Ambrosian chant

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Ambrosian chant (also known as Milanese chant) is the liturgical plainchant
repertory of the Ambrosian rite of the Roman Catholic Church, related to but distinct
from Gregorian chant. It is primarily associated with the Archdiocese of Milan, and
named after St. Ambrose much as Gregorian chant is named after Gregory the Great.
It is the only surviving plainchant tradition besides the Gregorian to maintain the
official sanction of the Roman Catholic Church.

Contents
[hide]

1 History
2 General characteristics
3 Chants of the Office
4 Chants of the Mass
o 4.1 Ordinary chants of the Mass
o 4.2 Proper chants of the Mass
5 References
6 Sources
7 External links

History[edit]
The history of Milan as a center for religious music goes back to St. Ambrose.
Ambrose is not known to have composed any of the Ambrosian chant repertory, much
as Gregory the Great is not known to have composed any Gregorian chant. However,
during his fourth-century tenure as Bishop of Milan, he is credited with introducing
hymnody from the Eastern Church into the West. Ambrose composed original hymns
as well, four of which still survive, along with music which may not have changed too
much from the original melodies.
Two methods of singing psalms or other chants are responsorial and antiphonal. In
responsorial singing, the soloist (or choir) sings a series of verses, each one followed
by a response from the choir (or congregation). In antiphonal singing, the verses are
sung alternately by soloist and choir, or by choir and congregation. [1] In the Western
Church where formerly the responsorial method seems to have been used alone, the
antiphonal method was introduced by St. Ambrose.[2]
Over time, the Milanese liturgy developed into the Ambrosian rite, which shares more
in common with the Gallican and Mozarabic rites than with the Roman. Ambrosian
chant developed to meet the particular needs of the Ambrosian liturgy. Although the
Ambrosian rite is liturgically related to other rites and Ambrosian chant is musically
related to other plainchant traditions, different categories of chant, different chant
texts, and different musical styles make Ambrosian chant a distinct musical repertory.

By the 8th century, this chant was attested to be normative across northern Italy,
perhaps reaching into southern Italy as well.
Between the 8th and 13th centuries, however, the Carolingian chant commissioned by
Charlemagne developed into what we now know as Gregorian chant, which began to
influence and eventually replace most of the other Western plainchant traditions. By
the 12th century, the Mozarabic, Gallican, Celtic, Old Roman, and Beneventan chant
traditions had all been effectively superseded by Gregorian chant. Ambrosian chant
alone survived, despite the efforts of several Popes over a period of several centuries
to establish Gregorian hegemony. A chronicle by the Milanese historian Landolphus
from around the year 1000 recounts a legend that two Sacramentaries, one Gregorian
and one Ambrosian, were placed on an altar to see which chant had divine acceptance;
miraculously, both books opened simultaneously, showing both were equally
acceptable.
Ambrosian chant did not wholly escape Gregorian influence. The earliest 8th-century
fragments, and the more complete chantbooks from the 11th and 12th centuries that
preserve the first recorded musical notation, show marked differences between the
Gregorian and Ambrosian repertories. Later additions to the Ambrosian repertory,
whose style differs from the earlier chants, may reflect Gregorian influence. Although
St. Charles Borromeo fought to keep the Ambrosian rite intact during Spanish
occupation, a contemporary edition of Ambrosian chant, published by Perego in 1622,
attempts to categorize the Ambrosian chants into the eight Gregorian modes, which is
not generally accepted as an accurate reflection of the actual musical practice of the
time.
Ambrosian chant has survived to the present day, although its use is now limited
primarily to the greater part of the Archdiocese of Milan and environs, parts of
Lombardy, and parts of the Swiss Diocese of Lugano. Most recently, it survived the
changes to the liturgy established by Vatican II, in part due to the prior tenure of Pope
Paul VI as Archbishop of Milan.

General characteristics[edit]
Ambrosian chant is largely defined by its role in the liturgy of the Ambrosian rite,
which is more closely related to the northern "Gallic" liturgies such as the Gallican
rite and the Mozarabic rite than the Roman rite. Musically, however, Ambrosian chant
is closely related to the Gregorian and Old Roman chant traditions. Many chants are
common to all three, with musical variation.
Like all plainchant, Ambrosian chant is monophonic and a cappella. In accordance
with Roman Catholic tradition, it is primarily intended to be sung by males, and many
Ambrosian chants specify who is to sing them, using phrases such as cum Pueris (by a
boys' choir) and a Subdiaconis (by the subdeacons).
Stylistically, the Ambrosian chant repertoire is not generally as musically uniform as
the Gregorian. Ambrosian chants are more varied in length, ambitus, and structure.
Even within individual categories of chant, Ambrosian chants vary from short and
formulaic to prolix and melismatic, and may be freely composed or show significant

internal melodic structure. Its most distinctive feature compared with other plainchant
repertories is a significantly higher amount of stepwise motion, which gives
Ambrosian melodies a smoother, almost undulating feel. In manuscripts with musical
notation, the neume called the climacus dominates, contributing to the stepwise
motion. More ornamental neumes such as the quilisma are nearly absent from the
notated scores, although it is unclear whether this reflects actual performance practice,
or is simply a consequence of the relatively late musical transcription.
The Gregorian system of modes does not apply to Ambrosian chant. Although there
are no b-flats indicated in the musical notation, it seems likely that they were
understood, based on Guido d'Arezzo's description of the "more perdulcis Ambrosii."
Nearly all of the texts used in Ambrosian chant are biblical prose, not metrical poetry,
despite Ambrose having introduced Eastern hymnody to the West. Ambrosian chant
serves two main functions in the Ambrosian liturgy: to provide music for the chanting
of the Psalms in the monastic Offices, and to cover various actions in the celebration
of the Mass.

Chants of the Office[edit]

Sant'Ambrogio Basilica
The Office chants of the Ambrosian repertoire are still largely unresearched, so only
preliminary evaluations have been made.
The minor hours have little of musical interest: some hymns, and the simplest of
reciting tones only. The main chants of the Office are those of Matins, Vespers and the
Vigils.
The Psalms are sung at Matins and Vespers in a rotating schedule so that all 150
Psalms are chanted every two weeks. The Psalms are each sung to a psalm tone, with
a simple antiphon between each verse. The system of psalm tones in Ambrosian chant
differs in several respects from the Gregorian system of psalm tones. In the Gregorian

system, psalm tones are based on the mode of the antiphon. Ambrosian chants,
including psalm antiphons, do not conform to the Gregorian system of modes. Each
Ambrosian psalm antiphon belongs to one of four different series depending on its
final pitch. Within each series, there are several possible psalm tones corresponding to
the predominant pitch of the antiphon, which may or may not correspond to the
"dominant" pitch of Gregorian modes. Finally, each psalm tone is given a cadential
formula that lets the tone segue smoothly back into the antiphon. This system results
in a much larger number of possible psalm tones in Ambrosian chant than exists in
Gregorian chant. Structurally, psalm tones in Ambrosian chant consist of an incipit, a
recitation formula, and a cadence, lacking the mediant flex found in Gregorian psalm
tones.
Other Vespers chants include the Psallendae and the Antiphonae in choro. Psallendae
comprise the largest category of Ambrosian Office chants. Two Psallendae, similar to
the Marian antiphons of Gregorian chant, are performed on the more solemn Vespers,
to cover processions. They conclude with one of several recitation tones that segue
into the Gloria Patri. Antiphonae in choro are similar in style, but have no psalm or
verse.
Responsoria occur in both Matins and Vespers. Their names often identify who is to
sing them: the boys' choir, the deacon, the subdeacons, and so on. A Responsorium
usually consists of a refrain called a respond, a verse, and a repetition of an expanded
part of the respond. These expansions contain some of the longest melismas of the
Ambrosian chant repertoire, which often contain complex repeat structures.
Vespers begin with a chant called the Lucernarium and end with the Completorium.
The word Lucernarium hearkens back to the original function of Vespers as a time of
lighting lamps, and the texts of Lucernaria usually contain some reference to light,
such as Quoniam tu illuminas, Paravi lucernam, and Dominus illuminatio.
Stylistically, Lucernaria and Completaria vary. Some are proper, specific to certain
feasts, while others are ordinary and can be used throughout the year. They range
from highly elaborate chants to simple reciting tones. There are relatively few
Lucernaria and Completaria; four Completaria are used for all but three days of the
year.

Chants of the Mass[edit]

The Mass is the Christian celebration of the Eucharist. Plainchant occurs prominently
in the Mass for several reasons: to communally affirm the faith, to expand on the
scriptural lessons, and to accompany certain actions. The chants of the Mass divide
into the ordinary, whose texts are invariable, and the proper, whose texts change
depending on the feast. There are several differences between the Ambrosian rite and
the Roman rite, which are reflected in the Ambrosian and Gregorian chant traditions.

Ordinary chants of the Mass[edit]

The ordinary chants consist of the Laus Missa or Gloria, the Symbolum, and the
Sanctus. The Symbolum corresponds to the Credo in the Roman rite. Unlike Gregorian

chant, there is no Agnus Dei nor Ite missa est, and the Kyrie does not exist as a
separate category of chant.
Only a small number of each of these ordinary chants exist: four Gloria melodies, four
Sanctus melodies, and just one melody for the Symbolum. The Symbolum melody is
quite simple, just a slightly ornamented reciting tone. Of the four Gloria melodies, one
is simple like the Symbolum melody, one is an expanded version of the simple
melody, and one is a freely composed syllabic and neumatic melody consisting of
only one or just a few pitches per syllable. The fourth melody is elaborately
melismatic. All four melodies segue into a very simple threefold Kyrie chant.
Only two of the few Sanctus melodies are regularly used, both fairly simple.

Proper chants of the Mass[edit]

The Ingressa corresponds to the Introit in the Roman rite. Unlike the Introit, the
Ingressa has no psalm verse or doxology. While the Introit fills in the time that the
celebrant processes to the altar, the Ingressa is sung during the censing of the altar.
The next three proper chants follow and amplify three readings from Scripture. The
Psalmellus follows the Prophecy, the Old Testament reading, and corresponds to the
Gregorian Gradual. The Post Epistolam or Alleluia follows the reading of the Epistle,
and corresponds to the Gregorian Alleluia. Ambrosian Alleluias show an even higher
degree of adaptation, reusing melodies for the texts of different feasts, than do the
Gregorian Alleluias. Unlike the Gregorian Alleluia, the Ambrosian Alleluia kept an
extended repeat called the jubilus. During penitential periods, the Post Epistolam is
replaced by the Cantus, which corresponds to the Gregorian Tract. The Cantus
melodies belong to a common type, related to the Old Roman and Beneventan chant
traditions. The chant following the final lesson, from the Gospel, is the Post
Evangelium, which has no counterpart in the Roman Rite.
The Offertorium is sung during the bringing of gifts to the altar, corresponding to the
Gregorian Offertory. While the Gregorian Offertories had lost their verses by the 12th
century, some Ambrosian Offertoria retained their verses, every bit as complex as
their defunct Gregorian counterparts.
The Confractorium is sung during the breaking of the bread, which has no counterpart
in Gregorian chant. Finally, the Transitorium, so called because it originally involved
the transfer of a book to the opposite side of the altar, corresponds to the Gregorian
Communion. Many Transitorium texts are direct translations of Greek originals,
although the melodies are not demonstrably Byzantine.
The Ingressa, Post Evangelium, Confractorium, and Transitorium never have verses,
while the other chants may have responds and verses, up to three verses for some
Cantus melodies. The Psalmellus, Post Evangelium, Offertoria, and Transitoria
sometimes show complex repeat structures.

References[edit]

1.

Jump up ^ Weber, Jerome F. "Early Western Chant", Western Catholic

Liturgics
2.
Jump up ^ Bewerunge, Henry. "Plain Chant." The Catholic Encyclopedia.
Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 14 Oct. 2013

Sources[edit]

Jesson, Roy (1990). Ambrosian Chant. In Willi Apel, Gregorian Chant, pp.
465483. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-20601-4
Ricossa, Luca (2011-12), Luca Ricossa (http://lrs.club.fr), "Antiphonale
Ambrosianum" (complete edition of the medieval ambrosian antiphoner, with
original musical notation and complete liturgical context). Voll. I - II - III - IV
- (V)
Hiley, David (1995). Western Plainchant: A Handbook. Clarendon Press.
ISBN 0-19-816572-2.
Hoppin, Richard (1978). Medieval Music. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0393-09090-6.

External links[edit]

Bailey, Terence: Ambrosian Chant [Milanese Chant], Grove Music Online ed.
L. Macy (Accessed 30 April 2006), Grove Music Access by subscription
only
Ambrosiana at Harvard. New sources of Milanese Chant. Conference website
with digital facsimiles of Houghton Library. MS Lat 388, Houghton Library.
MS Lat 389, and Houghton Library. MS Typ 299.
Ambrosian Chant (in Italian)
Antiphonale Missarum juxta ritum Sanctae Ecclesiae Mediolanensis Reference book, complete scan
Liber Vesperalis juxta ritum Sanctae Ecclesiae Mediolanensis - Reference
book, complete scan
Free scores by Ambrosian chant in the Choral Public Domain Library
(ChoralWiki)