O rdinary
c h a n t in g t h e ps a l m s P ar ar t s of t he P salm salm T ones The tone for singing a Psalm should correspond to the modality of the chant melody with which it is sung. There are as many common tones for the Psalm as there are modes for chant melodies, that is, eight, to which are added the special tones, noted on pp. - . recitin g tone Each tone consists of a recitin , a pause (if there is a place median t cadence cadence in the verse for a pause), and cadences . The median occurs at the middle of a verse ; the fi nal , at the end of a n al cadence cadence verse.
. R ECITING ECITING TONES. — The repeated notes before the mediant cadence, and between the mediant cadence and the final cadence, indicate the reciting tone or tones. The syllables of the text should move along at a brisk but decorous speed. Intelligibility of the text should be the ruling ruling criteri criterion. on. . P . — If the first half of the verse is longer, it is divided into two parts. The division is marked by a pause (†) :
Bbb b hb b b b hb b b b hb b b bhb b b hb b bhb b b b hb b b bhb b b bhb b b bhb b b b hb b. b b b [b[b b hb b b hb b hbhb b b b hbbb b b b bhbbb b b b b He has sent de-liv-er-ance to his peo-ple peo-ple † and established his . . . The pause indicates a slight prolonging of the preceding syllable, but no change change in pitch. pitch.
. C. — The mediant and final cadences consist of one accent. There may be be one or two preparatory notes notes before the the accent :
/
/
Bbb b b b b hb b bhb b b bgb b b b fb b b gb b b b gb b
C hanting the Psalms
/
Bbb b b b b db b bdb b b bdb b b b db b b gb b b g b b< b b b]b]b b dbbb b b bdbdb b b bdb b b b dbdb b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b . . . cov-e-nant cov-e-na nt for év- er. * Ho- ly his name . . .
. SPECIAL CADENCES. — Mode I D * and the Tonus Peregrinus have a special final cadence. The melody may be accomodated to the text in one of three ways : / /
Bbb b b bgb b b bgb b b bhb b 4b b#@b bN b b}b}b b b b b b gbgb b b b gb b b b gbbb b b hb b brdbrdbb b b s b bbb m b b b}b}b b b b b bgbgb b b gbgb b b b b õ . . . ev- er ín mind.
. . . the lands of the ná-tions.
. . . in your
/
Bbb b bgb b b b b gb b b bhb b b fb b b b db b b sb b mb b b b}b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b midst, O Je- rú- sa-lem.
P oint oint i ng the P salms al ms f or C hanting hanting In order to prepare a text for chanting, the following may prove helpful :
. S . — Begin by speaking the text in an expressive manner in order to become sensitive to its inherent stress patterns. . D . — Determine the final accent of the mediant and final cadences, and then count back one and two preparatory syllables, as the tone may require. When a particular text is open to interpretation as to which syllable carries the fina l accent, follow the direction of the choirmaster. . B . — Avoid stressing unimportant syllables, defi nite and indefi nite articles and, in so far as possible, prepositions.
P ractical ractical H el ps f or C hanting h anting . A . — Psalmody is essentially antiphonal in character. Two choirs, or or a cantor and choir (or congregation), alternate in chanting the Psalms.
O rdinary
. E, , . — Each half verse should, as a rule, be sung on one breath. Only in the case of very long verses may the recitative recitative be interrupted momentarily for breath. breath. This is indicated by a pause (†). (†). Singers should strive for an even, forward movement.
XX
. E . — The musical enunciation of the various syllables should be even and well bound together— legato. l egato . Choppy pronunciation of the words ruins ruins the beauty of of psalmody. A rule of thumb : Never lengthen length en a syllable sylla ble when you merely wish to strengthen it (accent) ; and never shorten one when you merely wish to reduce its tone (volume). . N . — Let a natural crescendo of intensity rather than of speed mark the recitative up to the final accent. The note or notes following the the last accented note note in all cadences should be sung softly and with a very slight ritardando. . C . — The pitch of the reciting tone(s) of the psalmody should be adapted to the vocal requirements of the singers. As a general rule, rule, it should not be so high as to cause cause strain or discomfort, or so low as to make the singing heavy and lacking in brightness. . S . — The psalms should be sung with animation. Dragging should not be permitted. . P . — The pauses at the cadences greatly beautify psalm singing. The middle pause pause at the end of of each half verse indicated by the asterisk (*) must be well de fined and long enough for a deep breath. The exact observance of this pause adds immeasurably to the beauty, dignity, and spirituality of of psalmody. A silence of four beats, during which the singers count --- , each beat as long in duration as a syllable of the text of the recitative portion of the psalmody just com pleted, is adequate. The pause after the final cadence of each beat is two beats in duration (- ), only half as long as the pause after the mediant cadence. As the singers become accustomed to the alternation of chanting, breathing breathing,, chanting chanting,, rest, consciou consciousness sness of counting counting beats falls falls away. A restful, natural rhythm results. Body, mind and soul begin to be in harmony. Prayer deepens.
C hanting the Psalms
ps a l m s t o n e s F irst M ode ID
Ig
Bbb¦b b b gb fb bgb< b b ]bbb b¥b¥b b hbhb 4b4b#@b# b@bN b b } Bbb¦b b b gb fb bgb< b b ]bbb b¤b¤b b b b bhbhb bgbg bb< b b}
If
Ia
Bbb¦b¦b b gbgb fbfb bgbgb< b b ]bbb b¥bbb b b b hbhb bfbfb, b b} Bbb¦b¦b b gbgb fbfb bgbgb< b b ]bbb b¥bbb b b \bbb jb bhb. b b}
Second M ode II D
Xbb¦b b gb fb bdbM b b]bbb b£b£b b b b b b bfbbb , b b }
II A
Vbb¦b¦b b gbgb fbfb bdbdbM b b ]bbb b£bbb b b b b b bfbbb , b b}
T hird M ode III g
Bbb¥b b b b b hb bkb/ b b ]b b¦bbb b b b jbbb bgbbb < b b}
III a
Bbb¥b¥b b b b b b bhbhb. b b ]bbb b¨bbb b b b jb bhb. b b}
F ourth M ode IV a
IV E
Bbb¦b b b b b b b bgb< b b b]bbb ¥b b b dbbb gbbb bhbbb . b b} Bbb£b b b b b b b bgb< b b b]bbb £b b b b bsb bdbM b b}
IV d
Bbb¥b¥b b bfbfb hb bgb< b b ]bbb b¤bbb b b b dbdb bsbsbm b b}
F ourth o urth M ode « alt er ed » IV A
IV c
Vbb§b b bfb hb bjb> b b ]b]b b¦b b b b bgbgb bfbfb, b b} Vbb§b b bfb hb bjb> b b ]bbb b§b§b b b b b b bhbbb . b b}
IV A *
IV d
Vbb§b§b b fbfb hbhb bjbjb> b b ]bbb b ¦b b b b fbfb bgbgb< b b} Vbb§b§b b fbfb hbhb bjbjb> b b b]b b ¨b b b b hbhb bjbjb> b b}
O rdinary F ifth M ode
Va
Vg
Vbb¦b b b b bjb bfb, b b b]bbb b£b£b b b b bsbsb bfbfb, b b} Vbb¦b b b jb bhb. b b ]bbb b|b|b ¥bbb bfbfb |b|b gbbb bdbM b }
Vc
Vbb¦b¦b b b b jb bhbhb. b b ]b]b b¦b¦b fbfb |b|b gbbb bhbbb . b b}
Sixth M ode VI F
Bbb¦b b bgb fb bgb< b b ]b b¥bbb b b b bhbbb bfbbb , b b}
VI g
Bbb¦b¦b b b b bgb bfb, b b ]bbb b¤b¤b b b sbsb fbfb bgbgb< b b}
Seventh M ode VII a
VII d
Vbb§b b bkb lb bjb> b b ]b b¦bbb b b b bgbbb bfbbb , b b} Vbb§b b bkb lb bjb> b b ]b b¦bbb b b b bkbbb bjbbb > b b}
VII c
Vbb§b§b b kbkb lblb bjbjb> b b ]b]b b¦b¦b b b b bfbfb bhbhb. b b}
Eighth M ode VIII a
VIII G
Bbb¥b b b b b b b bhb. b b b]b b¨bbb b b b jbjb bhbhb. b b} Bbb¨b b bjb hb bgb< b b ]b]b b¦b¦b b fb hbhb bgb< b b}
VIII c
Bbb¥b¥b b b b b b bhbhb. b b ]b b ¦b b bgbbb hbbb bkbbb / b b}
T onus P eregrinus eregrinus t. pereg.
Bbb¦b b bgb fb bgb< b b b]b b¥bbb b hbhb 4b4b#@b# b@bN b b } rregularis T onus I rregularis
t. irreg.
Bbb¦b b b gb bfb, b b ]b b¥b b b \bbb jb bhb. b b}
