Refrains to the Gloria

[RobK]

While I thought this was going to be limited to the Easter season, it continued today…

We are led to sing a refrain to the Gloria, (“Glory to God…people on earth”) with the cantor singing the remainder of this prayer alone. A few people try to sing the non-refrain portions but it is musically challenging and awkward when only a small portion of the congregation participates.

Are there any guidelines on this type of issue? I feel cheated that it is either not possible (if the prayer were spoken) or easy (the challenging music) for me to say this prayer in it’s entirety.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[pnewton]

I am often frustrated with many Catholic composers and how difficult they write their music (we use GIA materials). The best solution I have is to keep the same Mass setting for several years. It is very important that the congregational get comfortable singing the appropriate responses.

Do you know which Gloria it is?

 

[RobK]

Hi - unfortunately, I do not know which Gloria it was. Thank you for your thoughts, though!

 

[jp2fan]

I totally had the same problem at school this past year. It’s really annoying, although I don’t know if there are any rules about it.

jp2fan

 

[kmktexas]

Rob,

I think I know which one you are talking about. Our parish uses this setting sometimes, usually Easter season. I love singing myself and don’t like being only allowed to sing the chorus. Last year I wrote to the Liturgy forum at EWTN and they gave me a GIRM citation that this was ok. I still don’t like it.

 

[Trevelyan]

See the ‘Rethinking the Responsorial Gloria’ article from Adoremus: www.adoremus.org/0201responsorial.html

I love the quote given in it:
“When I see a hymn that says ‘Refrain’, I usually do …” Austin C. Lovelace

 

[RobK]

Thank you so much for the link to the Adoremus article. I receive the Adoremus bulletin but missed that article.

As I read the article, I had another thought on why this troubles me - this responsorial Gloria is always intoned by the cantor, not the priest. I think that deserves it’s own thread, stay tuned!

Rob

 

[NWUArmyROTC]

At my church, the words and “Peace to His people on earth” is edited to "Peace to God’s people on earth. I definitely sing the former.

 

[RobK]

True - if I had a nickel for every time a masculine reference is changed to “God” or “God’s”, I would we well off indeed.

It is especially troubling (not to mention frustrating) when I hear it from the priest or deacon, and also when following the words of the reading in a missal and certain lectors consistently change the words - and also when you hear it peppered throughout the congregation, e.g.: “May the Lord accept the sacrifice from your hands for the praise of glory of God’s name, for our good and the good of all God’s church.” It is extremely discordant when we do not reply in unison! So Lord and God are now two different entities with this substitution, since the ‘Lord’ is doing something for ‘God’.

 

[jremaley]

The Adoremus article is just great!
Like you I have also been frustrated by this Gloria. We also have several other distracting Gloria(s) that are use in our parish. I think the worst is the one the children’s choir sings clapping their hands twice after shouting Gloria. The wide spread variety just leaves the parishioners baffled as to when or what to respond to. With this wide a variety in use it is hard to believe that they are all liturgically approved. Since I can only find ONE “Gloria” to be spoken or sung in any missal I perceive all of these other musical arrangements and varieties in wording to be part of the ongoing liturgical abuses. Just part of the misguided since of liturgical freedom that the Holy See is trying to straighten out. Hopefully when the new vernacular translation of the Roman Missal comes out we will return to one Gloria to be spoken or sung. At any rate it looks like we will have to put up with the varieties for another year or two at least.

 

[dcs]

RobK:

We are led to sing a refrain to the Gloria, (“Glory to God…people on earth”) with the cantor singing the remainder of this prayer alone. A few people try to sing the non-refrain portions but it is musically challenging and awkward when only a small portion of the congregation participates.

Is this the one with the refrain, “Glory to God, glory in the highest, peace to His people, peace on earth”? I don’t know what it’s called but if it’s the same one to which you’re referring, it is awkward. “Musically challenging” doesn’t begin to explain it. Maybe “musically challenged.”