American Gradual & Comm. verses in general
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,801
    I haven't kept up with posting proofreading comments on Bruce Ford's American Gradual, mainly because the biggest issue is usually half vs. quarter bar lines, but today I almost stopped in my tracks. Year B's antiphon is Ego vos elegi "I chose you out of the world that you should go forth and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide, alleluia." and is presented with an ad lib. verse in the first person from Ps. 88(89): "For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever; you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens", which I can't hear as the same speaker.

    This has set me to thinking about the assignments of verses to antiphons: were these traditionally written out in mss., or did one have a separate psalter at hand, or just a memorized repertoire? How long have verses been specified along with the Psalm, and how consistently?

    Richard Rice's Communio with English Verses (both books found here) gives 4 different verses from the same Psalm: "I have found David my servant, For my hand shall help him." (cf vv 3, 21), "And my truth and my mercy shall be with him, I will keep my mercy for him for ever" (v 28), "The heavens shall confess thy wonders, O Lord, When thou spokest in a vision to thy saints, and saidst:
    I have laid help upon one that is mighty" (change of speaker but still not too jarring) & "The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever; I have made a covenant with my elect," (?? recognizable as vv 1 & 3, but why does the psalmist become the covenant-giver mid-verse?).
  • mahrt
    Posts: 517
    The manuscripts generally give a cue to the first verse of the psalm. It is presumed that you know the rest.
    Thanked by 3Richard Mix CHGiffen HeitorCaballero
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,801
    I suspected as much; since Ego vos elegi is missing from the LU I've found it in the GR under Common of Apostles, specifying vv 2, 4, 6, 20, 21, 22, 25, 29.
    Verse 2 I imagine would be along the lines of "My song shall be alway of the loving-kindness of the Lord", following 1. Intellectus Ethan Ezrahitae, yes?

    Btw, anyone else planning K 222 for June 28? I'll be preparing string parts eventually...
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,801
    Another from last week: GR gives ps 79:2 for Comm. verse, not "In the presence of Ephaim…" but rather " Hear, O shepherd of Israel…"

    1 In finem, pro iis qui commutabuntur. Testimonium Asaph, psalmus.
    2 Qui regis Israël, intende; qui deducis velut ovem Joseph.
    Qui sedes super cherubim, manifestare
    3 coram Ephraim, Benjamin, et Manasse. Excita potentiam tuam, et veni, ut salvos facias nos.
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,801
    I recently sang the Comm. for OT 3 C Comedite thus, as I construed the English:

    Eat the fat * and drink sweet wine (,)
    and send portions (,) to those for whom nothing has been prepared; (;)
    for this day is holy to the Lord. (:)

    Do not be grieved; (;)
    the joy of the Lord shall be your strength. (::)

    GR 72 puts full barlines after lines 2 & 4, but in NAB Ezra/Nehemiah puts a single full stop:

    8:10 “Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our LORD. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD is your strength!”

    The assigned Ps. verses are (per GR 1972) Ps. 80:2,3,5,11,14,17. These correspond to NAB Ps 81:2,3… counting from the preferatory matter:

    1. For the leader; “upon the gittith.”* Of Asaph.
    2. Sing joyfully to God our strength;
    raise loud shouts to the God of Jacob!
    3. Take up a melody, sound the timbrel,
    the pleasant lyre with a harp.
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