Sequence for Easter: Recited or Sung

[CyrilSebastian]

At Easter Sunday Mass here, the Easter Sequence was sung.
At your church, was the Sequence recited or sung?

:harp::harp::harp:

 

[liturgyluver]

Sung - always.

 

[ProVobis]

Sung, by the choir. (Latin High Mass)

 

[Gertabelle]

Sung, in English, although we had only ever practiced it in Latin

Not sure why, but the young woman who intoned it suddenly sang the first phrase in English… and the rest of us were on our way, trying to match the awkward English words with the ancient melody.

Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men…

 

[Nelka]

Sung.

 

[tawny]

Always sung.

 

[Mary_Ellen]

Sung.

 

[pianistclare]

Should be sung.
Once only, have I seen a priest read it because the director forgot to prepare it.
But it should always be sung. Along with the Pentecost Sequence in a bit over a month.

 

[ProVobis]

Sung, in English, although we had only ever practiced it in Latin

Not sure why, but the young woman who intoned it suddenly sang the first phrase in English… and the rest of us were on our way, trying to match the awkward English words with the ancient melody.

Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men…

I didn’t even bother looking at the English. Never sounds right. Different meter, different vibration.

 

[pianistclare]

Yeah. Our parish sings the Pentecost Sequence to the tune of Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee. It’s horrible. really bad.
It’s in the hymnal correctly. Just learn it already. Sheesh.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

Sung by the cantor. Practically fell out of my pew as in this neck of the tundra, in the last 41 years, I have heard it. . .only this Easter. Usually it has been completely omitted (along with the Sequence at Pentecost).

 

[Gertabelle]

Sung by the cantor. Practically fell out of my pew as in this neck of the tundra, in the last 41 years, I have heard it. . .only this Easter. Usually it has been completely omitted (along with the Sequence at Pentecost).

I am so happy you finally got to hear it at mass on Easter!

 

[OraLabora]

Sung in Latin

 

[ProVobis]

… to the tune of Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee. It’s horrible. really bad.

That’s Beethoven’s Ninth, isn’t it? I think I’d be tempted to hum it.

 

[bobballen_18]

I really wanted to just sing it myself at my parish, but I did that last year and apparently there were some complaints since it was both chant and in Latin, both of which the congregation was not familiar with at the time. Plus, I sang it last year as a visitor, so no one even knew who I was. In fact, my pastor just told me recently that a woman came up to him afterward and asked who that person up there was singing in Hebrew. Yes, Hebrew…hahaha.

Anyway, I guess to compromise this year, we sang a sort of choral version this year, by Mariano Garau. It was a chant-like version with little snippets of the actual chant in it. I was actually really disappointed not to do the actual chant. But maybe next year.

 

[UpUpAndAway]

Neither—the Sequence was completely omitted. I really should ask about that.

 

[DaveBj]

Sung in English, accompanied by organ, and on the odd verses, by the music director on piccolo trumpet (melody line) and me on euphonium (bass line).

 

[DCNBILL]

Sung very nicely but not by the deacon I am afraid, he seems to be vocally challenged:blush:.

 

[revert_jen]

Sung, by a priest (not the Celebrant) with no musical accompaniment. (Our parish doesn’t use the organ–or any other instrument except a pitchpipe–from after the Gloria on Holy Thursday until the Gloria on the Easter Vigil. It’s amazingly moving.)

Given the hardships the poor man already faced (not a professional musician, no musical accompaniment), I think it is only fair that they let him sing it in English. But it was chant, and was quite beautiful.

–Jen

 

[WillyAL]

Sung. English. Cantor. No accompaniment.