How to pray the LOotBVM

[AverageCatholicGirl]

So…I was wondering if there’s anyone on here who has a decent amount of knowledge on how to chant the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and could answer some questions for me…I’m somewhat of a newbie to the LOotBVM, and I have the Baronius Press edition of the book. However, only recently did I realize that this edition doesn’t really cater to people who are new to praying the LOotBVM. I mean, it’s a nice edition, but it doesn’t really lay down all of the rules in the rubrics section. Anyway, here are some of the things I’m wondering about:

1. Are all of the antiphons automatically “doubled”, no matter the day (whether it’s a solemnity, feast, memorial, or optional memorial)? I know that during pre-Vatican II times, the antiphons were only doubled on certain days.
2. When chanting the psalms, canticles, etc., is it okay to use a solemn tone on solemnities and feasts? Or are we restricted to only using a ferial or common tone? I know that the Baronius Press edition only includes the ferial tone for the “Deus in adjutorium” part, which is confusing to me, if we are to use both…

I want to make sure that I’m not praying the wrong way, b/c I know that there were changes implemented to how the Divine Office should be prayed, so I’m wondering if those same changes also apply to the LOotBVM as well. Thanks!

 

[Roseeurekacross]

@OraLabora

@CRM_Brother

 

[OraLabora]

I don’t know much about the Little Office. But in the Divine Office, until the mid-1950s, only the incipit of the antiphon was chanted before the psalm, and the whole antiphon after the doxology of the psalm. Pius XII or St John XXIII, i can’t remember which, changed that to the whole antiphon being chanted before and after the psalm.

For the solemn tone of the psalm, AFAIK that was only ever used at Mass after the introït and communion antiphon.

One exception, at some feasts and solemnities, the solemn median, but with simple finale, was used (still is, in fact, at the LOTH when chanted in Latin) for the Benedictus and Magnificat canticles.

It would surprise me if the Little Office were more ornate than the full Divine Office of the day.

 

[ChristMyLife]

For the solemn tone of the psalm, AFAIK that was only ever used at Mass after the introït and communion antiphon.

One exception, at some feasts and solemnities, the solemn median, but with simple finale, was used (still is, in fact, at the LOTH when chanted in Latin) for the Benedictus and Magnificat canticles.

It would surprise me if the Little Office were more ornate than the full Divine Office of the day.

Sometimes I’m glad I’m utterly ignorant of music, am tone deaf, can’t sing, can’t hold a melody, have no rhythm, and have a horrific cacophonic voice.

I simply recite my LOTH to the best of my ability, and use a Byzantine sort of monotone chant occasionally.