Hymns in the LotH

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Dannel11

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Hello All!

I am having problems with the hymns in the LotH. I can’t read music and I don’t know the hymns. Should I just say the lyrics of the hymn like a prayer? Should I listen to the hymn on a CD? Can I skip the hymn?

I’m just trying to figure out how to move forward.
 
Dannel11 said:
I am having problems with the hymns in the LotH. I can’t read music and I don’t know the hymns. Should I just say the lyrics of the hymn like a prayer?
Yes, that’s not a problem.

Should I listen to the hymn on a CD? Can I skip the hymn?
The hymns are not exactly to my liking, so I hope the new LOTH will have a better selection. There is an index of hymns in the back that you may choose instead of the one offered for the particular hour you are praying. I don’t usually skip the hymn, so I don’t know if one may do that. I just pray it silently as I do the rest of the LOTH.
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I “chant” them. Pretty sure I’m not doing it correctly, but I am also pretty sure that it is OK.
 
Dannel11 said:
Hello All!

I am having problems with the hymns in the LotH. I can’t read music and I don’t know the hymns. Should I just say the lyrics of the hymn like a prayer? Should I listen to the hymn on a CD? Can I skip the hymn?

I’m just trying to figure out how to move forward.
Click to expand...
You may recite the hymns of you don’t know the tune, but do not skip them.
 
When praying the LOTH privately, singing or chanting the hymns is not necessary.

The LOTH was designed to be prayed with a group, but can be adapted easily for private prayer.

I never sing the hymn, unless I was with a group, then we sang them.

For one, I say the prayers quietly not vocally, so singing a hymn, especially when I don’t know it, is useless.

Jim
 
I like to find the hymns on YouTube as I go. Sometimes it helps to include the “Melody” name in your search; for instance, #121: Alleluia! Sing to Jesus uses the Melody “Hyfrydol”. Sometimes the uploader will include the melody name and sometimes not. Sometimes you can modify your search with “organ” to find an instrumental performance, which is many times necessary because the Protestants do not sing the same verses or translation as the Catholic hymns provided in my volume of Christian Prayer.

Then when I find a good hymn version, I add it to my playlist “Liturgy of the Hours” which is slowly building a repertoire of hymns and chants which can be used in my private devotion.
 
Dannel11 said:
Hello All!

I am having problems with the hymns in the LotH. I can’t read music and I don’t know the hymns. Should I just say the lyrics of the hymn like a prayer? Should I listen to the hymn on a CD? Can I skip the hymn?

I’m just trying to figure out how to move forward.
Click to expand...
I read the ones I don’t recognize. Occasionally, I identify a meter that fits a hymn I know and use it. (at least a couple fit to the same tune as “Creator of the Stars of Night”)
 
You don’t have to sing the hymns.

You can adapt the LOTH to your lifestyle.

For instance:

You could replace the scripture passage with the 1st reading and/or Gospel reading of the day for instance.

You can cut out the psalm prayers and meditate silently instead.
 
triumphguy said:
You don’t have to sing the hymns.

You can adapt the LOTH to your lifestyle.

For instance:

You could replace the scripture passage with the 1st reading and/or Gospel reading of the day for instance.

You can cut out the psalm prayers and meditate silently instead.
Click to expand...
We don’t even have the psalm prayers in the French LOTH that I use. The monastic LOTH that our abbey uses does have them, but they don’t use them.
 
triumphguy said:
You don’t have to sing the hymns.

You can adapt the LOTH to your lifestyle.

For instance:

You could replace the scripture passage with the 1st reading and/or Gospel reading of the day for instance.

You can cut out the psalm prayers and meditate silently instead.
Click to expand...
Indeed. The Psalm Prayers (upchucks) are not obligatory. I don’t believe that they are used outside of the English speaking Americas.
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
Indeed. The Psalm Prayers (upchucks) are not obligatory. I don’t believe that they are used outside of the English speaking Americas.
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When I was in formation with the Franciscans we never used them - we just paused for 30 seconds or so.

Quiet is important during the LOTH too.

It’s better to do less and have more prayerful reflection than to do everything and rush through it.
 
triumphguy said:
When I was in formation with the Franciscans we never used them - we just paused for 30 seconds or so.

Quiet is important during the LOTH too.

It’s better to do less and have more prayerful reflection than to do everything and rush through it.
Click to expand...
Yes I very much agree with silent pauses. When I’m at home I chant the LOTH in Latin. After each psalm, I then read through it in French, in silence, in order to truly catch the meaning (I can muddle through the Latin, but nothing beats reading it in your mother tongue). I also like a longish silent pause after the reading, and after the last intercession (where I silently add my own intentions).
Luigi_Daniele said:
Indeed. The Psalm Prayers (upchucks) are not obligatory. I don’t believe that they are used outside of the English speaking Americas.
Click to expand...
Well, technically they are also in “Liturgie monastique des heures” which is the most popular Benedictine schema (B, all psalms in a week); which was published in Luxembourg, is in French and is mainly used in French-speaking countries. Except for the psalm prayers. Our abbey, and an abbey I visited in Paris use this breviary. Neither use the psalm prayers.
 
Nobody should feel obliged to sing the breviary hymns.

But OTOH, the old Latin breviary hymns are very deep, and their melodies are very beautiful.

And there’s nothing better than going to sleep with the night hymns in your ears, because they are the most beautiful of all.
 
Mintaka said:
Nobody should feel obliged to sing the breviary hymns.

But OTOH, the old Latin breviary hymns are very deep, and their melodies are very beautiful.

And there’s nothing better than going to sleep with the night hymns in your ears, because they are the most beautiful of all.
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True.
 
triumphguy said:
You don’t have to sing the hymns.

You can adapt the LOTH to your lifestyle.
Click to expand...
I had read this thread before, but in going through again today, I was afraid of misinterpreting your sentence above. Did you mean we don’t have to SING the hymn, but pray them perhaps? Or did you mean that we may omit them entirely?
 
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