The invitatory antiphons inCantus sororum:a unique repertoire in a world of standard chant

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ABSTRACTThis is the first study to examine the seven invitatory antiphons of the Birgittine weekly Office, theCantus sororum, offering complete transcriptions of the melodies and texts. An important general finding is that these invitatories share many melodic similarities with great responsories, but on a more detailed level this article investigates precisely how these chants relate to known models, both complete melodies as well as individual melodic motives. Four patterns of composition among theCantus sororuminvitatories emerge: (1) unique texts may be combined with melodies that resemble other known chants outside theCantus sororum;(2) texts and melodies that resemble other variants outside theCantus sororummay be combined in new ways; (3) both text and melody are unknown outside theCantus sororum.Overall, these invitatory antiphons, like the rest of theCantus sororum, represent creative work with existing melodies and texts, including reworkings, borrowings and consistent use of melodic motifs, comprising a significant part of a repertoire at once distinctly Birgittine in character and yet conforming to the common stock of Gregorian Chant. Melodic correspondences within theCantus sororumas well as in the Birgittine Mass repertoire thus afford an interesting perspective on a soundscape in which the Birgittines functioned and where, through music, their identity was created and maintained.