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We start with a Trope that leads into the Introit text.
A Trope is an added section of text related to
the chants of that day or Season and was added to
both the Ordinary and Proper texts of The Mass.
More on the Tropes for the Graduale or Missale
can be found in the Analecta Hymnica Vol. 49.
and the Cantus database.
This Trope, above, is from the 11th-12th Century and was sung in some form before the Introit of the First Sunday of Advent.
It replaced an earlier Trope for this Introit,
honouring Saint Gregory, which had been composed by
Pope Hadrian I (772 A.D. – 795 A.D.), which was placed
at the top of the Sacramentary given by Pope Hadrian to Charlemagne, the existence of which was attested to
by Agobard of Lyons (☩ 840 A.D.).
Sanctíssimus namque Gregórius cum preces effúnderet ad Dóminum ut músicum donum ei désuper in carmínibus dedísset, tunc descéndit Spíritus Sanctus super eum, in spécie colúmbæ, et illustrávit cor ejus, et sic demum exórtus est cánere, ita dicéndo : Ad te levavi . . .
(& we continue the Introit)
When the most holy Gregory poured out Prayers to the Lord that He might surrender to him from above a musical gift in song, then the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove and enlightened his heart to such a degree that at last he began to sing saying thus:
“Ad te levavi . . .”
(& we continue the Introit)
(tr. Katherine Bergeron)
