Psalms: Call & Response vs.Text
  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    Is it OK to use call & response for the Sunday Psalm, or do we have to provide the written text and/or music for the congregation? What do you do in your parish?
    Thanks,
    Squirrel
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    We've used that before. There's no requirement to provide a written text for anything you do (for the PIPs to follow that is): that is a result of progressive liturgists promoting "full, conscious, and active participation" which sometimes become confused as hard, fast rules.
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  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Recently we had a discussion of congregational singing of psalm verses at:
    http://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/11214/responsorial-psalm-fully-congregational-in-directum/p1
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,159
    The text of the response is in the hymn book but I would say at least 1/3 of the congregation repeats the response from short term memory, having heard it. Those people are also not reading the verses, which are sung solo by the psalmist.

    We have three masses on a weekend, with three quite different musical styles, but all of them do the psalm this way.
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  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    PurpleSquirrel, can you describe the procedure a little more? Are you talking about the congregation repeating the antiphon, or taking turns on the verses?
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  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    Do you use the Catholic Book of Worship (Canadian) psalm settings? If so, this is what we do. It has been the custom to have the books available for the congregation to follow along, but if you have a cantor with great diction, they shouldn't need it in order to understand the text and respond appropriately.
    Thanked by 2Andrew_Malton PurpleSquirrel
  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    chonak - I'm referring to the congregation repeating the antiphon.
    canadash - That's what we use too. However, I have heard from other musicians & priests in Alberta that the Psalm texts in CBW III are no longer valid. Neither are the updated versions from any American sources. The only Psalms we can technically use now are from the Living With Christ missals (Novalis). To ensure that there are enough of these missals for the PIP's, it would cost us around $400/year. Knowing our Parish Council, this will be a hard sell. So, the question is then, could we conceivably do the Psalms without these books in the pews, using call & response?
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,159
    You could use my psalm settings instead, which are responsorial psalms like in the CBW but (freely) based on Gregorian models, and (unlike most of the excellent work discussed in the forum) using the new Canadian lectionary text. Approved for use by the CCCB Music Commission, too. Look at www.malton.name/Books.

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  • canadashcanadash
    Posts: 1,499
    However, I have heard from other musicians & priests in Alberta that the Psalm texts in CBW III are no longer valid.


    Purple: I took a look at the CCCB website and saw the following quote which will answer your question. It looks like it is still legitimate to continue using the CBW III texts. Really, until the CCCB comes out with a new hymnal it will be pretty difficult to be using other texts, don't you think? We have over 2000 people come through our parish on a Sunday. We can't provide missals for all of those people. The waste of paper and money!

    From: http://nlo.cccb.ca/index.php/nclm
    The psalm selection for Year A is not yet complete but is in the process of being finalized. Upon completion of this project and the recommendation of the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy and the Sacraments to the Executive of the CCCB, the three year cycle of psalms will be published. Until that time we invite you to use those that are fitting from this selection below OR those available in CBW III.
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  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    Zang! Thanks canadesh!
    But I honestly don't think they'll come out with a new hymnal. Ever. They're broke.
    Andrew- thank you so much. I will be sure to take a gander. :-)
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,159
    The bishop of Calgary explicitly required within his diocese starting in 2011 that the responsorial psalm should be proclaimed from the (then new) Lectionary. The still seems to be in force: see http://calgarydiocese.ca/news-a-events/42-liturgy.html

    I think such an episcopal requirement supersedes anything the CCCB would say (for that diocese).
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  • PurpleSquirrelPurpleSquirrel
    Posts: 165
    I did phone E-Town, & it looks like a green light for the CBW III for now. But that's a good point. Who has more clout, a bishop or the CCCB? I think I would have to agree with you, Andrew. Thanks.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Who has more clout? It depends on the issue: Rome decides which issues have to be decided collectively and observed collectively, and which are subject to the local bishop's discretion.
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
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