Repeating phrases of liturgical texts

[sr.christinaosf]

I’ve noticed that composers, from time to time, repeat words of liturgical texts, including acclamations and responsorial psalms. For example, this coming Sunday, we might sing: Blese the people the Lord has chosen, chosen to be His own.****
I don’t want to be scrupulous or nit-picky, but does anyone know if this is liturgically permissible?
(I am wondering because I am the psalmist for Sunday Mass here.)
Thanks.

 

[sko]

You mention composers; does that mean that you sing the psalm to some elaborate musical setting? I’m just curious, because around here, the psalm is always sung to a simple melody, usually accompanied by organ, which is always taken from the psalter or the appropriate gradual and always follows the text of the missal to a T.

 

[BartholomewB]

I’m not a musician, but I believe it’s not only permitted but usual for composers to repeat words and phrases to fit their musical setting. Here, for instance, is the Ave Maria in Schubert’s setting:

Ave Maria
Gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Ventris tuae, Jesus.
Ave Maria

Ave Maria
Mater Dei
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Ora pro nobis
Ora, ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Nunc et in hora mortis
Et in hora mortis nostrae
Et in hora mortis nostrae
Et in hora mortis nostrae
Ave Maria

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

I do not have the reference at hand, but there is some limited leeway to do this with liturgical music, provided the words are not changed. The Gloria, for instance, can be done as verse and refrain; the psalm has a bit more wiggle room than the rest, typically.

 

[Rob2]

I’m not a musician, but I believe it’s not only permitted but usual for composers to repeat words and phrases to fit their musical setting. Here, for instance, is the Ave Maria in Schubert’s setting:

Ave Maria
Gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Ventris tuae, Jesus.
Ave Maria

Ave Maria
Mater Dei
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Ora pro nobis
Ora, ora pro nobis peccatoribus
Nunc et in hora mortis
Et in hora mortis nostrae
Et in hora mortis nostrae
Et in hora mortis nostrae
Ave Maria

And here is Caccini’s…

 

[sr.christinaosf]

No - not an elaborate setting; I just consider one who composes music to be a composer, simple or elaborate.

 

[929dad]

This is nothing new. Centuries ago, for example, composers would repeat the Kyrie Eliason tropes 3 times each. Nobody threw them out of the Church for it.

 

[Dovekin]

Did anyone praise them for addressing each member of the Trinity?

 

[OmnesBonum]

Yes this is ok, but traditionally the words must still be sung in the same order with no earlier parts repeated after later parts, and sung sequentially, though this probably does not apply to the ordinary form, but is still preferable.