What are the sung Propers?
The Propers refer to the parts of the Mass that change from liturgy to liturgy. There are five sung Propers: Introit, Gradual, Alleluia (or Tract), Offer- tory, and Communion. These chants can be found in the Graduale Romanum and Gregorian Missal , both published by the Abbey Saint-Pierre de Solesmes, the center for chant restoration in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Introit chant is the normative ideal for what is commonly known as the processional hymn (some- times called the gathering song). The Gradual , which follows the first reading, is now almost always re- placed by the Responsorial Psalm from the Lection- Frequently Asked Questions on Sacred Music 15 ary. The Alleluia , with its verse, immediately precedes the Gospel reading; it is replaced by the Tract in the penitential season of Lent. The Offertory is not just the act of presenting and preparing the gifts, but is a chant prescribed for the Mass of the day, even though the text is not given in the Roman Missal. The Com- m
