One Antiphon, Multiple Psalms
  • FKulash
    Posts: 94
    How do people chant the office when multiple psalms are sung with a single antiphon? Do you repeat "Glory to the Father ..." after each psalm? Do you start each psalm with the incipit? Do you pause between psalms? Does it matter if two (or all) of the ""psalms" are actually sections of a long psalm?

    Thanks.
  • Chant_Supremacist
    Posts: 266
    How I'm used to it: each psalm should end with the doxology. At the first half of the doxology, remaining sitting, everyone should bow their heads, and straighten for the second half. The cantor should then stand and sing the first half of the next psalm verse immediately. The antiphon is not repeated (until the end) and the beginning of a new psalm is indicated by the doxology, postures, and solo vocal texture.
    Thanked by 1FKulash
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,237
    And the incipit again.
    Thanked by 1FKulash
  • igneusigneus
    Posts: 435
    Do you repeat "Glory to the Father ..." after each psalm? [...] Do you pause between psalms? Does it matter if two (or all) of the ""psalms" are actually sections of a long psalm?


    IGLH 124

    Do you start each psalm with the incipit?


    Traditionally not (cf. the old Caeremoniale episcoporum on Terce), but the liturgical law currently in place doesn't set a hard rule.
    Thanked by 1FKulash
  • JonathanKKJonathanKK
    Posts: 550
    What year liturgical books do you need the answer for, and what service?
  • FKulash
    Posts: 94
    What year liturgical books do you need the answer for, and what service?

    I'm particularly interested in "Liturgia Horarum" (promulgated in 1970) and "The Liturgy of the Hours" (1975). This occurs most often in the daytime hours outside of Ordinary Time, but also in the extended Office of Readings for Sundays and feasts.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,644
    FKulash - The Instructions (GILH) can be found here, but they provide for every use of the LoTH from individual recitation up to a Bishop with his Chapter, so there are options. In communal liturgical use I would be inclined to go with Universalis either as a free ebook or paying for something specific to my current location.
    For the particular question on reciting the vigil canticles, Universalis has the doxology (after which I would have a brief pause) at the end of each canticle, and the whole set topped and tailed with the antiphon (e.g Epiphany last night Hodie in mundum ...)
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen FKulash
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 517
    In our monastery we do the Doxology at the end of each psalm and we do also the incipit, leaving a space in between each with the Cantor singing the first line as usual. Im not sure what you mean by the psalms being part of a paragraph.
    Thanked by 1FKulash
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,644
    As for 'doing the incipits', I see nothing in the Liturgia Horarum or its translations to suggest breaking off the beginning of an antiphon as a separate thing. The antiphon occurs only in its entirety, before the psalm and normally after the psalm, or indeed between strophes. Though I can certainly have missed a reference, the text of GILH loops about very confusingly.
    Thanked by 1FKulash
  • GambaGamba
    Posts: 652
    I am supposing “doing the incipit” in this thread is referring to singing the opening melodic formula of the psalm tone when starting psalm #2, rather than beginning psalm #2 directly on the reciting tone.

    This I do, without any rationale beyond helping me mentally “change gears” to appreciate the new text, and sometimes needing to repitch straying singers.

    I have not heard of anyone saying the new office repeating only the beginning of the antiphons.
    Thanked by 4a_f_hawkins FKulash monasteryliturgist CHGiffen
  • FKulash
    Posts: 94
    Thanks, monasteryliturgist.
    Im not sure what you mean by the psalms being part of a paragraph.

    I'm confused. Was someone talking about "paragraphs?

    I did say:
    Does it matter if two (or all) of the ""psalms" are actually sections of a long psalm?

    Here's an example of what I meant by that. When Psalm 118 is used at Daytime Prayer on Sundays in Ordinary Time, it is printed in The Liturgy of the Hours as if it were three short psalms, with three separate antiphons. The General Instruction (GILH) 115 says, "It is permissible to say or sing the whole psalm without interruption, using only the first antiphon." During Advent, when the same psalm is given with only one antiphon, I assume it is permissible sing the whole psalm without interruption. My question was: Do people actually do that?
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 517
    I see what you mean now. I have heard some communities do that but general practice does seem to be to have at very least a doxology in between, especially in Europe I have always seen this done. I think the "continuity" is noted by the fact that the psalm tone does not change. In Most communities it would change because you would have the intoner of the antiphons change from side to side with each section- causing some kind of break. The thing with breaks is they shouldnt be awkwardly long but be swift enough to still keep the flow. The beauty of the liturgy of the hours is that it is flexible enough to respect communal traditions as far as bodily positions and mode of chanting goes.
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