• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

  • About
  • Symposium
  • Hymnal
  • Jogues Missal
  • Site Map
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

Psalms, Psalmody, Psalmists, Psalm Singing

Dr. Gregory Hamilton · March 10, 2020

Detail from the Poissy Processional, Fitzwilliam Mus. MS McClean 63, folio 131

URLEY one of the greatest treasures that the church has been given is the “Hymnbook of the Church”; the book of Psalms. The Psalms in the bible depict every mood and emotional state, from fear, utter dejection to ecstatic praise of Yahweh. But every one of the psalms are written with I and Thou in mind. None are an empty soliloquy with no one there. No matter how dejected the mood, God is always there, and even though the psalmist may not be hearing the voice of God, through faith he believes that Yahweh is there. This is one of the messages of the psalms.

We would do well to remember that the early Christians took the synagogue service and adopted it to meet the new faith. The core of the Jewish liturgy was the cantillation of the Psalter. This is one of the greatest gifts that our Jewish Brethren have given us. Some of you may not know, but in seminaries and houses of religious, the 150 psalms are still recited or sung every month.

…And we should make another point. ALL of the psalms were created as SUNG MUSIC. The idea of a ‘recited psalm’ is an oxymoron.

If we were to think about some of the ways that during Mass we use psalmody, in particular the form in the Novus Ordo, the responsorial psalm is one we deal with at every Mass. This form of the psalm, though similar, replaces the “Gradual” in the old rite. This was called the “gradual” because the psalmist sung it while standing on the steps leading to the altar, it was sort of half way up to the altar.

Unfortunately in our day, the responsorial psalm has been subjected to some of the most “colorful” experiments. We all have witnessed the phenomenon of the “helicopter cantor” and the psalmist who takes his or her musical style from the bar down the street. (not that I have anything against bars per se…)

The GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal) has this succinct bit concerning cantors/psalmists:

102. It is the psalmist’s place to sing the Psalm or other biblical canticle to be found between the readings. To carry out this function correctly, it is necessary for the psalmist to be accomplished in the art of singing Psalms and have a facility in correct pronunciation and diction.

…nuff said!

The GIRM also mentions that the ‘usual’ form of the psalm between the readings, is not the only way that the psalm may be presented: The psalm may be sung straight though, or metrical versions of the psalm may be used as well – for example, the rich tradition of Anglican Psalmody would be possible. Also, (an opinion) if the verses are normally sung by a cantor or choir, why can’t some of our fine composers compose some polyphony for the verses? there is nothing rubrically against this. The use of psalm tones are laudable, but not the only way. And, it should be said, one of the greatest losses in the reformation of the liturgy is the Gradual, and also the Gregorian Alleluia, with it’s “Jubilus” (extended melismatic Alleluias).

However, if we were to think about what might be some virtues of musically good responsorial psalmody, we might come up with the following:

1. Must be easily singable. If you are going to sing a responsorial psalm for the faithful rather than the Gregorian Gradual, surely the response should be singable by the people.

2. It is helpful that they are learnable by amateur cantors. Few of us in the church have the luxury of professional cantors/soloists. Therefore, the people we work with vary in talent and ability. A misconception must be corrected: There is nothing wrong with simple music, but there is no excuse for poor quality music.

3. They must be beautiful—they must have appeal as good MUSIC, not just “something that will work”.

4. The should be composed with good harmony.

It JUST so happens, that there is a great body of psalmody on this very site! – I recommend the Chabanel Psalms, which meet all these requirements most admirably!

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: March 11, 2020

Subscribe to the CCW Mailing List

About Dr. Gregory Hamilton

Dr. Gregory Hamilton is a composer and performer currently on the faculty of Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas TX.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

23 May 2022 • FEEDBACK

From a reader: “I wasn’t looking for it. But, I stumbled across your hand-dandy arrangement of Pachelbel’s Canon. Jeff, this is the greatest thing since sliced bread! I had to play a wedding on Saturday. The bride requested the Canon. There were 11 bridesmaids! The organ loft is a football field away from the communion rail. It’s so difficult to play and keep checking the mirror. Your arrangement is absolutely genius. One can skip and choose which variations to use. The chord names are handy so that when my eyes are off the music, I always know where I am at. A thousand times thank you for sharing this arrangement!”

—Jeff Ostrowski
19 May 2022 • “Trochee Trouble”

I’m still trying to decide how to visually present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores, using what is (technically) the official rhythm of the Church. You can download my latest attempt, for this coming Sunday. Notice the “trochee trouble” as well as the old issue of neumes before the quilisma.

—Jeff Ostrowski
16 May 2022 • Harmonized Chant?

This year’s upcoming Sacred Music Symposium will demonstrate several ways to sing the CREDO at Mass. This is because—for many parishes—to sing a full-length polyphonic CREDO by Victoria or Palestrina is out of the question. Therefore, we show options that are halfway between plainsong and polyphony. You can hear my choir rehearsing a section that sounds like harmonized plainsong.

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“From six in the evening, his martyrdom had continued through the ghastly night until nine o’clock in the morning. After fifteen hours of torture rarely if ever surpassed in the bloody annals of the Iroquois, the soul of Gabriel Lalemant was freed from its charred and mutilated prison and summoned to join his comrade Jean de Brébeuf in the radiant splendor of God. March 17th, 1649, was the date; for Brébeuf it had been the sixteenth.”

— ‘Fr. John A. O’Brien, speaking of St. Gabriel Lalemant’

Recent Posts

  • CCWatershed Is In Financial Trouble!
  • The USCCB desires your input!
  • Review • A Catholic Book of Hymns
  • 23 May 2022 • FEEDBACK
  • PDF Download • “A Canon Choirs Love!”

Copyright © 2022 Corpus Christi Watershed · Gabriel Lalemant on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.

CCWatershed is in financial trouble.

Our president has been avoiding asking for money, but now we have reached a crisis point.

We must find 125 donors willing to give $5.00 per month before 27 June 2022.

Become a $5.00 monthly donor today!