Liam sent me an e-mail noting that the Conclave opening Mass sang the Gloria. I wasn’t terribly surprised. With MR3, it’s not so much about elevating the cardinals to the level of Saint Joseph (19 March) or the Blessed Mother (Annunciation, 25 March–but not this year). The Gloria may also be sung at wedding Masses during Lent, for example.
I was curious that they or Msgr Marini chose Gloria VIII instead of XV, the US choice. A better choice, I think.
12 March 2013 at 5:17 pm
Note the alternation between the people and the schola, not just in the Gloria but the introit, et cet. The only choral-only piece was at the Offertory (from Daniel 3).
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/libretti/2013/20130312missa-pro-eligendo-pontifice.pdf
12 March 2013 at 7:21 pm
The alternation between the people and schola is now typical for Papal liturgies (both Mass and Vespers). It’s interesting to see that the response to “propers or people’s participation” was “Yes!”
Mass VIII settings were used throughout. My guess as to why Mass VIII was chosen: it is used at the Vatican as the Mass Setting for Feasts (IX for Christmas and Marian Feasts, XI for Ordinary Time, I for Easter, XVI for Advent and Lent). As Todd points out Marriages (and other Ritual Masses) are treated as Feasts, and all Feasts now prescribe the Gloria (including the Chair of Peter during Lent). It looks like the Mass pro eligendo pontifice is treated as a Ritual Mass. Much as the simplicity of the setting of Mass XV seems appropriate to the Season, it doesn’t appear to be the St. Peter’s Scholar radar.
My big question: why would it be treated as a Ritual Mass rather than a Mass for Various Needs and Occasions (which does not prescribe the Gloria)?