Sequence (musical form)
In the church music and the literature of the Middle Ages, a sequence is a copywriting ( trope ) of the Gregorian Alleluia (classical sequence) or any derived lyric, hymn -like vocals. The term sequence is derived from the Latin word sequi ( German for "follow" ), because the singing in the liturgy originally immediately followed the Alleluia as an animated, wordless melody to the closing -a ( " Jubilus " ) of the Alleluia.
The history of the sequence starts at 850 with the copywriting of Alleluia Schlussmelismen (classical sequence). According to the traditional rule of Notker Balbulus Isonischen this had to happen syllabic. Until the 12th century, independent of the Hallelujah rhyme sequence forms out with rhyming and rhythmic harmonized verses. It leads to the large-scale sequences verse of the 13th century ( major authors Thomas of Celano and St. Thomas Aquinas ). Rhyme sequences have the structure mehrstrophiger, metric orderly and rhymed hymns.
Sequences were very popular in the late Middle Ages. There are about 5000 known rhyme sequences. In the 14th century the custom arose to combine the sequences on holidays with German verses. So the carol Blessed are You, Jesus Christ came about in connection with the sequence of the Christmas Midnight Mass Grates nunc omnes, and Christ is was bought for Easter Sequence Victimae paschali laudes sung.
The Council of Trent ( 1545-1563 ) had only four sequences in the official Roman Mass liturgy to:
- Victimae paschali laudes ( for Easter )
- Veni Sancte Spiritus ( at Pentecost )
- Lauda Sion Salvatorem ( Corpus Christi, ad libitum)
- Dies irae (death sequence in the Requiem, see below)
The Stabat Mater ( the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, ad libitum) was added in 1727 as the fifth sequence.
The Dies irae is in the liturgy of the ordinary form of the Roman Rite according to the new missal because the image of an angry God, no longer used ( " day of wrath ..."), which mediates the sequence, but is the big Requiem for All Souls' allowed, so that the treasure of the Church Music (M. Haydn, Mozart) can be maintained. Furthermore, she still finds application in Requiem of the extraordinary form of the Roman rite, and (ad libitum) in the Liturgy of the Hours of All Souls and the last week in Ordinary Time.
After the basic order of the Roman Missal (No. 64), the sequence is now sung between the second reading and the Gospel before the Alleluia. It is obligatory on Easter Sunday and on Pentecost Sunday, the remaining sequences are optional components of the Mass on the respective feast day.