Music for the Eucharistic Prayers

Contents

Introduction

Eucharistic Prayers

Prayer A

Prayer B

Prayer C

Prayer E

Short and Extended Prefaces

Palm Sunday

Monday to Wednesday of Holy Week

Maundy Thursday

The Easter Liturgy

Easter Day

¶    Introduction

Singing the opening dialogue, preface, Sanctus and Benedictus, and conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer has been part of the received tradition of the Church since the earliest times.

In what follows there is provision for the singing of the dialogue, preface and doxology of Prayers A, B, C and E to chants derived from the traditional melodies of the Church of England, based principally on Sarum tones. This includes provision for Proper Prefaces. Prayer B is set complete.

All the chants are presented at modal pitch, with C as the notional reciting note. However, the G clef devised for the Common Worship plainchant settings is a reminder that this pitch is relative rather than absolute. In most cases, the president will wish to sing these chants at a lower pitch, most likely beginning the dialogue on D, E flat, E or F (with a principal reciting note of G,A flat, A or B flat) according to the range of the voice.

The chant should be sung flowingly at a steady speaking pace, bearing in mind the shape and stress of the text; hollow notes are provided where the reciting pitch is unchanged, and doubled black notes indicate suggested lengthening or weighted sound. Often this will be roughly equivalent to doubling the length of the note. At the end of a phrase such as ‘Lift up your hearts’, which has two notes set to ‘hearts’, both notes are slightly lengthened, with the second sung more gently than the first.

¶    Eucharistic Prayers

Proper Prefaces are to be found here

Prayer A

If an Extended Preface is used, it replaces all words between the opening dialogue and the Sanctus.

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The following may be omitted if a Short Proper Preface is used

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Short Proper Preface, when appropriate

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The Sanctus follows and the president continues with the Eucharistic Prayer (here).

For the acclamations, see here.

The Prayer continues (here) and leads into the doxology

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The service continues with the Lord’s Prayer here.

Prayer B

If an Extended Preface is used, it replaces all words between the opening dialogue and the Sanctus.

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Short Proper Preface, when appropriate

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The Sanctus follows (here).

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One of these four acclamations is used

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(or)

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(or)

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(or)

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The service continues with the Lord’s Prayer here.

Prayer C
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Short Proper Preface, when appropriate

[or, when there is no Proper Preface

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The Sanctus follows and the president continues with the Eucharistic Prayer (here).

For the acclamations, see here.

The Prayer continues (here) and leads into the doxology

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The service continues with the Lord’s Prayer here.

Prayer E
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Here follows an Extended Preface or the following

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The Sanctus follows and the president continues with the Eucharistic Prayer (here).

One of these four acclamations is used

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(or)

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(or)

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(or)

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The Prayer continues (here) and leads into the doxology

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The service continues with the Lord’s Prayer here.

¶    Palm Sunday

Short Preface
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Extended Preface
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¶    Monday to Wednesday of Holy Week

Short Prefaces

The Short Preface provided for Palm Sunday (here) or this Short Preface may be used

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Extended Preface

The Extended Preface provided for Palm Sunday may be used (here).

¶    Maundy Thursday

Short Preface
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Extended Preface
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¶    The Easter Liturgy

Short Preface
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Extended Preface
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¶    Easter Day

Short Prefaces

The Short Preface provided for The Easter Liturgy (here) or this Short Preface may be used

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Extended Preface

The Extended Preface provided for The Easter Liturgy may be used (here).

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