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An Introduction to GregorianPsalmody and Psalm Tones
Antiphonal Psalmody | Pointing a Psalm | How to sing the accented Psalm Psalm Tones in Gregorian Notation | Psalm Tones in Modern Notation PDF--Gregorian Music--The four note lines(pp.8-11) Download the information below in easy-to-print PDF Introduction to Gregorian Chant | Accent and Sing the Psalm The Psalmody and the Canticles are sung antiphonally, i.e. responsively by whole verse on the part of two groups (half-choirs: Choir I and Choir II). The Psalm-Tones are set up for this kind of antiphonal responsive singing, according to their musical structure. It is inadvisable to sing the Psalmody responsorially, i.e. responsively between liturgist and congregation, liturgist and choir, or cantor and choir. The Psalm, always being preceded by the Antiphon, is intoned by the cantor, i.e. he sings the first few notes in order to establish the tonality and tempo. If need be, it could be intoned by a few voices of the choir—perhaps three boys or men. The cantor intones in such a way that the tuba (the repeated reciting tone) does not lie under F nor above C. Antiphonal Psalmody is, furthermore, to be divided by whole verse: each half-choir sings one whole Psalm-verse, in the middle of which (at the star *) a breathing pause is made. It contradicts the musical essence of the Psalmody to sing responsively by half-verse, so that the one choir would always begin a verse, increasing musical tension, and the other would end the verse, releasing musical tension. The Antiphon belongs to the Psalmody. As a theme-verse, it improves the understanding of the Psalm and often links it to the Church Year. The choice of a Psalm-tone is based on the tonality of the Antiphon. The Psalmody consists of: Antiphon Psalm Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father...) Antiphon The Psalm is sung according to one of the eight Psalm-tones, whose structure (demonstrated on the model of the 8th Psalm-tone) is as follows:
The initium/incipit
(entry form) connects the final tone of the Antiphon with the tuba
(reciting tone) of the Psalm. Therefore it is always and only sung after the
Antiphon, not at the Gloria Patri. The tuba is the tone, repeated
according to the number of syllables of the half-verse, on which the main part
of the text is sung. The mediatio is the middle cadence at the end of the
first half-verse. The finalis is the final cadence at the end of the
second half-verse. According to the number of syllables in the cadence, extra
tones (printed as hollow notes in the music) are inserted. At the middle cadence
of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 8th Psalm tones, if the last syllable is accented, the
note following the accented note must sometimes be abruptly omitted (mediatio
correpta). There is no finalis correptum. Example:
For the recitation of the Psalms, grammatical punctuation (comma, semicolon) in the Psalm-verse never means a breath mark and must never interrupt the flow of speech. For some long half-verses, the flexa († ) is used as a breath mark; the last one or two syllables before the flexa are sung on a lower note. (If more than one syllable is to be sung on the lower tones, the accented syllable is marked with a circumflex ^.) In Psalm-tones 2, 3, 5, and 8, the tone is dropped a minor 3rd from the tuba; in Psalm-tones 1, 4, 6, and 7, the tone is dropped a Major 2nd. The flexa occurs only in the first half-verse. Example:
Antiphon: Cantor intones until the star *. Whole choir continues and sings the Antiphon to the end. Psalm: Cantor intones the first half of the first verse with the initium, in order to set the tempo of recitation. Choir I sings the second half of the first verse. Choir II sings the second verse without the initium. Choir I sings the third verse without initium. Choir II sings the fourth verse, etc. Each half-choir begins singing its verse when the other half-choir has finished, with no intervening pause. This means that the one choir must take a breath before the other has finished singing. Verses are divided musically, not canonically. For example, Psalm 69:2, and 4 are divided into two liturgical verses. Gloria Patri: Choir I or II sings "Glory be to the Father..." on the same Psalm-tone. Choir II or I (the other choir, as the case may be) sings "As it was in the beginning...Amen." Note: Missouri Synod custom is that the whole choir sings the Gloria Patri in unison. Antiphon repeated: The whole choir repeats the Antiphon without intonation of the cantor. The cantor leads the choir and the choir leads the congregation. The organ, especially if not located in the choir area, is less suited to the role of leading the Gregorian prayer offices. If there is a choir organ present, it can, beyond prelude and postlude, take over the functions of a figural choir, can intone and accompany congregational hymns and chants, and with a large congregation, can support the singing in a restrained manner. A figural choir can execute the Psalms, Responsory, and Canticle with polyphony. The figural choir can also take over individual stanzas of the Office Hymn, or alternate stanzas in other hymns and chants. In the Psalmody, the opportunity to perform several Psalms should especially be observed. In the Canticle, a figural execution together with the unison singing of the congregation is not recommended. Here an alternation by whole verse of the figural choir and congregation may be appropriate. Source: Vereinigte Evangelische-Lutherische Kirche Deutschlands. Kleines Kantionale II. Hannover: Schlütersche Buchdruckerei, 1969. pp. 8-16.
X How the Psalm-Text is Accented
But these should be avoided:
X How to Sing the Accented Psalm-Text to the Accented Psalm-Tones
Psalm TonesDownload Psalm tones in Microsoft Publisher
Tones I, through VIII are the classical "Eight Psalm Tones." The versions of the tones given here is those commonly used in German Lutheranism since the time of the Reformation. (See Otto Brodde, "Evangelische Choralkunde," in: Leiturgia: Handbuch des Evangelischen Gottesdienstes, vol. 4, [Kassel: Johannes Stauda, 1961], pp. 475-476, 489). Tone IX is the Tonus Perigrinus, the "wandering tone," so called because unlike other Psalm tones, it has a different reciting note in each half-verse. "Irr." is the Tonus Irregularis, the "irregular tone." All of the tones below may be copied as a picture file, by right clicking and saving them individually on your computer. From your computer, you can place them in bulletins and other documents. If you want more flexibility with the music, we recommend purchasing the Gregorian music fonts and/or the Modern Music fonts from Meinrad. You may hear each tone sung to a Psalm by clicking the psalm link under each tone. The sound is high quality MP3 and may take a few minutes to download using dial-up connections. After the Antiphon is sung, you will hear the Psalm being sung according to the Psalm-tones. Examples of Psalm Tones in Gregorian Notation SungIf last syllable is stressed: inflect at first áccent * inflect at first áccent
If last syllable is stressed: hold * inflect at second-last syllable
If last syllable is stressed: inflect at first áccent * slur
If last syllable is stressed: hold * inflect at first áccent and slur
If last syllable is stressed: hold * inflect at first áccent
If last syllable is stressed: inflect at first áccent * slur
If last syllable is stressed: inflect at first áccent * inflect at first áccent
If last syllable is stressed: hold * slur
If last syllable is stressed: inflect 1 syllable before first áccent * inflect at 3rd-last syllable
If last syllable is stressed: inflect at second-last syllable * inflect at first áccent
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Contact Information: The Rev. Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes The Rev. Chaplain Michael N. Frese
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