Gelineau Psalms
  • Brysonfoster33
    Posts: 5
    Hey Hive,

    I’m posting to start a discussion and see if anyone has advice/teaching methods on how to introduce the Gelineau psalms to my choir.

    My choir is about 12 people and I would love for them to sing the tones in 4- part harmony. I do think they can handle it, I just want to introduce and teach this style of psalm to them with the smoothest transition and highest success rate.

    Any stories, tips, or tricks will be appreciated!

    -
    Yours in christ.
  • WGS
    Posts: 297
    Even before considering the tunes, think and practice the phrasing spoken in English with dignity and precision. (This is also the way you'd like to hear the texts proclaimed by lectors.) The rhythmic flow of the words is built into the translation.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Felicia
    Posts: 111
    Good advice from WGS.

    About the tones: You need to establish an ictus or "pulse." The tones are written so that the strong accents in the text fall on the first notes of each "measure," for example,
    Oh / LORD, let my / PRAYER come to / YOU / (REST) Let me / NE-ver be / PUT to / SHAME, etc.

    In the Worship II and Worship III hymnals this is easy to see.

    I hope this helps.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Felicia
    Posts: 111
    Addendum: Obviously, the number of syllables per measure will vary, and there will be some measures of rests, but the pulse remains the same.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,372
    The tunes are heavily dependant on the rhythm of the original translation, which was not always respected in the revisions. Make sure that you are permitted to use the original version - as the Ordinariate is by provisions like "The given texts may be replaced ... by musical settings of the Graduale which rely on a different translation of the same text"
    Thanked by 1Paul F. Ford
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    And to add to the rabbit hole, you might try doing it in an unmetered way… using a single punctum for each syllable. Ha ha. Ditch the meter altogether.
  • Chaswjd
    Posts: 256
    Actually, the Gelineau psalms are a great teaching tool for choirs. Once you get them to understand that each measure is a single "beat" they will have to make corporate decisions about how to fit the different syllables into that "beat." A good lesson in listening, cooperation and phrasing.
    Thanked by 1Paul F. Ford
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