The Eighth-Century Frankish-Roman Communion Cycle
James W. McKinnon
Musical and liturgical historians alike are familiar with the numerical series of weekday communions derived from Psalms 1-26. What is less well known that communion texts for entire temporale reveal similar compositional patterns. The cycle begins a richly evocative group Advent day Christmas Prophets, continues after vignettes drawn gospels, providing history in miniature Jesus' childhood early public life. potential narrative not so great Paschaltide, but there no symmetry disposition its communions, virtually all which taken either gospels or-another innovation-the epistles. Finally post-Pentecostal season, despite more irregular history, boasts concentration twelve unified by related themes harvest, sacrifice eucharist, poetic gesture recalling group. as whole replete internal evidence, suggesting project wholesale revision composition took place over period two or three generations at most. There broad circumstances, involving liturgy, music historical background, locate bulk this activity Roman schola cantorum later-seventh earlier-eighth centuries. More precise chronological indications, turn, last stages effort, borrowing responsories antiphons Office, late mid-eighth century. It clear, fact, was accomplished participation Franks.
Journal of the American Musicological Society