Invitatory
Antiphon opening the first nocturn (Matins) in the Roman Divine Office.
What it means
The invitatory is an antiphon that opens the first nocturn of Matins, the night hour of the Divine Office, in the Roman rite. It is usually sung with the 94th, or by other numbering the 95th, psalm, which calls for the praise of God.
Musical use
The name comes from the Latin “invitare,” “to invite,” since the text invites those praying to join in common praise of God. Cantor and choir alternate in performing it: the psalm is sung in sections, between which the antiphon is repeatedly inserted, similar to a responsory. The invitatory has its own, often richly ornamented Gregorian melodic tradition.
The invitatory should be distinguished from other antiphons of the Divine Office, which form shorter, fixed formulas for individual psalms, and from the responsory, which sounds after a reading. The invitatory is specifically fixed to the opening of the first night hour of prayer.
Performance practice
Sing the invitatory alternating between cantor and congregation or choir, and let the recurring antiphon remain clearly recognisable each time. Shape the delivery invitingly and solemnly, as befits the meaning of the text.