Communion (chant)

TheCommunion(Latin:communio;‹See Tfd›Greek:κοινωνικόν,koinonikon) is a refrain sung with psalm recitation during the distribution of theEucharistin theDivine LiturgyorMass.As chant it was connected with the ritual act ofChristian communion.

The koinonikon cycle of the Divine Liturgy in Orthodox rites

According to Dimitri Conomos thekoinonikon(κοινωνικόν), as it is sung as an elaborated communion chant during theDivine Liturgy,has derived from an early practice of psalm recitation similar to Western liturgies, when theKoinonikonserved as atroparion.^[1]The oldesttroparionwhich was used for communion, was "Γεύσασθε καὶ ἴδετε" ( "O taste and see that the Lord is good", Ps. 33:9). It was supposed to symbolize the last supper celebrated onMaundy Thursday.During the 5th century, when the DivineLiturgy of the Presanctified Giftshad established and this communion chant became associated with it, the custom spread over the Lenten period, presumably with the recitation of different psalm sections (staseis).

In the earlyAsmatika(12th and 13th century), the choirbook of the cathedral rite, this koinonikon is classified asechos protos(transcribed asa—α′) according to the modal signatures of theOctoechos,but its archaic melos does not finish on thefinalisandbasisof this echos, but with the one (phthongos) ofechos plagios devteros(transcribed asE—πλβ′).^[2]

The koinonikon cycles of the Byzantine cathedral rite

In the cathedral rite of Constantinople thekoinonikonas atroparionbecame so elaborated, that it was sung without psalm recitation.

Easter koinonikon σῶμα χριστοῦ μεταλάβετε in echosplagios protoswith the old cheironomies (hand signs) or Asmatikon notation and their transcription into Byzantine round notation in a manuscript of the 14th century (GR-KAMs. 8, fol. 36v)

Nevertheless, its text was usually astichostaken from the psalter, like the SundayKoinonikonof the Week Cycle Αἰνεῖτε τὸν κύριον ( "Praise the Lord" Ps 148:1), which had already added as anOctoechoscycle in 13th-century GreekAsmatika,so that they could be performed according to theechosof the week.^[3]Within the weekly cycle each koinonikon was also specified to certain liturgical occasions such as the WednesdaykoinonikonΠοτήριον σωτηρίου ( "Cup of salvation" Ps 115:4) which was dedicated to feasts around the Theotokos or around martyres. Apart from the week cycle there was a repertory of 26koinonikawhich developed as a calendaric cycle of immoveable and moveable feasts during the 9th century and they can be found in the books of the cathedral rite since the 12th century (psaltikonandasmatikon).^[4]

Since the 14th century, when a mixed rite had replaced the former tradition of the cathedral rite atHagia Sophia,the old models have been elaborated in compositions of the Maistores like John Glykys,John Koukouzeles,andManuel Chrysaphes.

Communion chant in Western plainchant

The communio part of the Ambrosian mass

The communion part of theAmbrosianMass, as it had been celebrated in the cathedrals of Milan (called after the famous local bishopAmbrose), was composed around theAnaphora.It was opened by a litany called "Ter Kyrie", thePater Noster,and the chant which preceded thePostcommunio,was called "Transitorium".

The confractorium of the Gallican and Visigothic mass

According toIsidore of Seville(Etymologiae, De ecclesiasticis officiis) and Pseudo-Germanus'Expositio Antiquae Liturgiae Gallicanae^[5]the communion chant of the Mass in theGallican riteof France and theVisigothic riteof Spain was calledConfractoriumand probably connected with a ritual breaking (fraction) ofsacramental bread.

The communion cycle of the Roman and Roman-Frankish rite

According to James McKinnon thecommuniobecame late part ofRomanMass, and like in many other Western sources, there is no early evidence of a Latin equivalent of the Ps. 33:9 ( "Gustate et videte" ) as a kind of prototype of the genre, butOrdo romanus Idescribes the communion chant as an antiphon with psalm sung by theSchola cantorumaccompanying the distribution of the Eucharist, until the presiding pope interrupts it.^[6]Nevertheless, the genrecommuniobecame an important and favored subject in the process of a compositional planning of the Mass Proper by the leader of theSchola cantorum,which had already about 141 items during the 7th century. The dramaturgy in the composition of communion chants and the choice of scriptural texts from Advent to Epiphany includes the composition of an epic recitation of prophetic texts before Christmas, while the later serial of communion chants use extracts from the gospel readings of the day, composed in a rather dramatic style.^[7]

Since the Carolingian reform the Roman Mass Proper became part of theRoman-Frankishliturgy and the most common musical settings of it were reserved for special Masses such asRequiemMasses, where the chant has theincipitLux aeterna.

Incontemporary Catholic usage,the communion chant corresponds to theCommunion Antiphonand is sung or recited audibly throughout by the faithful.

References and sources

^Dimitri Conomos (1985).
^See transcription of Ms. Γ. 3 (fol. 9)—an Asmatikon of theGreat Lavra MonasteryonMount Athos(Conomos 1980, p. 259, ex. 4).
^Conomos (1980, pp. 255-259, ex. 2) analyzed this cycle, added later during the late 14th century, and compared it to the earlierechos-protosversion in a SlavicKondakarof the 13th century (ex. 3).
^In his early article which preceded his book, Dimitri Conomos (1980) offers tables of the three cycles, their texts and their modal classification according to theOctoechosand a list of medieval notated chant manuscripts of the cathedral rite which have preserve these cycles.
^Autun, Bibliothèque municipale, Ms. 184.
^James McKinnon (2000, pp. 326-328).
^James McKinnon (1998).

Studies

Bailey, Terence."Ambrosian chant".Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online.Retrieved20 August2012.
Conomos, Dimitri E. (1980). "Communion Chants in Magna Graecia and Byzantium".Journal of the American Musicological Society.33:241–263.doi:10.2307/831112.JSTOR 831112.
Conomos, Dimitri E. (1985).The Late Byzantine and Slavonic Communion Cycle: Liturgy and Music.Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks.
Popova, Deniza; Gerlach, Oliver (2014). "Vater Stilijan – ein Mönch aus Bačkovo-Kloster: Seine Persönlichkeit und seine Bedeutung für die bulgarisch-orthodoxe Gesangspraxis".Bulgarien-Jahrbuch.2012:129–157.doi:10.3726/b12817.
Huglo, Michel; et al."Gallican chant".Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online.Retrieved20 August2012.
McKinnon, James."Communion".Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online.Retrieved20 August2012.
McKinnon, James (2000).The Advent project the later-seventh-century creation of the Roman Mass proper.Berkeley: University of California Press.ISBN 9780520221987.Retrieved20 August2012.
McKinnon, James W. (1998). "Compositional Planning in the Roman Mass Proper".Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae.39:241–245.doi:10.2307/902538.JSTOR 902538.
Randal, Don M.; Nadeau, Nils."Mozarabic chant".Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online.Retrieved20 August2012.
Taft, Robert (1977)."The Evolution of the Byzantine 'Divine Liturgy'".Orientalia Christiana Periodica.43:8–30.Retrieved11 April2012.
Troelsgård, Christian."Koinōnikon".Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online.Retrieved20 August2012.

[1] Dimitri Conomos (1985).

[2] See transcription of Ms. Γ. 3 (fol. 9)—an Asmatikon of theGreat Lavra MonasteryonMount Athos(Conomos 1980, p. 259, ex. 4).

[3] Conomos (1980, pp. 255-259, ex. 2) analyzed this cycle, added later during the late 14th century, and compared it to the earlierechos-protosversion in a SlavicKondakarof the 13th century (ex. 3).

[4] In his early article which preceded his book, Dimitri Conomos (1980) offers tables of the three cycles, their texts and their modal classification according to theOctoechosand a list of medieval notated chant manuscripts of the cathedral rite which have preserve these cycles.

[5] Autun, Bibliothèque municipale, Ms. 184.

[6] James McKinnon (2000, pp. 326-328).

[7] James McKinnon (1998).

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