Choralis Constantinus II contents
The contents of Choralis Constantinus II are arranged in chronological order, beginning with Christmas (December 25) and ending with the Conception of the B.V.M. (December 8). Most of the feasts fall on fixed dates, but those that are dependent on the date of Easter (Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, and Corpus Christi) have variable dates.
Most of the masses include four liturgical items: introit, alleluia, sequence, and communion. During Lent, the alleluia is replaced by a tract. For that reason, Mass 5 (Annunciation), which always falls during Lent, has a tract and no alleluia. Mass 4 (Purification) may or may not fall during Lent; Isaac therefore provided both an alleluia and a tract for it. Mass 5 (Annunciation) lacks a sequence, as well as the alleluia. Mass 6 (Easter), the most important feast of the year, has a gradual in addition to the other four items.
The feasts for which Isaac provided music in Choralis Constantinus II were of different levels of importance in other places. The number of pieces from the collection that appeared in other sources (by whatever route of transmission) therefore varies considerably. The pieces with the most copies are those from the period of Christmas through Pentecost (Masses 1-8). Those for the local Constantine saints Geberhard, Pelagius, and Conrad appear only in contexts where they are assigned or adapted to other feasts. The feast of Saints John and Paul (Mass 11; not the same saints as the ones with the same names celebrated in Masses 10 and 12) evidently had little currency outside of Constance, since no copies of its music survive outside of Choralis II.
Some places (notably Brno and Bártfa) evidently did not use polyphonic communions in their liturgies, since communions are mostly lacking from the extensive sets of Choralis II material in the sources copied for those places.
The contents of Choralis II are as follows. Other sources are shown in the links.
- Mass 1 (Christmas)
- Introit: Puer natus est
- Alleluia Dies sanctificatus
- Sequence: Natus ante saecula / Per quem fit machina
- Communion: Viderunt omnes
- Mass 2 (Circumcision)
- Introit: Vultum tuum
- Alleluia Post partum, virgo
- Sequence: Laetabundus / Regem regum
- Communion: Simile est regnum coelorum
- Mass 3 (Epiphany)
- Introit: Ecce advenit
- Alleluia Vidimus stellam
- Sequence: Festa Christi
- Communion: Vidimus stellam
- Mass 4 (Purification of the B. V. M.)
- Introit: Suscepimus, Deus
- Alleluia Post partum, virgo
- Sequence: Concentu parili / Generosi Abrahae
- Communion: Responsum accepit Simeon
- Tract: Gaude, Maria
- Mass 5 (Annunciation of the B. V. M.)
- Introit: Rorate coeli
- Tract: Ave Maria
- Communion: Ecce virgo concipiet
- Mass 6 (Easter)
- Introit: Resurrexi
- Gradual: Haec dies
- Alleluia Pascha nostrum
- Sequence: Laudes Salvatori / Et devotis melodiis
- Communion: Pascha nostrum
- Mass 7 (Ascension)
- Introit: Viri Galilei
- Alleluia Dominus in Sina
- Sequence: Summi triumphum regis / Qui coeli
- Communion: Psallite Domino
- Mass 8 (Pentecost)
- Introit: Spiritus Domini
- Alleluia Veni Sancte Spiritus
- Sequence: Sancti Spiritus assit nobis gratia / Quae corda nostra
- Communion: Factus est repente
- Mass 9 (Corpus Christi)
- Introit: Cibavit eos
- Alleluia Caro mea
- Sequence: Lauda Sion / Quantum potes
- Communion: Qui manducat carnem meam
- Mass 10 (Saint John the Baptist)
- Introit: De ventre matris meae
- Alleluia Inter natos mulierum
- Sequence: Sancti Baptistae Christi / Solemnia celebrantes
- Communion: Tu puer propheta Altissimi
- Mass 11 (Saints John and Paul)
- Introit: Multae tribulationes iustorum
- Alleluia Isti sunt duae olivae
- Sequence: Hac die veneranda / Quam velut praeclaro lumine
- Communion: Et si coram hominibus
- Mass 12 (Saints Peter and Paul)
- Introit: Nunc scio vere
- Alleluia Tu es Petrus
- Sequence: Petre, summe Christi pastor / Ecclesiam vestris doctrinis
- Communion: Tu es Petrus
- Mass 13 (Visitation of the B. V. M.)
- Introit: Gaudeamus omnes
- Alleluia Magnificat anima mea Dominum
- Sequence: Lauda, sponsa / Piae vocis laudes canta
- Communion: Beata viscera
- Mass 14 (Saint Mary Magdalen)
- Introit: Gaudeamus omnes
- Alleluia Maria haec est illa
- Sequence: Laus tibi, Christe / Coeli, terrae, maris
- Communion: Dico vobis
- Mass 15 (Assumption of the B. V. M.)
- Introit: Gaudeamus omnes
- Alleluia Assumpta est Maria
- Sequence: Congaudent Angelorum chori / Quae sine virili commixtione
- Communion: Dilexisti iustitiam
- Mass 16 (Saint Geberhard)
- Introit: Sacerdotes tui, Domine
- Alleluia O Geberharde
- Sequence: Sancti Spiritus assit nobis gratia / Quae sanctos semper tuos
- Communion: Beatus servus
- Mass 17 (Saint Pelagius)
- Introit: Laetabitur iustus
- Alleluia O Pelagi
- Sequence: Omnes devota mente / In mensa Domini
- Communion: Qui vult venire post me
- Mass 18 (Nativity of the B. V. M.)
- Introit: Gaudeamus omnes
- Alleluia Nativitas gloriosi virginis Mariae
- Sequence: Stirpe Maria / Laude digna
- Communion: Diffusa est gratia
- Mass 19 (Dedication of a church)
- Introit: Terribilis est locus iste
- Alleluia Vox exultationis
- Sequence: Ecclesiae desponsato / Hanc qui sibi desponsavit
- Communion: Domus mea
- Mass 20 (Holy Cross)
- Introit: Nos autem gloriari oportet
- Alleluia Dulce lignum
- Sequence: Laudes crucis / Dulce melos pulset coelos
- Communion: Nos autem gloriari oportet
- Mass 21 (All saints)
- Introit: Gaudeamus omnes
- Alleluia Vox exultationis
- Sequence: Omnes sancti Seraphim / Principatus, Potestates, Virtutes
- Communion: Amen dico vobis
- Mass 22 (Saint Martin)
- Introit: Sacerdotes tui, Domine
- Alleluia Martinus episcopus
- Sequence: Sacerdotem Christi Martinum / Atque illius nomen
- Communion: Beatus servus
- Mass 23 (Presentation of the B. V. M.)
- Introit: Gaudeamus omnes
- Alleluia Felix virgo
- Sequence: Altissima providente / Uno nexu coniugatis
- Communion: Beata viscera
- Mass 24 (Saint Conrad)
- Introit: Sacerdotes tui, Domine
- Alleluia Ecce sacerdos magnus
- Sequence: Adornata laudibus / Invitans ad praesulis
- Communion: Beatus servus
- Mass 25 (Conception of the B. V. M.)
- Introit: Gaudeamus omnes
- Alleluia Conceptio gloriosae virginis Mariae
- Sequence: Conceptio Mariae / De radice Iesse
- Communion: Diffusa est gratia