Easter Alleluia

[JW]

A quick straw poll out of interest.

How many do or don't observe the rubric that the Easter Alleluia should be intoned three times with the pitch raised each time? The last time we did the missal chant was about 30 years ago and no-one in the congregation sang because, even then, they didn't know it. Nowadays we do the Walker 'Celtic' Alleluia, intoned once by the cantor, and with the Easter verses, which follow the proper text with, I think, one addition.

I raise it because someone has just reminded me of the rubric. What do you do?

[alan29]

We don't.
Is it still the rubric?

[IncenseTom]

We do it. I give the Priest the first two notes for each one to make sure we both move up a tone together and not me a tone and he a minor 3rd or whatever. C minor, D Minor, E Minor (which works going into the Easter Alleluia as the psalm response in G major)

Response was slightly hesitant tonight at first but by the 3rd go it was fine, then straight into the psalm with the usual 'Easter Alleluia response' sung with gusto.

[High Peak]

This year was the first time that I have organised the Triduum Liturgies, because this year was the first time that we started the Vigil at a time I was comfortable with - 9pm. I cannot speak for previous years (we took ourselves off to Ampleforth) but this year we most certainly did intone the Alleluia three times and raised the pitch a semitone each time and then sang the Psalm with Alleluia the response.
The only concession we made was that we used the regular "Alleluia" and not the Easter one - our PP found that a little too challenging.

[gwyn]

At St Chad's, Birmingham the Triple Alleluia was sung thrice; each time a semitone higher than the previous.

[blackthorn fairy]

We don't. I think it would just be a step too far. We sing a Byzantine chant version (once), with the veses, and then repeat the alleluia at the end.

[alan29]

PP sang the dismissal with the fancy Alleluia.
Got it just sufficiently wrong to throw everyone. Nicely aleatoric response.

[Southern Comfort]

The Easter Alleluia rises in pitch each time (Roman Missal no. 34), and if necessary a psalmist can intone it instead of the priest; whereas the Lumen Christi no longer rises in pitch each time (Roman Missal nos. 15-17), and the candle can be brought in by "another suitable minister" instead of a deacon.

[organist]

It is a pity about changing the rise in pitch for Lumen Christi as it mirrors This is the wood of the cross and it is effective if well sung! Interesting to note that the threefold plainchant Alleluia is not as ubiquitous as I thought!

[alan29]

Despite all my efforts our PP pronounces the word "AlleluYER" and not "alleluYAH."
Its probably just as well we don't have to hear it three times in succession.

[PhloridaPhil]

We use the plainsong alleluia to mark its return and then use Bob Hurd's Dedication/Easter alleluia with the three verses.

Thanks Paul for your note on the same pitch for the Lumen Christi. With the Deacon assigned to the task it makes no difference as he has no apparent pitch memory!

[JW]

I suspect we may move to 3 x Celtic Alleluia next year, rising a semitone, then into the verses. Provided we have a cantor.