Concerning Music:
The Psalm Response: Guidelines for Musicians:
Here are some thoughts I would like to share with you...
In choosing a Psalm setting for the Responsorial Psalm, it is good to keep these things in mind.
1. The text should match exactly (or 99.9%) that of the Lectionary Psalm. This is not just another song at Mass; this is during the Liturgy of the Word. No paraphrasing is permitted in the readings at Mass, and it is the same with the Psalm.
2. During the Liturgy of the Word, one need not pick the most "exciting" or "fun" setting of the Psalm. This is a time for the text to be the star of the show. Psalm settings that are too rhythmically busy can actually obscure the text to be prayed. Although, some rhythmic settings really help to convey the true spirit of the text, this is not always the case.
3. Ideally, ONE person should go to the ambo to sing the Psalm. I understand that some are more comfortable with company up there, but remember; this isn't about us; it's about proclaiming the Word of God. The harmony on the verses, should be done on special occasions, and done by cantor and entire choir, from the "choir loft." Too many people on the altar is not ideal during the Liturgy of the Word.
4. Singers come with many different levels of skill and experience. They also come with egos and insecurities. But EVERYONE, no matter how experienced they are - whether they sing at the local bar or at the Metropolitan Opera, needs to adopt a LITURGICAL manner of singing. The tricky thing about this is that this manner of singing is not something we hear on the radio - that's all performance music. What we do is different. The hardest thing for accomplished singers to adjust is their vibrato. Vibrato is a healthy, natural vocal tool. But in liturgical singing, it is - in most cases - not ideal. Why? Too much vibrato actually turn too much attention to the person singing and not WHAT he or she is singing. It also makes singing in harmony or unison (congregation) very difficult. We are the Universal Church, and our prayer is universal. Our singing is the same. Popular affectations in singing are to individualistic to be ideal in a corporate worship setting.
I am well aware how controversial these statements are, and I've wrestled with them for years - still am. I have to constantly try to squelch my ego (that I always forget I have) in order to be the best LITURGICAL musician I can be.
