Gradual

The Gradual is to be sung after the reading of the [[Epistle]]. It is ordinarily followed by the [[Hallelujah]] or [[Tract (liturgy)|Tract]], but in Masses that have more readings than normal, such as during [[Lent]], these may be separated by another reading, or, if there are more than three readings, there is more than one Gradual, and finally the Tract, to separate each reading. In [[Eastertide]], the Gradual is normally omitted, and a second Hallelujah is sung in its place, except within the [[Octave (liturgical)|Octave]] of [[Easter]]. In what is now the [[Mass of Paul VI|ordinary form]] of the Roman Rite, the [[Responsorial Psalm]] normally takes the place of the Gradual, and is sung after the first reading, but it may be replaced by the Gradual.

The Gradual is to be sung after the reading of the [[Epistle]]. It is ordinarily followed by the [[Hallelujah]] or [[Tract (liturgy)|Tract]], but in Masses that have more readings than normal, such as during [[Lent]], these may be separated by another reading, or, if there are more than three readings, there is more than one Gradual, and finally the Tract, to separate each reading. In [[Eastertide]], the Gradual is normally omitted, and a second Hallelujah is sung in its place, except within the [[Octave (liturgical)|Octave]] of [[Easter]]. In what is now the [[Mass of Paul VI|ordinary form]] of the Roman Rite, the [[Responsorial Psalm]] normally takes the place of the Gradual, and is sung after the first reading, but it may be replaced by the Gradual.

In the [[Tridentine Mass]], the celebrant himself reads the Gradual with the Hallelujah, Tract, or [[Sequence (poetry)|Sequence]] immediately after he has read the Epistle, and at the same place, even if the choir sings it too. There is no rule for the distribution of its parts within the choir. All may be sung straight through by the whole choir, but it is more common to divide the texts so that some parts are sung by one or two cantors. A common arrangement is that the cantors sing the first words of the Gradual (to the asterisk in the choir-books), the choir continues, and the cantors sing the verse. Normally it is all sung to [[plainsong]].

In the [[Tridentine Mass]], the celebrant himself reads the Gradual with the Alleluia, Tract, or [[Sequence (poetry)|Sequence]] immediately after he has read the Epistle, and at the same place, even if the choir sings it too. There is no rule for the distribution of its parts within the choir. All may be sung straight through by the whole choir, but it is more common to divide the texts so that some parts are sung by one or two cantors. A common arrangement is that the cantors sing the first words of the Gradual (to the asterisk in the choir-books), the choir continues, and the cantors sing the verse. Normally it is all sung to [[plainsong]].

In other churches and rites, there are fragments of the psalms once sung between the lessons that correspond to the Roman Gradual. Their placement and structure depend strongly on how many readings there are. In the [[Byzantine Rite]] the reader of the epistle first chants "the Psalm of David" and then the "[[Prokeimenon]] of the Apostle", both short fragments of psalms. The [[Armenian Rite]], which has kept the older arrangement of three lessons, includes between each a fragment called the ''Saghmos Jashu'' (Psalm of dinnertime) and the ''Mesedi'' ([[mesodion]]), again a verse or two from a psalm. The [[East Syrian Rite|Nestorians]] use three verses of psalms each followed by three Hallelujahs (this group is called ''Zumara'') after the Epistle. The present [[Ambrosian Rite]] sometimes has a Prophecy before the Epistle, in which case there follows the ''Psalmellus'', two or three verses from a psalm, which corresponds to the Gradual. The [[Mozarabic Rite]] has three lessons, with a psalm (''Psallendo'') sung between the first two. Among Protestant churches, [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]]s sing a Gradual either between the Old Testament and the Epistle or the Epistle and the Gospel readings during the [[Divine Service (Lutheran)|Divine Service]].

In other churches and rites, there are fragments of the psalms once sung between the lessons that correspond to the Roman Gradual. Their placement and structure depend strongly on how many readings there are. In the [[Byzantine Rite]] the reader of the epistle first chants "the Psalm of David" and then the "[[Prokeimenon]] of the Apostle", both short fragments of psalms. The [[Armenian Rite]], which has kept the older arrangement of three lessons, includes between each a fragment called the ''Saghmos Jashu'' (Psalm of dinnertime) and the ''Mesedi'' ([[mesodion]]), again a verse or two from a psalm. The [[East Syrian Rite|Nestorians]] use three verses of psalms each followed by three Hallelujahs (this group is called ''Zumara'') after the Epistle. The present [[Ambrosian Rite]] sometimes has a Prophecy before the Epistle, in which case there follows the ''Psalmellus'', two or three verses from a psalm, which corresponds to the Gradual. The [[Mozarabic Rite]] has three lessons, with a psalm (''Psallendo'') sung between the first two. Among Protestant churches, [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]]s sing a Gradual either between the Old Testament and the Epistle or the Epistle and the Gospel readings during the [[Divine Service (Lutheran)|Divine Service]].