Solemn Vigil Alleluia (Free Score)
One of the great splendors of the Easter Vigil is the florid Alleluia that precedes the Gospel reading of the Resurrection. This ancient Alleluia is a bit daunting to the uninitiated, and in spite of its ornamental nature, it is sung three times—ascending in pitch each time—before the versicle is finally sung.
While it is true that many ecclesiastical communities are not prepared for full Latin chant, some are more open (especially on solemnities) to chanting in English. Rev. Palmer and Francis Burgess (anglicans) did the English-speaking world a great service after the council by translating the ancient Gradual, nearly note-for-note into beautiful “King James English”. Its beauty is profound and I leverage this collection regularly. Their adaptation of the solemn vigil alleluia presents an excellent opportunity for parishes to offer the splendor of ancient chant but in such a way that it may be received by those with ears to hear.
Consequently, I have extracted the vigil alleluia from this collection (which is available for purchase as physical books, as well as for free as a PDFs here & here) and scaled it rather large for dim, midnight church viewing. I’ve also prepared a practice video which can help you, the director, as well as anyone in your choir who benefits from study and repetition outside of rehearsal. (I encourage you to savor the moment, more than I have done in the recording, which clips right along for the sake of breath and brevity.)
Click on the image to download your free PDF.
As an aside, I offered a very simplified Tone VIII setting of the verse; Palmer/Burgess offer a slightly more florid alternative, but I wanted everything to fit on a single page, and I thought that most users would fall into one of two camps: either they would sing it in its full glory, or they would seek to sing the alleluia as authentically, yet simply, as possible. Directors may wish to take a look at the original alternative which can be found on page 160 of the Volumes I & II PDF.
Happy Singing!
