CHAPTER 1
The Musical Ministry of the People
The Songs of the People
_________________________________
The rubrics of THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER are true to tradition in reserving forthe people the responses to the Opening Acclamation, the Salutation, theacclamations at the beginnings and endings of Lessons, responses in the Prayersof the People, the response to the Peace, responses in the introductory dialogueof the Eucharistic Prayer, and the response to the Dismissal. The Amen, whereverit occurs, belongs to the people. The Kyrie and the Trisagion are songs of thepeople. The Sanctus and Benedictus qui venit, the Memorial Acclamation, and theLord's Prayer are songs which the people sing along with the celebrant. The wordhymn is used in the rubrics to indicate a metrical song of the people. In otherrites, as well as in the Eucharist, certain portions are reserved for the peopleas, for example, the responses to the Opening Preces and the Suffrages in theDaily Office. The Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer are songs which thepeople and celebrant sing together. It is highly inappropriate for theseportions of the rite to be preempted by a choir. These portions belong to thepeople; unless the congregation can sing them easily, they should say them.Music too complicated for the congregation should not be used for these portionsof the rites. A church music director desiring to perform a more complicatedsetting of one of these texts (for example, the Sanctus) should do so either ata time within the service appropriate for an anthem or at a concert. In earlyAnglicanism the more elaborate settings of the Sanctus were used, not within theEucharistic Prayer, but rather as an introit for the rite. Often the Sanctuswithin the Prayer was said or sung to a simple setting, so important wascongregational participation in the historic songs of the people. (Compare theelaborate music for the celebrant's portion of the Eucharistic Prayer from theancient Mozarabic rite provided in the Altar Book for use with Prayer D with thesimple setting of the people's Holy, holy, holy / Holy, holy, holy Lord[Sanctus] at S 123.)
In addition to those portions of the rites reserved to the people, traditionallythe congregation sings hymns or canticles as a part of the entrance rite; theresponse in the Gradual Psalm (or the Psalm itself); the Alleluia, Psalm orSequence hymn prior to the announcement of the Gospel; the Nicene Creed; theFraction Anthem; and possibly hymns or psalms during the preparation of theTable, during the Communion of the People, and before or after the postcommunionprayer. In the Daily Office it is traditional for the people to sing theInvitatory Psalm, the Psalmody of the Day, and the Canticles, or to singantiphons when a cantor or choir sings the aforementioned portions of the rite.
The Function of the Songs of the People ____________________
The aim of the songs of the people is that "full, conscious, and activeparticipation ... demanded by the very nature of the liturgy" (TheConstitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 14).
Though music may add solemnity, effectiveness, beauty, enjoyment, and unity to acelebration, that is not always true. It is not always better to sing than tosay; silence is to be preferred at times to sound. It is essential to considerthe particular gathering of people, the size of the group, their traditions,their musical abilities, the available musical leadership, the architecturalsetting, and the relative importance of the day or occasion. Also important arethe predominant age group, the degree of experience with a particular service,and the musical interest of the particular gathering. The music must notdominate the rite but instead highlight its basic structure.
The Musical Ministry of the Cantor, Song Leader, or Clerk
The Functions of the Cantor
_____________________________
A fourth century practice still maintained in large portions of the Church todayis to have a soloist sing the Gradual Psalm, the Alleluia Verse at theEucharist, and the Invitatory Psalm (Venite or Jubilate Deo) at the DailyOffice. In the Gradual Psalm the cantor sings first a refrain enunciating thetheme of the Psalm or setting forth its application to the day or occasion. Thechoir and congregation then repeat the refrain and sing it at subsequentappropriate intervals throughout the Psalm. (See GPAVT.)
The cantor initiates the Gospel Acclamation by singing the Alleluia(s) which isthen repeated by the choir and congregation. The cantor then sings the Verse,after which the choir and congregation repeat the Alleluia(s). (See GPAVT.)
Several of the Fraction Anthems in THE HYMNAL 1982 are designed to be sung inthis manner (S 151 and S 167–S 172).
The Invitatory Psalm at the Daily Office may be treated in the same manner asthe Gradual Psalm, making use of the Invitatory Antiphons as refrains. (Acc. Ed.Vol. 1, S 289–S 294.)
In addition to the Gradual, the Alleluia, the Fraction Anthem, and theInvitatory Psalm, other psalms (See THE PLAINSONG PSALTER) or hymns withrefrains may be very effective if sung by a cantor, with congregationalrefrains, at the entrance of the ministers, during the Offertory procession orduring the Communion of the People. Sometimes a cantor can effectively initiatethe Memorial Acclamation, the Fraction Anthem, or even the the Holy, holy, holy/ Holy, holy, holy Lord (Sanctus) and Blessed is he (Benedictus qui venit). Withshorter texts, such as Lord, have mercy upon us / Lord, have mercy (Kyrie),Kyrie eleison, Holy God (Trisagion), the Memorial Acclamation, or the FractionAnthem, it is often effective for the cantor to sing the whole text or a sectionof it after which the celebrant, the choir, and the people repeat it. In factthere are explicit directions to sing one setting of the Lord, have mercy(Kyrie) in exactly this manner (S 95). (See also S 85, S 88, and S 94.)
By singing new music as a solo on several occasions, the cantor can be veryhelpful in teaching new music to the congregation. Also, the cantor might lead arehearsal before the service, or, on occasion, within the rite at a time forannouncements or some other appropriate time.
In some situations it is both more desirable and practicable to use a cantor forthose portions of the rites normally sung by choirs than to attempt thedevelopment of a choir. In situations where the instrument and/or the skills ofthe instrumentalist are limited, the cantor can often provide the necessaryleadership. (See Acc. Ed. Vol. 1, pages 11–12 and 16–17, on the functions of thecantor and the use of Antiphons or Refrains.)
The Qualifications of the Cantor __________________________
Because of the functions of the cantor, it is important that this person have apleasant voice; a commanding presence; and the ability to read music accurately,to learn music with ease, and to sing with confidence. The cantor must also beable to present ideas clearly and briefly. The procurement of an able cantorwould greatly enhance the musical performance in many churches. Even churcheswith limited budgets should think seriously about hiring a cantor if a talentedvolunteer is not available. This person could be either male or female.
The Musical Ministry of the Choir
The function of a choir in the rites of the Church is not that of a choralsociety or a glee club. In the last two groups the music brings the peopletogether, and their principal purpose is to provide an opportunity to practiceand perform music which cannot be performed individually. A choral society orglee club performs publicly for the edification and enjoyment of others and fortheir own gratification. Although these same functions may be served by thechurch choir, they must be subservient to the role of music within the liturgyof the Church. (See the "General Performance Notes," Acc. Ed. Vol. 1, pages 11–17.)
Types of Choirs _______________________________________
Each congregation should decide whether a choir is desirable for it, and, if so,what type of choir or choirs. In some situations, the formation of a choir wouldnecessitate gathering from the congregation all those who sing with confidence,thereby robbing the congregation of leadership and support needed in theirmidst.
(1) The Cathedral or Collegiate Choir In some situations a cathedral orcollegiate choir is both possible and appropriate. In the traditional cathedralor collegiate situation the choir is the congregation; the chancel serves as thechurch or chapel for the services. (The nave is the place for occasionalvisitors, but essentially the choir is the congregation and the congregation isthe choir.) In many ways the cathedral or collegiate situation is analogous to acongregation with no choir. The difference lies in that the daily services inthe cathedral or collegiate situation include music, and in the ability of theregular congregation to perform music not within the capability of a typicalcongregation. Historically, it was in the former situations that a divided choirwas to be found. Since antiphonal psalmody was basic to the repertoire, thedivided choir was functional. Today where the choir and congregation areessentially the same (as in some seminary chapels, monasteries or convents, andin occasional American cathedrals and school chapels), it is certainlyappropriate to make use of highly complicated service music which, in othersituations, might obscure the liturgy.
(2) The Parish Choir The parish choir and most cathedral and collegiate choirsmust take seriously the presence of a congregation which neither practices norsings together with great frequency. These choirs must recognize their primaryfunction to be that of providing leadership, support, modeling, and teaching forthose of more limited musical aptitudes and abilities. Many congregationsinclude a sufficient number of children and adults with musical interests andabilities to comprise a choir. In some parishes the choir of volunteers issufficiently talented to provide music beyond the talents of the congregation.In some situations even two people could be the choir. In other situations it isnecessary to pay a certain number of trained singers to fill particular needs orto provide the backbone for the larger volunteer group. Just as a church mustoften pay for the time and talents of clergy, secretaries, sextons and othersvital to the proper functioning of the congregation, so it must be willing topay for the time and talents of persons with musical abilities to provideleadership and enhance the program of the parish choir. Money spent formusicians can make the difference in a congregation's ability to attract or tohold people. It is sometimes the most effective missionary money spent by thecongregation.
In a cathedral or parish choir it is sometimes possible, or even desirable, tohave a small group of people with extraordinary time and talents devotethemselves to performing highly complex music beyond the time and abilities ofthe entire choir. This select group might take the place of a cantor or choir atappropriate points in the rites.
(3) The Young People's or Children's Choir A children's choir can make its owncontributions. It can sing alone and, on occasions, sing with an adult choir aswell as provide a training school to feed into the adult choirs. The youngpeople's choir and the children's choir both provide an excellent opportunityfor education in the liturgy and music of the Church. Because they have not beennegatively acculturated, young people or children are often able to learn musicsuch as plainchant much more easily than adults and then to initiate its use ina congregation. In many places a young people's or children's choir could be theonly choir; the combination of cantor and young people's or children's choirmight be ideal.
(4) The Ad Hoc Choir In many congregations people who do not have time orinterest sufficient for involvement in the regular choir(s) can augment thechoir for certain special events or compose a choir for certain functions.Because the members of the regular choir(s) are often busy at the times ofweddings and funerals, many churches have compiled lists of persons available toform a choir when desired. Since regular service music and a few well-knownhymns generally make up the repertoire for weddings and burials, an ad hoc choircan often contribute effective leadership after only a brief practice just priorto the rite.
The Functions of Choirs ________________________________
Of primary importance to the church choir is its role as leader, supporter, andteacher of the congregation in the songs of the people and in unison reading,and as model and teacher for the congregation in good liturgical and worshiphabits. Any choir failing to understand the significance of these roles may beof more detriment than help in the worship of the church. A substantial portionof many choir practices should be devoted to the study of liturgy, unisonreading, and the practice of the songs of the people so that the choir maybetter perform its primary functions. In addition to these, the choir may beable to provide other rite-enhancing elements, beyond the abilities of thecongregation.
The choir may also enhance songs of the people and hymns which the congregationsings with confidence by supplying harmony, descants, or fauxbourdons. Cautionmust be exercised, however, lest such variations discourage the singing of thepeople. THE HYMNAL 1982 provides descants, fauxbourdons, or variedharmonizations for a number of tunes. (See Appendix I [below].) HYMNAL STUDIESSEVEN, volumes 1 and 2, lists descants, etc., for many of the tunes in THEHYMNAL 1982. Among the available collections containing descants, orfauxbourdons, the following are especially valuable:
The Christ Church Descant Book (2 vols.). Fyfe, Lois, Cumberland Press.
The Descant Hymn-Tune Book, Books I & II. Shaw, Geoffrey, Novello.
Familiar Hymns with Descants. Kettring, Donald, Westminster Press.
Festival Praise. Routley, Eric, Hinshaw Music.
55 Hymn Descants for Festive and General Use. Proulx, Richard & Young, MichaelE., G. I. A. Publications.
48 Hymn Descants for Festive and General Use. Various Composers, G. I. A.Publications.
41 Descants to Familiar Hymn Tunes. Winn, Cyril, OUP
Hymns for Choirs. Willcocks, David, OUP.
Thirty-Four Hymn Descants. Williams, David McK., H.W. Gray (Belwin-Mills).
Thirty-Six Descants. Shaw, Geoffrey, OUP.
20 Hymn-Tune Descants. Lang, C.S., Novello.
THE HYMNAL 1982 includes several Rounds and Canons (710–715) and suggests thatseveral other tunes might be sung in canon (9, 25, 43, 25C, 254, 534, and 671).See Appendix I (below) for a list of additional tunes which might be treated inthis manner.
Often the choir may take the place of the cantor in singing the text of theGradual Psalm or the Alleluia Verse at the Eucharist or in singing the text ofthe Invitatory Psalm at the Daily Office. On occasion it is also appropriate forthe choir to sing certain portions of the rites often sung by the people; i.e.,the Lord, have mercy upon us / Lord, have mercy (Kyrie), Kyrie eleison, Holy God(Trisagion), Glory be to God / Glory to God (Gloria in excelsis) or other Songof Praise at the Eucharist or a canticle at the Daily Office. The rubrics statethat an anthem may be used at the place of the Gradual or of the Alleluia Verseat the Eucharist. The functions of these components of the rite must becarefully considered in the choice of anthems. Some of the early Church Fathersreferred to the Gradual as the Lesson from the Psalms. The Alleluia is anacclamation at the appearance of Christ present in his Word, symbolized by theGospel Reading. It is common for the choir to sing the Fraction Anthem (in fact,the Prayer Book uses the word anthem rather than hymn at this place in the rite)to afford opportunity to the people for concentration on the liturgical action.It is traditional in Anglicanism for an anthem to follow the Collects of theDaily Office.
