Whence the Antiphons? (LotH)
  • priorstf
    Posts: 460
    I'm in the process of working on a large number of LotH Liturgies for the next few months. Using Christian Prayer as the baseline is helpful, but we use updated Bible translations from the USCCB NAB.

    However, I am left wondering what is/are the original source(s) for the Antiphons, Psalm-Prayers and Prayers for the LotH. Are there any official documents saying what they should be? A recent posting here indicates that many of the chants associated with NO LotH are creations of a 20th century monk who took it upon himself to fill in the gaps. Has that work been approved by anybody in officialdom or do we just accept it as part of that rich tradition of the Church? Could a few of us just sit down around the campfire and rewrite them? Help!
  • Dan F.Dan F.
    Posts: 205
    I do not know about authorship, but there is the latin Liturgia Horarum with the proper antiphons and prayers for every day of the year. The english translations in Christian Prayer and other books are the property of ICEL! :P That is why Universalis cannot include antiphons online.

    The Psalm-prayers are only included in the english (American english?) translations and can be left out. The Mundelein Psalter leaves them out completely, a decision with which I agree. I'd rather focus on praying the psalms themselves, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Whereas I have no idea who wrote the Psalm-prayers.
  • priorstf
    Posts: 460
    Wow! Thanks for the quick response, Dan. I'd noticed "When the Psalm Prayers are used..." in the Ceremonial of Bishops and you've helped explain that too. (The bishop here has said them in the past and it keeps his MC busy! Mitre on...Miter off...)

    I do hope the International Constriction on the English Liturgy lightens up one of these days. As I type away I just keep telling myself that this can't REALLY be offending God.
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Try talking your bishop into the EF Vespers. It's just better.
  • priorstf
    Posts: 460
    Michael - That's an incredibly good long-term goal. The diocesan cathedral choir has even done the Mozart vespers in concert and it would be great to dust it off and do it once more.

    At this point, the only scheduled LotH at the cathedral will be morning prayers prior to 8:00 am Mass on 10 occasions between now and the end of the year. The local Schola will sing the Invitatorium, Gloria Patri's, and Benedictus for those occasions. For the moment that's shoehorning in about as much Latin as it seems traffic will bear.

    However, there are some major events set for the cathedral in a year or so that might want to do some showcasing and we'll see what happens.

    Thanks for your positive outlook on things! You are definitely right. Today EF Vespers ... tomorrow ... the Mass!
  • mjballoumjballou
    Posts: 994
    I can't remember if there's much discussion in Lazlo Dobszhay's book about who did what with the restructuring of the Roman Breviary into the Liturgy of the Hours. Going back and forth between the two can give one vertigo. Antiphons have been taken from one hour and put into another, new (and rather banal in English) ones added, some dropped.

    Right now I'm listening to Divna Ljubojevic singing Serbian and Greek chant. It's an excellent antidote for an overdose of dealing with late 20th century liturgical reform.
  • Michael O'Connor
    Posts: 1,637
    Yes, he even laments some of the choices made at Trent! He's quite a convincing writer though. A must-read for everyone.
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