A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Vespers
VESPERS (Lat. Officium Vesperarum, Vesperæ, Oratio vespertina, Ad Vesperas). The last but one, and most important, of the 'Horæ Diurnæ,' or Day hours,' in the Antiphonarium.
The Office begins with the Versicle and Response, 'Deus in adjutorium,' followed by five Psalms. On Sundays, these are usually Pss. cix, cx, cxi, cxii, and cxiii (corresponding to Pss. cx–cxiv in the English Prayer-Book version); on other days, they vary. Each Psalm is sung with a proper Antiphon, which, on certain Festivals, is doubled i.e. sung entire, both before and after the Psalms. On Ferial days, the first two or three words only of the Antiphon are sung before the Psalm, and the entire Antiphon after it. The Psalms are followed by the Capitulum; and this by a Hymn, which varies according to the Festival or the day of the week. After this, 'Magnificat' is sung with a special Antiphon. Then follows the Prayer (or Collect) for the day; succeeded by the proper Commemorations. Should Compline follow, the Office of Vespers ends here. If not, the Commemorations are followed by one of the 'Antiphons of Our Lady,' with which the Office concludes.
The music sung at Vespers is more solemn and elaborate than that used at any of the other Hours. The proper Plain-Chaunt Melodies are found in the Vesperal. [See Vesperale.] The Melodies of the Antiphons are of extreme antiquity. The Psalms are sung to their proper Gregorian Tones; for the most part, either entirely in Unison, or in alternate verses of Unison and Faux Bourdon. Many Faux Bourdons, by the great Composers, are still extant. Proske has included some by B. Nanini, F. Anerio, and others, in vol. iii. of his 'Musica Divina'; and a copy of a MS. collection, entitled 'Studij di Palestrina,' will be found among the Burney MSS. in the British Museum. Proske has also printed a very fine setting of the opening Versicle and Response, by Vittoria; and Ambros another, by G. B. Rossi, first printed in 1618.
Polyphonic Magnificats are necessarily very elaborate; for during the Canticle the High Altar is incensed, and sometimes the Altar in the Lady Chapel also—a ceremony which often occupies a considerable time. [See Magnificat.]
The Hymns for the various Seasons have also been frequently set, in very elaborate form, by the Polyphonic Composers; Palestrina's 'Hymni totius anni' is a complete collection, of unapproachable beauty. Some fine isolated specimens will also be found among the works of Tallis, Byrd, and other Composers of the English School; and Proske has published many interesting examples, collected from various sources. The four 'Antiphons of Our Lady'—Alma Redemptoris, Ave Regina, Regina Cœli, and Salve Regina—have been treated by many good writers, including Palestrina, Anerio, and O. Lasso, in the form of highly developed Motets.
With so large a répertoire of Compositions of the highest order, the Office of Vespers may be made a very impressive one; and, indeed, with little more than Plain-Chaunt, treated in Unison, and very simple Faux-Bourdon, it is sung at Notre Dame de Paris, S. Sulpice, and other large French churches, with a solemnity well worthy of imitation.