Hymn-based propers: A feasible tactic for addressing longer texts?
  • rob
    Posts: 148
    Intrigued by discussions in this forum of hymn-based introits, I have been applying the suggested techniques to other propers (given my particular circumstances), most of which seem to lend themselves to the same approach.

    But, in preparing for this Sunday, I was confronted by the text of the communion proper, Videns Dominus (OF), which presented special challenges in light of its length.

    FWIW, I post below -- for illustrative purposes, only -- one solution of carrying the text of the antiphon into a refrain, which is repeated after each verse.

    Perhaps others might find the approach useful, or not.

    RCK

    ====================

    VIDENS DOMINUS
    (Tune: "Softly and Tenderly, Jesus is Calling";
    OCP, "Today's Missal -- Music Issue, #664)

    See e.g. here, http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/s/o/softlyat.htm

    1. Seeing the te-ars of Lazarus’ sisters,
    The Lord went out to the tomb,
    Where He did weep
    With the mourners assembled,
    Then cried out with a loud voice:

    Refrain: “Ve-ni fo-ra-a-as,
    La-za-re, ve-ni fo-ra-a-as.”
    Lazarus came forth,
    His hands and feet still bound:
    He, who was dead for four days.

    2. Out of the depths
    Have I cried to Thee, O Lord.
    O Lord, do now hear my voice;
    And, let Thy e-ar be
    Ever at-ten-tive
    T-o my sup-pli-ca-tion.

    REFRAIN

    3. If Thou, will mark
    Our in-i-qui-ties, O Lord;
    O Lord, then who shall stand it?
    But with Thee is found
    Mer-ci-ful for-give-ness,
    Wherefore we love Thee, O Lord.



  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    OCP's choice of hymnody strikes again!

    Interesting, Rob, yet shocking. You've got a wonderfully creative mind!

    Thanks for this. Should be....discussion provoking.

    Adam, where are you?
  • rob
    Posts: 148
    NJ: Interesting, yet shocking?

    Hardly adjectives I aim after in my age and station of life, vanity nothwithstanding. :)

    Personally, I view this question as one of priorities and of popular culture:

    How, first, to proclaim the assigned text and how, second, to proclaim it in a form most familiar -- or, alternately, most foreign -- to the assembled Church, in the time and place in which She now finds Herself.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Interesting idea.

    Tune seems... inappropriate.
    (My opinion)
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    The tune is neither traditional and Catholic enough to be appropriate on those criteria, nor contemporary and "pop" enough to be useful based on those. Aside from its provenance, the whole flavor of it is American Protestant (and not the interesting kind).

    On the other hand, thematically....I can definitely see what you were thinking of with that tune.
  • rob
    Posts: 148
    Fair enough; by picking a tune which was fairly forgettable and (at least to me) unfamiliar, I had hoped to avoid such associations.

    I'll have to give more thought to tune selection, especially as to "provenance", outside the typical L.M./C.M. options.

    Thanks!
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    In the Ordinary Form liturgy, whilst it is most desirable to use the text of the propers, don't over complicate things by trying to force proper texts into hymns.

    On Sunday Lent V this year I used "O Breathe On Me, O Breath of God" (St Columba) because it summarised the themes of the readings quite well. It was also a much alternative to "On Eagle's Wings" or the old "and I will raa-aaise you uuuhp, and I will raa-aa-aaise you uuh-uhp on the laa-aast day."

    Keep it simple, use a combination of simple chants and traditional hymns and you can't go far wrong.
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