Responsorial Psalm Antiphon - Antiphonale Monasticum as source?
  • Chris_McAvoyChris_McAvoy
    Posts: 389
    Nearly by accident, without asking specifically for it, I have been given one of those "golden opportunities" , after waiting patiently many years, of introducing english language chant into the "average" parish which has absolutely no familiarity with it whatsoever. My work thus far as been limited to assisting in minor ways with "staunchly traditional" anglo-catholic/traditional latin mass churches. Places where they already have a strong beautiful musical tradition permanently in place. You know, the "easy way".

    The idea , as usual, and which I agree with , is to introduce bits and pieces gradually into the mass, hoping for over time and seeing what happens. They also want me to help with use/sing the communion antiphons from the american gradual.

    The current music directors are very tired of the "contemporary/simple" responsorial psalm antiphons theyve used for years. So, the first order is to find replace the responsorial psalm antiphons and psalm tones with ones that are more traditional or more beautiful, and or chant based. My immediate thought was to use either McGregors work from the Grace Episocopal church, Newark, NJ or bruce e. ford's work from the revised episcopal lectionary.

    However I realized that one seemingly perfect potential lay in the book already laying in front of me.

    The antiphon on magnifcat/benedictus from the Antiphonale Monasticum, found on the link below.

    http://www.oplater.net/AM--year.pdf

    Every single antiphon in it appears to match as perfectly as possible the gospel lesson of the day, emphasizing the key passages from them. The majority are rather short and easy enough to sing. They seem to be very accessible.

    My question for you all is this.

    Is this a good idea? Is there any reason that this is would not be the solution to the problem?

    Is the concept that expects the congregation to "respond" and sing it as well going to become an obstacle?
    Are these antiphons, which seem easy enough for myself, in fact not something a congregation would be likely to be able to sing back to us?

    The antiphon would be convenient to print out or insert in or as a book in a pew, so that they could see it with the notation.

    The chances of most of the people ever attending vespers/lauds which the antiphons come from is not likely and even if they heard them used more than once, I suspect that would not be terribly important.

    I await your thoughts.

  • Carl DCarl D
    Posts: 992
    What a wonderful opportunity, Chris!

    The example you gave here is a little more complex than I'd start with - I used resources from Chabanel Psalms because that was easier for people to listen and then echo. I tended to stick mostly with one ore two notes per syllable, avoiding things too melismatic for the congregation.

    That said, if introduced with patience and humility, this can work. We're using the full propers, English and Latin. A few people sing along, others read the music to learn and pray. And we don't attempt to do this at all the Masses, just one.
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 857
    Chris, thank you for this valuable link. I'm inclined to suggest that these antiphons would make better communion antiphons than responsorials. The Graduale Simplex favors the responsoria brevia style, short texts with one or two notes per syllable.
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    They look good, but I'll admit I don't see them being effective as a responsorial psalm antiphon. However, Dr. Fords suggestion of a communion antiphon is a good one.
  • Chris_McAvoyChris_McAvoy
    Posts: 389
    These are good points. Perhaps I overestimated what people can pick and sing along with.

    I think that a responsoria breve style is a good idea as well.
    I ought to look at Ormonde Platters english adaptation of the Graduale Simplex and see if it contains what you're speaking of.

    I think that having changing texts underneath the the same melody through every major church year season is also a practice that ought to be acknowledged as a very excellent possibility. With that idea one could keep using a more complex pleasing melody and have people "respond" vocally to it with ease for they would remember the melody even when words were changed. This is the type of concept which you might encounter more frequently used in eastern catholic and eastern orthodox churches liturgical music.

    After looking more closely at the Chabanel site I see that it has numerous different composers options being offered, which one may choose from, and that all of them are within "traditional" church music composition standards. If it were confined to the responsory antiphons from the "Vatican II" hymnal I would not be as interested, but as it contains numerous, superior compositions , I am pleased with their work!

    The ones by Bruce E. Ford , when available, and Richard Rice, as an alternative is I think perhaps what I will suggest to my parish for the time being.

    Bruce E. Ford consistently proves himself to be a master for english plainsong, he knows the rules and formulas as a master, he can't be beat ! I've probably seen more of his work than most and have never ever been disappointed by it.

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