Metered Latin Psalms
  • chloecwillis
    Posts: 1
    I am looking for metered psalms in Latin that are approved for use within the Mass.

    For a bit of context, I am the choir director for the Latin Mass in my parish. I sometimes find it difficult to pick music for the offertory and communion hymns, particularly because they must be in Latin. My parish is quite small and the choir is all volunteer with limited talent, so it takes a while to learn new choral works. The psalms are a masterwork in prayer, and are suitable for every occasion. I would love to sing them, however most Latin translations are unmetered, so it is difficult to put them to music. I was wondering if anyone knows of metered psalm translations in Latin that are approved to be sung for liturgical use.

    If you have any ideas please let me know.
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,338
    I don't know of a metrical collection of Latin psalmody, but have you tried Anglican chant with a Latin text? Or something like the Tozer propers with psalm texts applied to the tones?

    Here is a link to a PDF of the Tozer propers: https://archive.ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/14/07/17/13-59-00_0.pdf
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,541
    Cantus Selecti has more material than I could ever hope to use. We did chant hymns, proses, and antiphons for a long time. We also have started to do the verses. 2 verses only is plenty for us, and on weeknights other than HDOs, it’s often too much.
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  • FSSPmusic
    Posts: 325
    I don't think anyone has attempted an entire Latin psalter in verse, and there's certainly nothing of that sort officially and explicitly "approved for use within the Mass." There are some at this site, which might be helpful to you, translated from English. Bud Clark's website also had some Latin translations of well-known English hymns (mostly Protestant in origin), but you would have to dig around on the archived version from about 15 years ago to find them, assuming the PDFs were also saved.
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,541
    Saint Augustine’s Lyre has a lot of hymns. But the meters of the Parisian hymns are just bonkers, fyi.
  • GerardH
    Posts: 504
    I can only access the first page of this article, but it shows that such Latin verse psalters did exist. I haven't been able to find examples online. Whether or not they could or should be used liturgically is a different question.
  • Daniel Bennett PageDaniel Bennett Page
    Posts: 832
    A number of metrical Latin psalters were created in the sixteenth century; however, none were ever approved for use in the Catholic liturgy. I don’t think any of these are available in modern editions, but some are probably accessible through online images of their original printed sources.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,416
    I was wondering if...
    The psalms in Latin work quite beautifully with Anglican chant.
    I have heard them done so at Latin solemn vespers in Houston several years ago.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CGM
    Posts: 717
    While this is not what the OP is looking for, there are a few collections of metrical psalmody in English at this old site.
  • SponsaChristi
    Posts: 459
    The psalms in Latin work quite beautifully with Anglican chant.


    Depending on the climate of the community, Anglican Chant may not be welcome. We had people get up in arms because we sang hymns that were completely Catholic in text, but written by a Protestant.

    Why not start learning the Church’s various chant hymns? There’s also Communio, which has the Communion chant proper along with psalm toned verses. You can find them for each Sunday, feast, etc here:
    https://churchmusicassociation.org/communio/

    These might help get you through the Triduum:
    They’re not metered, but they’re harmonious.
    https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/uploads/FileUpload/b7/b6a76dfcf5481476e1bc7bb4815a71.pdf

    There’s also the doxologies for the liturgical calendar.
    https://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/uploads/FileUpload/9d/3c6d2f4ea51e2983f47fa98059ccc8.pdf
  • GerardH
    Posts: 504
    It would also be perfectly fine to use Latin hymn texts to conventional hymn tunes, as is already done frequently at Benediction
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