Description

The Liber Usualis is a book of commonly-used Gregorian chants compiled by the monks of the Abbey of Solesmes in France. This 1,900-page book contains most versions of the ordinary chants for the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei), as well as the common chants for the Divine Office (daily prayers of the Church) and for every commonly celebrated feast of the Church Year (including more than two hundred pages for Holy Week alone). The "usual book" or "common book" also contains chants for specific rituals, such as baptisms, weddings, funerals, ordinations, and benediction. This modal, monophonic Latin music has been sung in the Catholic Church since at least the sixth century and through the present day. An extensive introduction explains how to read and interpret the medieval musical notation (square notation of neums or neumes). A complete index makes it easy to find specific pieces. The Liber was first edited in 1896 by Solesmes abbot Dom André Mocquereau (1849–1930).

Scores transcribed on GregoBase

How did the kyriales get their names? (🎩-tip to Andrew Leach's Christianity StackExchange question)

Ordinary Chants

| Name | Season | Mode | Century
---|---|---|---|---
1 | Lux et origo | In Paschal Time | 8 | 10
2 | Kyrie fons bonitatis | For feasts of the I class. 1. | 3 | 10
3 | Kyrie Deus sempiterne | For feasts of the I class. 2. | 4 | 11
4 | Cunctipotens Genitor Deus | For feasts of the II class. 1. | 1 | 10
5 | Kyrie magnæ Deus potentiæ | For feasts of the II class. 2. | 8 | 13
6 | Kyrie Rex Genitor | For feasts of the II class. 3. | 7 | 10
7 | Kyrie Rex splendens | For feasts of the II class. 4. | 8 | 10
8 | De Angelis | For feasts of the II class. 5. | 5 | 15-16
9 | Cum jubilo | For feasts of the Blessed Virgin. 1. | 1 | 12
10 | Alme Pater | For feasts of the Blessed Virgin. 2. | 1 | 11
11 | Orbis factor | For Sundays throughout the Year. | 1 | (10) 14-16
12 | Pater cuncta | For feasts of the III class. 1. | 8 | 12
13 | Stelliferi Conditor orbis | For feasts of the III class. 2. | 1 | 11
14 | Jesu Redemptor | For feasts of the III class. 3. | 8 | 10
15 | Dominator Deus | For commemorations and ferias of the Christmas season. | 4 | 11-13
16 | — | For ferias throughout the Year. | 3 | 11-13
17 | — | For the Sundays of Advent and Lent. | 1 | (10) 15-17
18 | Deus Genitor alme | For the ferias of Advent and Lent as well as for Vigils, Ember Days, and Rogation Days. | 1 | (10) 15-17

Chants “ Ad Libitum ”

| Name | Mode | Century
---|---|---|---
1 | Clemens Rector | 1 | 10
2 | Summe Deus | 1 | 11
3 | Rector cosmi pie | 2 | 11
4 | Kyrie altissime | 5 | 11
5 | Conditor Kyrie omnium | 7 | 10
6 | Te Christe Rex supplices | 8 | 10
7 | Splendor æterne | 1 | 11
8 | Firmator sancte | 6 | 13
9 | O Pater excelse | 8 | 11
10 | Orbis factor * | 1 | (10)
11 | Pater cuncta † | 1 | 10

*For Sundays throughout the year.
†For the Sundays of Advent and Lent.