Communion Antiphon

[docmattc]

We've had much discussion off and on on the board about the Communion (and Entrance) Antiphons. During Lent we're going to make try this format for communion and use the antiphon (or text approximating to it). This will of course mean confronting the congregation with a second new piece every week (the other being the psalm response). I'm lucky to have 6 cantors (7 with myself) to call on so the task of singing the verses can be changed out from week to week.
I was hoping to have the collection 'By flowing waters' to call on, but Amazon have delayed delivery so I've had to manage without.

The settings I'm using are:
1st Sunday Not on Bread alone Laudate 191
2nd Sunday Here is my servant Psalite A-34
3rd Sunday Come to me and drink- Bob Hurd from 'One with the risen Lord'
4th Sunday You are light in the Lord Psalite A-40
5th Sunday Bless the Lord my Soul- Taize ('...he leads me into life' version)
Passion Sunday Father if I must drink this cup. To a paraphrase of Picardy, verses from Ps 116 as Psalite
Maundy Thursday This is my Body, from Psalite

The Lent music booklet will include the tadpoles for the antiphon, but it remains to be seen how the congregation will react to what will be a lot of new material thrown at them. They are usually quite good at coping with new stuff, but haven't been faced with new music each week (except the psalm) before. I'll keep you posted how it goes. If you hear nothing more from me, they don't like it and they've drowned me in my cup of post-Mass tea.

[Tsume Tsuyu]

We regularly use an antiphon with psalm verses during the communion procession and it works really well. I'm not sure you should worry too much about throwing new music at your congregation. The thing about both the psalm response and using an antiphonal piece at communion is that the response is repeated a number of times (often a great number during Communion) and so the congregation have plenty of opportunity to become familiar with their bit. Several members of our congregation have commented after certain pieces that they felt as though they'd known them for years. And there are people who never join in with even the well known hymns who can be seen mouthing the words of a repeated refrain involuntarily as they process to Communion. We find it helps to repeat the antiphon several times before the verses begin. This also helps the choir to get to Communion, establishing the singing as we process.

Psallite is a good resource. They're not all good, but there are enough catchy, memorable ones to pick and choose from, and covering a variety of styles, from plainchant to Afro-Carribean. Alternatively, you can simply add your own psalm verses to something else. We used Bell's Behold the Lamb of God the other week, and just added some toned psalm verses.