Writing Chant Responsorial Psalms -Help needed with Refrain!
  • TeresaW
    Posts: 42
    Hi!

    I'll make this quick - I don't find the Psalm choices for the Chabanel Psalms, Week 7A in Ordinary Time (next week) to have very memorable/easy to sing refrains. I have downloaded the tones used on that site and tried making my own refrain.... except for the fact that I know how to write psalm verses using the tones, but I'm not sure about writing Refrains, what the rules are, etc. I based the refrain (and am writing the Psalm's verses) based on the St. Charles Garnier Tone http://www.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/14/07/22/13-03-07_0.pdf .

    Has anyone attempted their own Psalms before? Ideas, help? I don't want to disrespect those on this forum that may have already written a Psalm for that day that I'm electing not to choose, but I already have a hard time getting people to sing these are we're new to them. Thanks in advance!!
    The Lord is Kind and Merciful - Psalm 103.pdf
    13K
  • TeresaW
    Posts: 42
    Oh, here's the link to the other psalms if anyone is curious - http://noelchabanel.org/psalms/A_ord_07/.
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    Try the one on page 2 of this pdf:
    http://illuminarepublications.com/downloads/lcg/7OT.pdf
    Thanked by 2donr TeresaW
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,220
    As a tip: since the starting note of the refrain E is not in the initial chord, that chord is not fulfilling its function to cue the congregation.

    Just as a matter of personal preference, it seems that only one word gets emphasis through length: the two-note neume on "merciful". Perhaps it would be appealing to add emphasis to "Lord" or "kind" also? As it is, the text setting is rather spare and brief - not that the short text gives you much to work with!
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,513
    You are brave to put your writing out in public!

    I will say that critique over the years has been one of my best teachers.

    Best wishes!
    Thanked by 1TeresaW
  • JonathanKKJonathanKK
    Posts: 542
    I had a situation come up somewhat recently where I was asked to play for the diocesan homeschool Mass:

    I had not played for a Novus Ordo Mass in years, we were in a conference room with an electric piano (though having some useable organ-ish sounds), and my cantor was a high school student.

    Since it was a weekday OF Mass, there were no settings at all for this psalm that I could find.

    What I did was take the text from the USCCB site and point it to the Gregorian psalm tone for mode 2. On the refrain we took just the incipit and final cadence, and for the verses we did as usual, though when it came down to it we ended up skipping the incipit.

    Attached is a blank score, similar to what I wrote down to played off of.

    [For this .pdf, I had to put in the incipit in in both places to avoid parallels - I wasn't going to let it out in public otherwise!]

    Anyhow, when the organizer of the event stopped by to see how our rehearsal was coming, his reaction was "good choice - it's my favorite tone".

    So, this is an easy yet dignified, passable solution, which is also universally applicable.
    mode 2 psalm tone.pdf
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  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700

    Since it was a weekday OF Mass, there were no settings at all for this psalm that I could find


    Just as a public service announcement in case anyone finds themselves in this position - the Lumen Christi Missal contains Psalms for Daily Masses.
    Thanked by 1TeresaW
  • JonathanKKJonathanKK
    Posts: 542
    I had heard that, but for some reason was unable to access the preview file. Looking now, sure enough, it can be viewed HERE.
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