Music for Sprinkling Rite?
  • Are there any music compositions of the English Antiphons for the sprinkling rite, such as "I saw water flowing" that are public domain or that are at least worthy of suggestion? Has anyone composed any that would be willing to share?
  • How about this.
  • How pervasive is that "I saw water" song? I heard it for the first time last year at some point and marveled at its evaporating quality. More remarkable still is that people are using this thing all year even though the text is for Pascal sprinkling only .

    It's no wonder that EFers look down on OFers!
    Thanked by 1IanW
  • Jeffrey: The antiphon linked in Adam's post seems quite good as far as setting this text goes. And it's faithful to the melody attached to the original Latin.

    There must be another setting to which you refer, perhaps?
  • yes, I think it is the one the original post referred to.
  • There is a "Vidi aquam" in proper English in the English Gradual (red cover) that I personally like very much. It is simple.
  • My contribution, for what it's worth, which can be sung in parts, or unison with organ.
  • G
    Posts: 1,397
    Could be worse... some parishes use Foley's "Come to the Water."
    And some do the sprinkling rite during the Gloria.

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • Simon
    Posts: 153
    Our choir director, during a visit to NY city, experienced, for him, a revolting moment at St. Patrick's Cathedral a few years ago. At the sprinkling rite the melody used was Cat Steven's "Morning has broken" - the text commencing with "Baptismal water...."

    He described this experience for himself as a sign that church music has reached its nadir - we'll never get any lower than this.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    We've had that too: "Baptized in water, sealed with the Spirit, etc."

    For what it's worth, the tune "Bunessan" predates Cat Stevens.
  • By Flowing Waters 635 and 636 would be excellent....for this.
  • Donnaswan
    Posts: 585
    Richard I like your setting very much. I'm wondering though, if those would be the correct verses for Easter Vigil Rite?
    We have been singing the setting from Joncas Mass "Praise and Thanksgiving" for years and years and I am thoroughly sick of it- It's the only part we use - a leftover from previous director. Because it's so short, I have never remembered to find something new until it's too late. The verses are some praise things like 'seas and rivers bless the Lord,' etc.

    Donna
  • Thanks for the feedback, Donna. For Easter Vigil, the Paschaltide text, Vidi aquam, is used. The Sacramentary is pretty coy about assigning proper texts for the sprinkling rite, but the Graduale Romanum (1974) is clear enough: p. 194, "After the renewal of baptismal promises, the priest asperges [if that's a verb] the people with blessed water, while all sing: Antiphon, Vidi aquam, as on 708..." I'll see about setting the proper text.

    There is a very nice setting of Vidi aquam in English by Leo Nestor. Check with the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, D.C., or with Dr. Nestor at Catholic University of America, if you can't find it online somewhere.
  • Donnaswan
    Posts: 585
    Dear Richard, I think you have only omitted the beg, verse about Hyssop! I actually consulted our Hymnal Ritualsong, and there it is in plainsong form in English as well as Latin. Your setting however is beautiful and I would like to use it this year, as we always publish a booklet for Triduum

    Donna
  • Most modern translations of the Asperges text, which comes from Psalm (50)51, omit the hyssop business, sadly, as does the Grail Psalter. The Vidi aquam comes from Ezekiel, more or less, and should be the text used in Paschal time. Here's a setting, more choral than the other, but which could be sung in unison with organ.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Donnaswan
    Posts: 585
    Well, it's gorgeous. And almost instantly singable :) Thank you
    Donna
  • ghmus7
    Posts: 1,465
    Thank you Richard, beautiful.
  • JahazaJahaza
    Posts: 468
    Most modern translations of the Asperges text, which comes from Psalm (50)51, omit the hyssop business, sadly, as does the Grail Psalter.

    The things I don't learn in my Latin-happy parish!
  • I have adapted the Asperges me and Vidi aquam chants to the New ICEL translations of the antiphons. Here they are.
    Thanked by 2IanW hilluminar
  • henry
    Posts: 241
    I Saw Water Flowing by Ward (World Library Pub)
  • There are about 15 settings if you scroll down to the bottom:

    http://www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/Mass/

    Some have organ accompaniment. Some have videos.
  • mahrt
    Posts: 517
    Simon, concerning the nadir of the liturgy, a warning: things are never so bad that they couldn't get worse.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    things are never so bad that they couldn't get worse.


    "Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I realized they already had."