The Bugnini-Liturgy and the Reform of the Reform - MusicaSacra

2. The formation of the Roman Office
Perhaps the most mature construction in the realm of Office varieties is
the proper Office of Rome. Its elements were ready by the 4 th , or at the latest,
by the 5 th century. When St. Benedict of Nursia gave an Office to his
monks (beginning of 6 th century), he had no more to do than to adapt the
Roman Office to the living conditions of the monastery. This 4 th -5 th -century
form of the Roman Office has been augmented during the subsequent
centuries, and it eventually gave birth to a great family of various related
Offices, while in essence it remained unchanged up until the 20 th century.
What is meant by the term "Roman Office" is this 1500-year old structure,
yet not any one individual form of it (like the Tridentine Office), but the totality
expressed in the rites of dioceses and religious orders. In this sense it
can be said that the Roman Office - originated in the 4 th or 5 th century -
was deadly wounded around 1900, and ceased to exist in 1970.
We are now going to describe briefly the essential features of this Roman
Office. 5
2.1. The "natural" character of the Roman Office is a result of an organic
development that did not conceal the traces of historically diverse'
components or the different roots of the Hours, in spite of the necessary
unification. Lauds and Vespers, the Vigil and the group of daytime Little
Hours sensibly differ in length, structure and atmosphere.
The Vigil consists of the alternation of longer psalmody and reading ir
accordance with the longer night watch and its contemplative character,
The Hour is preceded by the invitatory, which does not belong to the beginning
of the astronomical day, rather it is a proportionate introduction of the
longer Hour and, at the same time, the overture of the liturgical day started
by the Vigil.
Lauds and Vespers are the most "liturgical" Hours: their dominating element
is praise; the ceremonial elements of the ancient "Folk office" survived
mostly in these two Hours. Their perfect construction with a stead}'
build-up from the Old Testament psalms through the reading of the Bible
up to the hymn, the New Testament canticle and the collect is not only
composed with a perfect dramatic and psychological sense, but it also expresses
the theological idea of man's salvation proceeding from prophecy to
5 The description refers primarily to its "secular" form (used in dioceses).
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