Best Practice for Pueri Hebraeorum Psalms, 1962 Missal
  • FSSPmusic
    Posts: 494
    In the 1962 liturgical books, there are two Pueri Hebraeorum antiphons, each with psalm and Gloria Patri. The intonation is sung at the beginning of each psalm and not repeated, and the antiphon is repeated after every other verse. In the pre-55 rite, there are no psalms, just the antiphons, and in the novus ordo, the same psalms are given, but with the intonation repeated each verse, the antiphon repeated before each verse, and no Gloria Patri after either psalm.

    The context of a ceremony outside of the Mass itself, the choice of psalm tone, and the non-repetition of the intonation suggest that Divine Office psalmody is the model here rather than Mass psalmody (Introit and Communion verses). What is the best option, since it doesn't seem to be rubrically specified in this instance?
    1. one cantor intones each psalm, and two halves of the schola alternate odd and even verses
    2. cantors sing first half of each verse, full schola enters at star
    3. cantors alone sing the psalm verses
    4. something else?

    If option 1, should the opposite side start the second psalm, or the same side after an even number of verses in the first psalm?
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,454
    I am inconsistent with psalmody because sometimes the antiphon is repeated right away, sometimes not (the Westminster Hymnal Adoremus in arternum). I dislike coming in at the asterisk if it can be avoided.

    We do the psalms. So I intone the antiphon and we sing every two verses. The reciting tone is used for all except the first (each time we repeat the psalm).

    I intone the verse and can handle it by myself, but I switch off with another cantor to go get a palm. The schola needs help, so they sing the evens together.

    I think the alternation is important no matter how you divide it.

    I am going to omit the Gloria Patri. A few people have brought this up as being inconsistent whether you’re doing 1955 or doing this pre-55 anyway.
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  • Charles_Weaver
    Posts: 194
    We do not do these psalms any more at our parish, but option 1 seems most reasonable to me, and we have done that in the past. If singing these psalms, I see no reason to omit the Gloria Patri, as this is not an introit, short responsory, asperges, or the like. All the psalms in the office still have the doxology until the Triduum.
    Thanked by 1FSSPmusic
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,454
    I think the problem is that it’s not the Mass but is attached to it and it is jarring; Terce would at least be cleanly delineated when celebrated in choir.
  • FSSPmusic
    Posts: 494
    Thank you both!
    I think the alternation is important no matter how you divide it.
    @MatthewRoth For clarification, do you mean the alternation by verse (or half-verse), or changing the starting side for the second psalm?
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,454
    Verse. I don’t really care so much about starting the psalm on the other side. Maybe I should, but if it were a monastery or chapter, I would treat Palm Sunday like a feast at the office and so you’d have your main cantors and then the rest of the choir, which I would extend to this part of the day as well.
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