used in this article.) Probably because a monk or cleric was considered late if he arrived
after the invitatory psalm, the performance of this psalm was not modernized to the
standard antiphonal method. The verses were sung by two soloists in alternation with the
choir, which responded by alternating two forms of the refrain: the complete refrain and
the second half of it. Special melodies were used that were more complex than the simple
tones of antiphonal psalmody. The text, too, was not updated to the Latin Vulgate, as
were the other psalms; an Old Latin or pre-Vulgate text is used even today. In the
Monastic Office, Psalm 3 was chanted in direct psalmody before Psalm 94.
The Egyptian practice number of twelve psalms was preserved in the first nocturne of
Roman Matins but split between the first two nocturnes of the Monastic. In both
traditions, the psalms were arranged into three groups, each with its own refrain or
antiphon. The Monastic third nocturne, unlike the Roman, used Old Testament canticles
instead of psalms; the specific texts varied with the season. In both traditions, the
antiphonal psalms of Matins were assigned mostly in numerical order, omitting those that
would be sung at other hours during the day. However, the Roman Office began with
Psalm 1, the Benedictine with Psalm 20, though both ended on Saturday with Psalm 108.
Following the psalmody were readings from the Old Testament (first nocturne),
hagiographical or heortological writings related to the day (second nocturne), and
homilies of the church fathers on the Gospel of the day (third nocturne). Each reading
was followed by a responsory, sung responsorially even though only a minority of
responsory texts were taken from the psalms. The monastic office concluded with the
reading of the Gospel itself, but in nonmonastic churches this was typically read only at
Mass.
Following Matins was the service of Lauds, marking sunrise; its antiphonal psalms
were chosen because their texts were considered appropriate to the theme of morning
praise. Following a nigh-universal Christian tradition, the last “psalm” actually consisted
of three psalms (148–50) sung as one. The third “psalm” of the Roman Office actually
combined Psalms 62 and 66, while the fourth “psalm” in both traditions was actually an
Old Testament canticle. The reading at Lauds, as at the other offices throughout the day,
was a mere capitulum—a sentence quoted usually from the Epistle of the day, which was
read in its entirety only at Mass. This was followed by a brief responsory in the Monastic
Office; after that both traditions had a strophic hymn. The New Testament canticle
Benedictus (Luke 1:68–79), sung antiphonally, was a focal point of this service.
The “little hours” of Prime, Terce, Sext, and None marked the first, third, sixth, and
ninth hours of daylight, roughly 6 A.M., 9 A.M., noon, and 3 P.M. The community Mass
would typically be celebrated after Terce. Each of these offices in theory consisted of
three antiphonal psalms sung as one without a break and with only one antiphon, but the
specifics differed in the two traditions. Besides segments of Psalm 118, by far the longest
in the Psalter, there were numerical series of psalms omitted from Matins and Vespers:
Psalms 21–25 in the Roman Office, 1–19 and 119–127 in the Monastic. In both
traditions, this was followed by the singing of Quicunque vult, the so-called Athanasian
Creed. A distinctive feature of Prime in both traditions was the reading of the
martyrology for the following day, so that the monks or clergy would know what
liturgical celebrations to expect.
At Vespers, the numerical series of psalms was continued from Psalm 109, having
been interrupted at Matins with Psalm 108. The high point of this hour was the antiphonal
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