[Magdalen] Psalm - Whither Goeth Thou?

[Kate Conant]

When I was at St Andrew's-on-the-Mount we never even had a choir.  We
usually said the Psalm responsively by half-verse.  (Other churches in the
Nelson Cluster often said it responsively by verse.)  For a while (under
the direction of Fr Victor Lawson) we did a sung version from the psaltery
with antiphonal response by the congregation. (I still have that book).

In the Orthodox church psalms are mostly chanted during Orthros (Matins)
and other prayer services such as Compline.  During the Divine Liturgy a
psalm (usually 143) may be sung during the Communion Hymn (Αινείτε τον
Κύριον -- Praise the Lord) -- after we (the choir/congregation) sing it
twice each in Greek and English our choir director Georgia Yeatras sings
the psalm verses (in English) until the communion is ready and we join in
the Alleluias at the end.

Kate

"What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love mercy, and walk
humbly with your God?"
Micah 6:8

On Fri, Mar 13, 2015 at 10:23 AM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:

>
>
> In a message dated 3/13/2015 8:17:45 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> michaudme at gmail.com writes:
>
>
> I  think of the Sanctus as the Great Rehearsal. Taking it away from
> the  congregation and handing it to a paid choir? Feh  !
> -M>>>>
>
> This is one of those areas that my late friend, Mason Martens would
> describe as "double-talk".  The RCC wanted to free up the  Ordinary
> including the Sanctus (now referred to in Rome as the  "Holy-Holy-Holy")
> for their rightful designation of/for the congregation/assembly.
>
> At the same time, Rome has always held up classical polyphony
> (unaccompanied choral) as the "ideal" for the RC Ordinary.  Rome
> since Vatican-2 has also encouraged much singing of hymns for
> the congregation, but again has always held out that the plainsong
> Proper was ideal for worship.
>
> The two positions are 180 degrees apart.
>
> Anglican high church liturgies somehow successfully put together
> congregational hymns, some sung Ordinary (such as at Scott K's
> Ascension where the Gloria is sung, and the rest of the Ordinary is
> for the professional choir).
>
> It almost seems that Rome is too proud to adopt the Anglican format
> that has its cake and eats it too.  The congregation sings some of  the
> Ordinary and lots of hymns.  The choir sings/chants the entire  Proper
> in plainchant, and much of the Ordinary plus motets in classical
> polyphony.
>
> There's enough singing for everyone.
>
>
> David Strang.
>
>
>