The psalm tone is chosen to match the mode of the antiphon.

The really short answer is that most chant books give the mode of the antiphon in Roman numerals. The medium-length answer is that you determine the mode of the antiphon by listening to the pattern of intervals around the last note (called the 'final') and the range of the antiphon melody. Considering the final as the first scale degree...

If the half-step is between the second and third scale degrees, it's either Dorian (Mode I) or Hypodorian (Mode II).

If the half-step is between the first and second scale degrees, it's either Phrygian (Mode III) or Hypophrygian (Mode IV).

If there's a half step below the final (and the third of the scale is major), then it's either Lydian (Mode V) or Hypolydian (Mode VI). (Note that in Lydian, there can be a half-step between the third and fourth scale degrees or between the fourth and fifth.)

If the half-step is between the third and fourth scale degrees and there's a whole step below the final, it's either Mixolydian (Mode VII) or Hypomixolydian (Mode VIII).

You can also use a flow chart approach. First, determine the quality of the third scale degree--is is major or minor?

If the third is minor, then consider the second scale degree. If it's a whole step above the final, you're in Dorian/Hypodorian. If it's a half step, you're in Phyrgian/Hypophrygian.

If the third is major, examine the note below the final. If it's a half step, you're in Lydian/Hypolydian; a whole step, Mixolydian/Hypomixolydian.

If there are no sharps or flats, then you can use a shortcut:
Final D -> Dorian or Hypodorian
Final E -> Phrygian or Hypophrygian
Final F -> Lydian or Hypolydian
Final G -> Mixolydian or Hypomixolydian

Sitting at the keyboard and playing scales on the white keys starting on each of these notes in turn is a good way to start internalizing the sound of each mode, especially if you sing along. Dorian/Hypdorian also appears with a final on A, or with a final on G (using b-flats). Phrygian/Hypophrygian sometimes appears with a final on A (using b-flats).

Once you've narrowed it down to a pair of modes, you choose whether to use the authentic (odd numbered: Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, or Mixolydian) or plagal (even numbered: Hypodorian, Hypophrygian, Hypolydian, Hypomixolydian) member of that pair based on the range of the antiphon.

If the antiphon melody goes above the sixth scale degree, use the odd-numbered member of the pair. If it descends more than a step below the final (without going more than a sixth above), use the even-numbered member. If the melody has such a wide range that it goes more than a sixth above and more than a step below the final, you'll usually use the odd-numbered mode; if it has a narrow range and doesn't go above the sixth or more than a step below the final, you can usually use the odd-numbered mode but you may find that the even-numbered one works better.

Sometimes the Tonus Peregrinus is used with a Dorian antiphon. I don't know how to decide whether to use it. (If you're singing the Psalm 'In exitu Israel' and the antiphon is Dorian, you might as well use the Tonus Peregrinus.)

Are certain psalms assigned to certain tones? Does the liturgical season make a difference? How does the antiphon figure in (does it dictate the tone, does it's tone vary)? Does going from Latin to English play any role in deciding? Or is it just use whatever you want?

To answer your questions: no, not as a rule, see the answers above, not necessarily (there are no "rules" for English psalmody), and yes pretty much.

The same psalm will be found in the Graduale in different modes, so there is no one mode for a specific psalm. You will find all of the modes used in every season, so there is no specific rule there either. You will, however, find that the Tracts (which replace the Alleluia during Lent) are either in mode II or mode VIII. Those modes, however, are used in other genres and seasons as well.

Although some of the modes have a certain relationship to our modern major and minor, it would be inconsistent with the Gregorian repertoire to choose only "major" modes for psalms of praise and "minor" modes for lamentations when singing in English. For example, the graduale Haec dies for Easter Sunday (Ps. 118, "This is the day the Lord has made") is in mode II, a "minor" sounding mode to our ear.

Personally, if I were to sit down and compose antiphons for the psalms, I would probably follow the ordering of tones in the Mundelein Psalter, just because it exists and someone has already done all the work for me. That is to say one could sing a newly composed antiphon (melismatic chant, polyphony, etc.) with the verses that have already been pointed for that psalm tone. Many composers and songwriters have written antiphons which follow the ordering of modes in the Gelineau psalter for the same reason.

CMAA Flash-mob task!
Ten people spending less than ten minutes working on a spreadsheet
will quickly produce interesting visual results for all to enjoy.
The Columns are labeled: Liturgy, IN, GR, TR, AL, OF, CO.
The Rows are labeled: one for each Liturgy
In the cells you enter the mode number (1...8); when you tab out, the background color will change.
(1=red, 2=orange, 3=yellow, 4=green, 5=blue, 6=purple, 7=brown, 8=grey)
If there are multi-year (A,B,C) issues to resolve, enter x (color will remain white); I will devise a solution for these.

Here is the Gregorian Missal (25 MB, right-click and download) as your reference ...
http://www.musicasacra.com/books/gregorianmissal-eng.pdf

Here is the spreadsheet ...
https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Aka8xAr4afVwdHFtc2NYNTFmQlVVSVJ5SXB0eTV1TXc&hl=en

Okay, lets go!

It looks like Mode 1 is the predominant mode of Advent;
2, that of Christmas;
Lent has a lot of modes 2 and 8;
Easter, of 6 and 4;
Early Ordinary Time (the weeks after Epiphany) has 5 and 4;
Late Ordinary Time (after Pentecost) has 5 and 2.

the knowledge base of this forum never ceases to amaze me....nor the enthusiasm.

Good ideas, eft. It probably wouldn't hurt to use related colors, in pairs: say, dark for authentic modes, light for plagal. That would probably make some relationships more visible.

I've modified the spreadsheet to give a better color-coded representation of the authentic and plagal modes.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Aka8xAr4afVwdHFtc2NYNTFmQlVVSVJ5SXB0eTV1TXc&hl=en

I see there are conflicting bits of data, some times indicated by x instead of 0. Can these be shown half one color, half another?

Can we have three different sheets, corresponding to cycles A, B and C? Or is that too complicated?

To my eye, the color choices still don't really help me see the four different pairs of modes. Have you considered, for instance, making authentic and plagal modes the same color, but with different numbers? Or perhaps one a solid and the other just outlined or "cornered" in the same color.

Does anyone know how I can print this? I tried it, but could only get a part of it to show up on the screen. Is there a PDF version available? AWESOME work, BTW.

Hello everyone. I've been in love with this site and forum for some time now but this is my first post. Very grateful and quite happy to have a network of resources as readily available and vibrant as this one.

I have a question about psalm tones: Where can I find them in print? I have a Roman Gradual and I assumed I could find the 8 tones in there somewhere but the closest thing I can find are the 8 Gloria Patri tones. I know the Gloria Patri tones are based on the psalm tones (at least in terms of modes) but I am looking for a chart like the ones I've seen in PDF format all over the place online.

I know I can easily just print out the PDF for these, but I'm just curious where those charts come from if not the Roman Gradual itself?

OK - now that this thread has been brought up again (and I'm actually reading through this for the first time), I have a really dumb question. I've known all the basic modes (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, etc.). I've never heard of the "hypo" modes. What is different in the "hypo" counterparts - Dorian vs. Hypodorian, Phrygian vs. Hypophrygian, etc.?
Thanx much.
BMP

I've never heard of the "hypo" modes. What is different in the "hypo" counterparts - Dorian vs. Hypodorian, Phrygian vs. Hypophrygian, etc.?

There are two differences between the "hypo" (plagal, or even-numbered) modes and the authentic (odd-numbered) modes: range and dominant. For example, Mode I (Dorian) has its final on Re, dominant (the reciting tone for the psalms) on La, and its range is roughly from Re to Re. The melody sits primarily above the final. Mode II (Hypodorian) also has its final on Re, but its dominant is on Fa and its range is roughly from La to La. The melody sits both above and below the final.

Simply stated, there is no difference in the notes between an authentic mode and its plagal (hypo) counterpart, but the range and dominant is different for each.

Susan Treacy's book IS A MUST HAVE!

The psalm tones cannot strictly be said to be "in" their corresponding modes, and most of them don't have a sufficient range to be assigned a mode anyway. Also, as you notice, they generally don't end on the final of the mode. Even so, yes, a Mode I antiphon takes the Mode I psalm tone, Mode 2 antiphon takes the Mode 2 psalm tone, etc. The psalm tones were developed to generally match the range and feel of their corresponding modes. As to the various terminations, they exist to end the psalm in a way conducive to beginning the antiphon again -- either because they bring you back to the note where you will be starting the antiphon, or, more commonly, because (and the fit is not always perfect) they cover the same few notes or a little pattern that will appear at the beginning of the antiphon. (Thus the terminations are irrelevant to Graduals, since these are not intended to be sung Antiphon - Verse(s) - Antiphon with a psalm tone).

Of course, if you are not singing the Gradual at all and are singing the Responsorial Psalm to a psalm tone instead, there is no particular musical reason to use the tone matching the mode of what the Gradual would have been.

"Of course, if you are not singing the Gradual at all and are singing the Responsorial Psalm to a psalm tone instead, there is no particular musical reason to use the tone matching the mode of what the Gradual would have been."

I think CGM is not so much looking for a musical reason as (s)he is looking for an easy way to select the modes, with a nod to continuity with the other liturgical books in the OF, as well as with the past. Of course, I may be wrong, but that's how I'm reading the comment.

CGM:

Let me know what you find out... wiki has quite a bit about the modes.

This is another of my studies:

http://romancatholicsacredmusic.com/harmonicSeries/

In addtion to Liber Usualis, the eight psalm tones may be found, with all their respective endings, in the back of St Dunstan's Psalter, published by Lancelot Andrewe's Press. This is a Miles Coverdale Psalter with each psalm pointed for singing to a different psalm tone. This book also has the New and Old Testament canticles set to psalm tones, the four Marian Antiphons in English that can be sung to their traditional plainchant tunes, and the Englished Te Deum set to its traditional plainchant melody and its accompanying versicles-reponses and prayer... for those who would like to incorporate a solemn Te Deum after mass on ocassions of great thanksgiving. We do this at Walsingham.

You might look at this as well. A listing of all the psalm tones:

http://www.musicasacra.com/pdf/tones.pdf

I am bringing the thread back again because I'm considering a composition project for my student schola where we would set daily RPs for Lent according to the modes.

So far, this thread has given a lot of information on what the modes are, and where to find them, but very little criteria on how to choose them: if there are or were rules or guidelines, or if there are emotional connotations, or seasonal uses (which have been documented on the thread from the GR), etc.

As of now, with the information I've been able to find (really not find), I can with the information I have come to the following conclusion: there are no rules for how to choose the mode for an antiphon, psalm, RP, etc. If anyone has any information on that, please let me know, but right now, it appears that no guidelines or rules exist.

The article on Wikipedia headed Mode (music) shows that there have been plenty of opinions over the millenia about the emotional content of the modes, and a table half way down relates some of them to church modes, for what its worth.

Can someone give a brief explanation of the meaning of the abbreviations being used in this thread, i.e. "Liturgy, IN, GR, TR, AL, OF, CO." and "(IN, K, G, (R1), GR, (R2), TR/AL, (G), C, OF, S, A, CO)." for me? I am fairly new to this concept of the chanting the psalms with specific modes and am trying to learn more about it. I'd love to utilize the spreadsheet posted on this thread, but I am ignorant about how to interpret it at this point.

The Introit (Entrance antiphon), Responsorial psalm, and Communion antiphon are required, and therefor given in the Missal to be spoken if not sung. Alleluia is to be sung, but if not sung should be omitted*. The Offertory is not required, and does not appear in the Missal. NB these rules are not always obeyed.
* It is unclear whether this means just the word 'Alleluia' or applies to the verse as well!