It is precisely this which gives the Gregorian tones, when sung to a Latin text, their lyrical quality and aesthetic satisfaction.” — Gregorian Psalm Tones with English Texts? by Anthony Ruff, OSB
The structural form of a psalm tone (with reciting tone, mediant, and termination) dates all the way back to the ancient Hebrew synagogue.
"[T]here is a striking similarity of style between the ancient Jewish melodies and those of the Gregorian repertory, indicated by such basic traits as absence of regular meter, responsorial and antiphonal performance, prevailingly conjunct motion, psalmodic recitation, syllabic style mixed with melismas, and use of standard formulae. In the field of psalm recitation the principles and, occasionally, even the melodies themselves are practically identical." — Gregorian Chant by Willi Apel, p. 35
Here is a chart of today's standardized Gregorian psalm tones. Roman numerals to the left indicate the mode, and letter names indicate the terminations, when more than one termination is possible for the same tone.
Matching modes and antiphons
Each of the eight modes has its own personalized psalm tone. The mode of the antiphon, which will always be notated just above the first letter of the antiphon, determines the mode of its accompanying psalm tone and its termination. This is what is meant when someone speaks of "Tone 8" or "the Eighth Tone" or "Tone 8g".
Can you find the notation for Tone 8g (or VIIIg) in the Office Psalm Tones chart further above?
Psalm tones in Hildegard's time
Hildegard von Bingen was a Benedictine nun, and as such was well accustomed to singing the Divine Office (what is now called the Liturgy of the Hours) according to Gregorian psalm tones.
We don't know the exact forms of the tones she would have sung, as there were many local variants in the chants in her day (the standardization of chants and psalm tones, as found in the Liber Usualis, did not take place til several centuries later). Also, the tones for psalmody would have been completely memorized in religious houses, so there was no need for anyone to include references to the full tones in the manuscripts of the period.
In the Dendermonde Codex, Hildegard did notate the psalm tone terminations with the vowels "e u o u a e", short for "saeculorum. Amen." "Saeculorum. Amen." are the last two words of the doxology ("Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit..."). The doxology concludes every psalm and canticle sung in the Office.
Vespers psalm tones, and the manner of pointing
While Hildegard utilized all eight modes in the whole corpus of her compositions, the classifications for her antiphons for the Blessed Virgin Mary are limited to just three: Modes 1, 4, and 6 — with a strong preference for Mode 4. I've chosen to set the psalmody according to the standard Gregorian tones from the Liber Usualis. However, since Hildegard's notated terminations are slightly different from these, and since parish communities which follow the post-conciliar liturgy tend to be less familiar with these tones, I've resorted to a simpler termination for each tone: 1a, 4g, and 6.
There are a myriad of different systems for pointing (i.e. adding symbols and/or altering the font in order to indicate how word syllables should align with specific parts of a given tone). The system I have chosen to use here in this article is as follows:
[brackets] include a pitch shared between two consecutive syllables
italics indicate the extra syllable on the same pitch as its adjoining syllable, and will always occur between the brackets
underlining indicates two pitches on a single syllable
vertical | lines indicate where a singer will shift from the reciting tone into the prescribed cadence (in the fully notated melodies, diagonal / lines have been substituted for vertical | lines, since the GABC coding editor that I used currently treats the vertical line as an entirely different coding command)
bold indicates parts that the congregation may sing, when psalmody is done in alternatim (switching back and forth between two different singing parties)
Gregorian antiphons, and pointing English texts to Gregorian tones
As I explained earlier, the mode of an antiphon determines the mode of its corresponding psalm tone. The notated/pointed psalmody in this article is limited to Tones 1, 4, and 6, for ease of interfacing with Hildegard's antiphons for the Blessed Virgin Mary. This was already a monumental task, as there are six files per antiphon (a second set is provided for Paschaltide), and there were eight different antiphons with corresponding psalmody to set!
Hildegard's music is long and challenging; you might find it more suitable to plan a Vespers which utilizes just one or two of her songs, rather than a Vespers loaded with 5 of her compositions (3 psalm antiphons, 1 Magnificat antiphon, and responsory).
If you do not intend to match each Vespers text with a Hildegard composition, I highly recommend programming proper Gregorian antiphons.
These proper antiphons are provided below, in the Ordo Cantus Officii: Editio cum Cantu, 2015. It is likely that you will need to point the psalmody yourself, according to the mode of the antiphon. You can do this in a few different ways.
Easiest: use Father Samuel Weber's psalm tones, found on pp. 5 and 6. (NB: the hollow, white note refers to the reciting tone in his settings.)
Intermediate and more elegant: if you already have some experience singing the Gregorian tones from the Liber Usualis, you might try your hand at the method proposed by Richard Rice in the Forward to his book, Communio with English Verses. Immersion and learning-by-doing is by far the best way to learn how the tones function. You can familiarize yourself with his methods by singing through all the psalmody of a selected tone. Flip through the book to find the antiphons of the desired mode, and simply sing the respective verses provided. (NB: the hollow, white notes — puncta cava — in this method refer to auxiliary notes for extra syllables which may not even occur in any given verse. Do not confuse these with the hollow, white note in Father Weber's psalm tones.)
Advanced/most elegant: follow Bruce Ford's methods for adjusting Gregorian psalm tones to English texts. These are the methods utilized in the files included in this article (with a nod to Richard Rice's manner of pointing). Two underlying principles will be of assistance to bear in mind when delving into Ford's article: 1) there is a historical precedent for joining two pitches normally sung on two separate syllables, onto one single syllable; and 2) auxiliary notes may be adjusted to slightly different scale degrees, if it will help to align the melodic accent with the textual accent, especially when a line ends with an important one-syllable word.
The International Chant Academy offers two different live, online courses to guide students through this process of pointing English texts to Gregorian tones: the Online Chant Course - Level II, and Psalmody.
Gregorian antiphons for the Liturgy of the Hours
KEY
I Vesp. = First Vespers
II Vesp. = Second Vespers
H = hymn
1 = first antiphon
2 = second antiphon
3 = third antiphon
R. br. = responsorium breve, or responsory
T.P. = Tempus Paschali, or Paschaltide
T.Q. = Tempus Quadragesimae (literally, "forty"); Time of 40 days/Lent
M = Magnificat antiphon
Inv. = Invitatory (chant sung before the very first Hour of the day)
Off. lect. = Officium Lectionis (Office of Readings)
Laudes = Lauds/Morning Prayer
B = Benedictus antiphon (sung at Lauds)
Tertia = literally "three"; Terce/mid-morning prayer
Sexta = literally "six"; Sext/noon prayer
Nona = literally "nine"; None/afternoon prayer
ad libitum = may be used freely (an alternate text for the standard text)
Vel = or (as in, another text which may be used instead)
Index Hymnorum (Index of Hymns): pp. 1214-1224
Index Antiphonarum (Index of Antiphons): pp. 1228-1309
Index Responsorium Brevium (Index of Responsories): pp. 1310-1316
PROPER CHANTS for VESPERS from the Ordo Cantus Officii
Commons of the Blessed Virgin Mary (e.g. First Saturdays and the Month of May, and any propers not already specified for the Marian Feast Days below)
Vespers I: pp. 990-992
Vespers II: pp. 998-1001
January 1: Mary, Mother of God
Vespers I: pp. 91-94
Vespers II: p. 99 (same as Vespers I, except antiphon for Magnificat)
February 11: Our Lady of Lourdes, p. 730 (Magnificat antiphon only)
March 25: Annunciation
Vespers I: pp. 752-755
Vespers II: pp. 760-763
May 13: Our Lady of Fatima, p. 780 (Magnificat antiphon only; see p. 1001)
May 31: Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pp. 787-788
Saturday after the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost: Immaculate Heart of Mary: use Vespers II from the Commons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pp. 998-1001
June 27: Our Lady of Perpetual Help: use Vespers II from the Commons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pp. 998-1001
July 16: Our Lady of Mount Carmel, p. 817 (Magnificat antiphon only)
August 15: Assumption
Vespers I: pp. 850-853
Vespers II: pp. 858-860
August 22: Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, p. 863 (Hymn and Magnificat antiphon only)
September 8: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pp. 877-878
September 12: Most Holy Name of Mary, p. 879 (Magnificat antiphon only; see p. 788)
September 15: Our Lady of Sorrows, pp. 892-894
October 7: Our Lady of the Rosary, pp. 911 (Hymn) and 913-914
November 21: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, p. 940 (Magnificat antiphon only)
December 8: Immaculate Conception
Vespers I: pp. 948-950
Vespers II: pp. 948 (Hymn) and 956-958
December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe, p. 958 (Magnificat antiphon only; see p. 1007
Article continues below...
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III. Principle of Progressive Solemnity
Remember when I said there is no "one size fits all" approach? In the Roman Catholic Church, the Principle of Progressive Solemnity provides great flexibility in choosing which parts of Vespers will be sung, as well as the manner in which to sing them. This is what I mean by a liturgical "choose your own adventure." You get to decide how many of the prayers will be sung, what their musical settings will be, and (in this particular case) how many of Hildegard's chants will be employed.
The General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours, Chapter V-II. Singing in the Office, paragraphs 267-284, fleshes this principle out.
273. A celebration with singing throughout is commendable, provided it has artistic and spiritual excellence; but it may be useful on occasion to apply the principle of "progressive solemnity." There are practical reasons for this, as well as the fact that in this way the various elements of liturgical celebration are not treated indiscriminately, but each can again be given its connatural meaning and genuine function. The liturgy of the hours is then not seen as a beautiful memorial of the past demanding intact preservation as an object of admiration; rather it is seen as open to constantly new forms of life and growth and to being the unmistakable sign of a community's vibrant vitality. [emphasis added]
The principle of "progressive solemnity" therefore is one that recognizes several intermediate stages between singing the office in full and just reciting all the parts. Its application offers the possibility of a rich and pleasing variety. The criteria are the particular day or hour being celebrated, the character of the individual elements comprising the office, the size and composition of the community, as well as the number of singers available in the circumstances.
With this increased range of variation, it is possible for the public praise of the Church to be sung more frequently than formerly and to be adapted in a variety of ways to different circumstances. There is also great hope that new ways and expressions of public worship may be found for our own age, as has clearly always happened in the life of the Church. [emphasis added]
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also fleshes out the principle of progressive solemnity in more detail in its 2007 document, Sing to the Lord, paragraphs 111-114. The document also explores the manner in which the Liturgy of the Hours may be sung in Section C. Music and the Liturgy of the Hours, paragraphs 230-240. The resources included in this article are based upon the antiphonal style.
234. In the antiphonal style, the praying assembly is divided into two groups. The text of the psalm is shared between them; generally the same musical configuration (e.g., a psalm tone) is used by both. A refrain is ordinarily sung before and after the psalm by the whole body. This method of singing has its roots in the choir and monastic traditions. Today, where it is used by the congregation, care must be taken that the people can be at ease with this form of sung prayer.
IV. Scores for Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Okie dokie, now that the foundation has been laid, it's time to put your Vespers together. Once you have printed your Vespers "cheat sheet" and have determined what the proper texts are for the Vespers which you will be singing, you can start gathering your musical settings. The remainder of this blog article exists to facilitate your process, with the goal of including Hildegard's own antiphons as much as possible.
Chant notation settings for many of Hildegard's songs to the Blessed Virgin Mary may be found in the ICA sister article, Reclaiming the music of Hildegard von Bingen, with songs in chant notation.
The first two verses of a psalm or canticle, as well as its prescribed antiphon, have been fully notated in all three modes utilized by Hildegard for her antiphons to the Blessed Virgin Mary (1, 4, and 6), with a separate file containing pointed verses and GABC coding for the remainder of the psalm or canticle. You can simply plug the provided coding into the Source and Summit Editor if you wish to alter the included files in any way.
Magnificat files: As the Gospels are treated with the greatest reverence among all books of the Bible, and the Magnificat is drawn from the Gospels, I set the Magnificat in all its pristine glory, using the full Liber Usualis Magnificat tones and Hildegard's own terminations. Due to the increased complexity of these tones, all of the Magnificat files in this article have been fully notated.
General files
First Vespers from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1st antiphon + Psalm 113
Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, for you carried the Creator of the world in your womb.
I: antiphon and verses 1 & 2 notated
II: Psalm 113, fully pointed for tones 1a, 4g, and 6
2nd antiphon + Psalm 147: 12-20
You are the mother of your Maker, yet you remain a virgin forever.
I: antiphon and verses 1 & 2 notated
II: Psalm 147: 12-20, fully pointed for tones 1a, 4g, and 6
3rd antiphon + Ephesians 1: 3-10
We share the fruit of life through you, O daughter blessed by the Lord.
I: antiphon and verses 1 & 2 notated
II: Ephesians 1: 3-10, fully pointed for tones 1a, 4g, and 6
Reading: Galatians 4: 4-5
When the designated time had come, God sent forth his Son born of a woman, born under the law, to deliver from the law those who were subjected to it, so that we might receive our status as adopted sons.
Responsory
I: fully notated
II: GABC coding
Magnificat
Fully notated, without antiphon
antiphon + Magnificat
The Lord has looked with favor on his lowly servant; the Almighty has done great things for me.
I. Fully notated, with antiphon
II. GABC for all Magnificat settings
Intercessions
Let us glorify our Savior, who chose the Virgin Mary for his mother. Let us ask him:
—May your mother intercede for us, Lord.
Sun of Justice, the immaculate Virgin was the white dawn announcing your rising,
—grant that we may always live in the light off your coming.
Eternal Word, you chose Mary as the uncorrupted ark of your dwelling place,
—free us from the corruption of sin.
Savior of mankind, your mother stood at the foot of your cross,
—grant, through her intercession, that we may rejoice to share in your passion.
With ultimate generosity and love, you gave Mary as a mother to your beloved disciple,
—help us to live as worthy sons of so noble a mother.
OR
Let us glorify our Savior, who chose the Virgin Mary for his mother. Let us ask him:
— May your mother intercede for us, Lord.
Savior of the world, by your redeeming might you preserved your mother beforehand from all stain of sin,
— keep watch over us, lest we sin.
You are our redeemer, who made the immaculate Virgin Mary your purest home and the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit,
— make us temples of your Spirit for ever.
Eternal Word, you taught your mother to choose the better part,
— grant that in imitating her we may seek the food that brings life everlasting.
King of kings, you lifted up your. mother, body and soul, into heaven;
— help us to fix our thoughts on things above.
Lord of heaven and earth, you crowned Mary and set her at your right hand as queen,
— make us worthy to share this glory.
Second Vespers from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1st antiphon + Psalm 122
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
I. antiphon and verses 1 & 2 notated
II: Psalm 122: 12-20, fully pointed for tones 1a, 4g, and 6
2nd antiphon + Psalm 127
I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you have said.
I. antiphon and verses 1 & 2 notated
II: Psalm 127: 12-20, fully pointed for tones 1a, 4g, and 6
3rd antiphon + Ephesians 1: 3-10
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
I. antiphon and verses 1 & 2 notated
II: Ephesians 1: 3-10, fully pointed for tones 1a, 4g, and 6
Reading: Galatians 4: 4-5
When the designated time had come, God sent forth his Son born of a woman, born under the law, to deliver from the law those who were subjected to it, so that we might receive our status as adopted sons.
Responsory
I. fully notated
II. GABC coding
antiphon + Magnificat
Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, for your great faith; all that the Lord promised you will come to pass through you.
For Magnificat files without the proper antiphon, refer to Magnificat of First Vespers, further above.
I. Fully notated, with antiphon
II. GABC for all Magnificat settings
Intercessions
Let us praise God our almighty Father, who wished that Mary, his Son’s mother, be celebrated by each generation. Now in need we ask:
— Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.
O God, worker of miracles, you made the Immaculate Virgin Mary share, body and soul, in your Son’s glory in heaven,
— direct the hearts of your children to that same glory.
You made Mary our mother. Through her intercession grant strength to the weak, comfort to the sorrowing, pardon to sinners,
— salvation and peace to all.
You made Mary full of grace,
— grant all men the joyful abundance of your grace.
Make your Church of one mind and one heart in love,
— and help all those who believe to be one in prayer with Mary, the mother of Jesus.
You crowned May queen of heaven,
— may all the dead rejoice in your kingdom with the saints for ever.
OR
Let us praise God our almighty Father, who wished that Mary, his Son’s mother, be celebrated by each generation. Now in need we ask:
— Mary, full of grace, intercede for us.
You made Mary the mother of mercy,
— may all who are faced with trials feel her motherly love.
You wished Mary to be the mother of the family in the home of Jesus and Joseph,
— may all mothers of families foster love and holiness through her intercession.
You gave Mary strength at the foot of the cross and filled her with joy at the resurrection of your Son,
— lighten the hardships of those who are burdened and deepen their sense of hope.
You made Mary open to your word and faithful as your servant,
— through her intercession make us servants and true followers of your Son.
You crowned Mary queen of heaven,
— may all the dead rejoice in you kingdom with the saints for ever.
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