Best Practice for Pueri Hebraeorum Psalms, 1962 Missal
  • FSSPmusic
    Posts: 493
    In the 1962 liturgical books, there are two Pueri Hebraeorum antiphons, each with psalm and Gloria Patri. The intonation is sung at the beginning of each psalm and not repeated, and the antiphon is repeated after every other verse. In the pre-55 rite, there are no psalms, just the antiphons, and in the novus ordo, the same psalms are given, but with the intonation repeated each verse, the antiphon repeated before each verse, and no Gloria Patri after either psalm.

    The context of a ceremony outside of the Mass itself, the choice of psalm tone, and the non-repetition of the intonation suggest that Divine Office psalmody is the model here rather than Mass psalmody (Introit and Communion verses). What is the best option, since it doesn't seem to be rubrically specified in this instance?
    1. one cantor intones each psalm, and two halves of the schola alternate odd and even verses
    2. cantors sing first half of each verse, full schola enters at star
    3. cantors alone sing the psalm verses
    4. something else?

    If option 1, should the opposite side start the second psalm, or the same side after an even number of verses in the first psalm?