Responsorial Psalms (pointed with psalm tones)
  • francis
    Posts: 10,816
    OK... have been using the usual WLP, Guimont resources and they are somewhat awkward. Have composed more Gregorian like melodies for some of the Antiphones as there are unusual intervals for congregational singing.

    I have also been pointing the psalms in some cases. I also have a copy of By Flowing Waters (BFW), but it does not utilize the text as laid out in the lectionary. Two questions:

    1. Does anyone know a resource to find the psalms already pointed for the Gregorian psalm tones?
    2. Is BFW approved for liturgical use (substitution) for the Responsorial Psalm?
  • Aristotle EsguerraAristotle Esguerra
    Posts: 1,186
    I will leave the rest of the forum to address the first question, but your second question was addressed by Dr. Ford some time ago on this forum thread.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,816
    Thanks, Aristotle.

    Although that post goes on extensively about maybe, yes, maybe not, perhaps, I personally don't yet see an authorization. I may have the first edition which does not include the permission by the Secretariat (unless I am looking in the wrong place). Hence, why pointing the existing ICEL translation found on the USCCB website (and in our lectionary) is a more sure solution.

    Dr. Ford, perhaps you will have a more concise answer if you happen upon this thread. Thank you for your wonderful work of BFW.

    With that I leave you the antiphon for this Sunday. (actually, I cannot get the attachment to work) so...

    http://www.romancatholicsacredmusic.com/psalm22nd.pdf
  • Aristotle EsguerraAristotle Esguerra
    Posts: 1,186
    Looks like the attachment is no longer at the original forum thread. Dr. Ford, if you can attach that once more, that would be most helpful.
  • francis
    Posts: 10,816
    Here is the rest of the Psalm with pointed text using an abridged Tone I. (actually, in full notation)

    http://www.romancatholicsacredmusic.com/psalm22ndSunOrdPointed.pdf

    (sorry about sloppy text. seems to be jumping around when I export to pdf)
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,048
    For question 1, you're probably aware of Theodore Marier's hymnal "Hymns, Psalms and Spiritual Canticles" for excellent examples of English psalms set to Gregorian psalm tones (difficult, but worth it, to find a copy). Of course, you're familiar with the Chabanel Psalm Project. There's also the St. Dunstan's Plainsong Psalter, which you can review here, along with some .pdf samples. The same publisher offers other chant books in English:

    http://www.andrewespress.com/dunstan.html

    I also recall a website where a music director at an Episcopal church had posted a large number of psalms set to Gregorian psalm tones, though I cannot find the page at the moment.

    Finally, there was a very good discussion of setting English text to Gregorian psalm tones on this forum a couple of months ago here:

    http://musicasacra.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=72

    Sam Schmitt
  • G
    Posts: 1,400
    "1. Does anyone know a resource to find the psalms already pointed for the Gregorian psalm tones?"

    LitPress has the 3-year lectionary cycle of the responsorial hymns in the the accompaniment books for Celebrating the Eucharist (their disposable missallette,) but I don't know where you'd get the entire psalter. And sometimes their pointing seems a little funky to me.

    (Save the Liturgy, save the World)
  • francis
    Posts: 10,816
    Thank you, rich and G. I do remember reading the post. When time allows, I will refer back to tradition for pointers, hints, and a reverent bow to our historical past!
  • Bruce E. Ford
    Posts: 431
    The Episcopal Church Web site at which responsorial psalms with refrains based upon antiphon melodies and verses set to psalm tones is Grace Church in Newark. The psalms are the work of James McGregor, who served as director of music from September 1960 through June 2008. The address of the psalms page is www.gracechurchinnewark.org/psalms.htm.

    Church Publishing, Inc., (an agency of the Episcopal Church) has just published my responsorial psalm settings for the three-year Revised Common Lectionary, which differs from the Ordo Lectionum Missae more than the earlier Episcopal lectionary did. These psalms are in the same style as James McGregor's.

    In both cases the verses of the psalms are notated in full--not pointed.

    My psalms are published on a CD-Rom, for which Church Publishing charges $80. Purchases have permission to make photocopies for use in their own churches.

    Bruce Ford
    Newark, NJ
  • francis
    Posts: 10,816
    Thank you, Bruce, for the information. Who publishes the Revised Common Lectionary?
  • Bruce E. Ford
    Posts: 431
    The Revised Common Lectionary is not really common. Every church that has adopted it has produced its own version. The Episcopal version is published by Church Publishing, inc. The citations and texts are also accessible on a Web site called The Lectionary Page: http://www.io.com/~kellywp/

    The major differences between the RCL and the old Episcopal lectionary, which is ALMOST identical to the Ordo Lectionum Missae, are that it includes an optional provision for reading parts of the Old Testamen in course during Ordinary Time, that many of the lessons have been lengthend by a verse or two. Most of the Gospels and Epistles are the same.
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    I do find it interesting that every other church seems happy to publish all liturgical texts online and make them free for all to use for any other purpose.

    The national conferences of the Catholic Church, on the other hand, have this fixation on making all its texts proprietary and closed to anyone but those who are in a position to pay the big bucks. It is also interesting that the Catholic Church is poorer than the Episcopalians and Lutherans etc.
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