St. Mark and St. Luke's versions of the Passion are used during Holy Week.
(St. Matthew's version is first, on Palm Sunday, probably since St. Matthew wrote his Gospel first. St. John's version is used on Good Friday, so people hear this one sung the most. Maybe St. John's is used because he stood by the cross on Good Friday, plus he wrote his Gospel last.)
If you look in the Liber or Missale Romanum, you can see that there IS notation for 3-part (C. for celebrant, S. for synagoga, etc.) but in the late 20th and early 21st century milieu, I don't see a place where St. Mark's would ever be sung.
Even the Winona seminary in the "good old days" didn't have time (?) to sing the full chant for these Gospels. Maybe it's just too much for that week? Considering that the Holy Week triduum is just days away, and much preparation needs to be done in the MC department (in charge of ceremonies and rubrics), Sacristy, Schola, etc.
Anyhow, my question is -- has anyone ever heard the St. Mark or St. Luke passions sung somewhere, maybe 50 years ago? Have you ever encountered a recording of either of these?
Is this something we'll have to wait for the Restoration to enjoy? Because it seems that even at a solid, Trad seminary they don't get around to singing these. Maybe because the average 6th year (Deacon) class only has 2-6 seminarians, and they don't have time to practice for 4 Gospels in a week's time?
Or is it just a matter of preference? I mean, the Synagoga could be sung by a non-deacon. That would take some of the burden off. But it's still a weekday Mass, and everyone is getting ready for the Triduum and Easter (and at Winona, the 2-week Easter Break immediately followed).
They only allowed X time for Mass in the Seminary schedule, and singing the Gospel (~20 minutes) would have required that the 1st hour class be cancelled. That would have messed up a lot of lesson plans. Maybe that's why it was never done.
Thanks.