Thursday evening of the colloquium was devoted to the topic of the Communion antiphon. President William Mahrt lectured on the history of the antiphon and its use with Psalm verses.

In particular, he recommended this as a great first step toward singing the propers of the Mass from the Graduale, the choir’s own liturgical book. This is what is recommended by the General Instruction, few pastors will object, most congregations don’t want to sing during this solemn time in any case, the communion antiphons are among the easier propers, and the result is astonishingly beautiful.

The background of the talk is the new book Communio, which offers fresh editions of the antiphons with the Psalms attached to them, all beautifully set for modern singers. It was assembled by master chant typographer Richard Rice, who also attended the Colloquium. He was, of course, the toast of the town that evening. After being introduced, participants gave him a standing ovation. He spoke about the project and how it came about.

We knew that there would be a demand for his book at the Colloquium, but had we underestimated its extent. We had thirty copies on hand and they all sold within minutes, leaving many people disappointed. Fortunately, there are more to be had. You can purchase it in soft or hard cover at the storefront of the Church Music Association of America.

It’s wonderful to see this book getting the attention it deserves. The next issue of the Adoremus Bulletin has a full feature on it and a long explanation of the meaning of the communion antiphon.