Antiphonal music

[on_the_hill]

A friend described a piece of music as being antiphonal. I’ve heard the word before but am not sure what it means. Would I be correct in thinking that the Responsorial Pslam is antiphonal, in that the part sung by the congregation is the antiphon that explains the theme of the psalms sung by the cantor?

 

[SMHW]

The way we typically sing the responsorial psalm in the United States is an example of antiphonal singing.

I don’t pretend to be an expert but I believe the more general meaning of antiphonal singing is that two groups (a group could mean a single person) take turns singing different lines/stanzas of the musical piece. There does not need to be a “refrain”.

 

[HeDa]

Hopefully this link to Universalis works. Vespers for today July 15th, 2019 has Our eyes are turned to the Lord; we look for his mercy. as an antiphon to the first Psalm. It is sung or said before the Psalm and after. Usually first by one person and then everyone repeats at the beginning and at the end by all together. It is common for two groups to take turns with the rest of the Psalm.

Universalis: Vespers (Evening Prayer)

universalis.com

 

[DeniseNY]

https://mci.archpitt.org/liturgy/LiturgicalElements.html

Antiphons

Sometimes a fixed refrain is added after each verse of a psalm. In the Old Testament, some psalms already come in this form, with refrains like “for His mercy endures forever!” or "Alleluia!
(a Hebrew word meaning “Praise God!”). In the Byzantine tradition, these short refrains were called troparia; here are some examples:

Through the prayers of your saints, O Savior, save us!

O Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to you: Alleluia!

Save your people, O Lord, and bless your inheritance!

Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us!

An antiphon consists of a set of psalm verses, with each one followed by the fixed refrain, then the small doxology (“Glory to the Father… Now and ever…”), and the refrain once more; this was usually followed by a short litany and a prayer. An “office” of three such antiphons was an ancient feature of the Byzantine Rite. Today, these antiphons are sung in the Divine Liturgy.

 

[JohnLilburne]

In the book “Liturgical Literacy” Dennis Smolarski S.J. described “Antiphonal Singing” as “The type of singing in which a soloist sings the verses of a hymn (psalm), while the assembly sings merely a brief antiphon between the verses.”

The first poster asks if he would I be correct in thinking that the Responsorial Psalm is antiphonal.

Often it is done antiphonally. But it is not required to be done that way.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal has in n. 61:

“It is preferable for the Responsorial Psalm to be sung, at least as far as the people’s response is concerned. Hence the psalmist, or cantor of the Psalm, sings the Psalm verses at the ambo or another suitable place, while the whole congregation sits and listens, normally taking part by means of the response, except when the Psalm is sung straight through, that is, without a response. ” (My bold text.)

So the “Responsorial Psalm” is not required to have a response.

Another complication with the term “antiphon” is the “Entrance Antiphon” and “Communion Antiphon”.

In Australia the Roman Missal does not have these as things to be sung or said in response to psalm verses. Instead they are alternatives to chants.

From General Instruction of the Roman Missal n. 48: “If there is no singing at the Entrance, the antiphon given in the Missal is recited either by the faithful, or by some of them, or by a reader; otherwise, it is recited by the Priest himself, who may even adapt it as an introductory explanation (cf. no. 31). ”

There is a similar instruction about the Communion Antiphon in n. 87.

But in the United States of America there is an addition to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 48:

“In the Dioceses of the United States of America, there are four options for the Entrance Chant: (1) the antiphon from the Missal or the antiphon with its Psalm from the Graduale Romanum, as set to music there or in another setting;” (From http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-wor...uction-of-the-roman-missal/girm-chapter-2.cfm )

So in the USA the Entrance Antiphon may be sung or recited.

[Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal , © 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.]

 

[Symphorian]

In the Anglican tradition, a large choir such as found in a cathedral or big parish church is divided into two sides known as decani and cantoris. Decani, meaning ‘Dean’s side’ would be on the south side whilst cantoris, meaning ‘Cantor’ s side would be on the north side.

When singing antiphonally, the decani usually start first. As an example, when singing a Psalm, the decani side would sing the first verse, the second verse would then be taken by the cantoris side and so might alternate until the end of the Psalm. Both sides together might then sing the Gloria Patri at the end of the Psalm.