Revised Grail Psalms

[docmattc]

http://www.praytellblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Revised-Grail-Psalms-press-release.pdf

GIA announce release of editions containing the Revised Grail Psalms on January 3, 2011.

[John Ainslie]

Before we get too excited about this, it should be noted that this recognitio was given by the CDW to the US bishops for US liturgical use. They have not had the Grail psalter approved for liturgical use before.

The bishops of this country may or may not decide to approve the use of the new Grail version in preference to the one already approved and in use in this country for over 40 years. It is reported that some of the changes between Grail 1 (which we use) and Grail 4 (the new version) make it impossible to use existing well-known music, e.g. for Gelineau's Psalm 23(22), 'The Lord's my Shepherd'.

[Gabriel]

They have not had the Grail psalter approved for liturgical use before.

I had always understood that US had used Grail psalms in the Office and they are permitted for use at Mass.

The bishops of this country may or may not decide to approve the use of the new Grail version in preference to the one already approved and in use in this country for over 40 years.

I would have thought that if the bishops of this country wish to continue to use the Grail psalms in new liturgical texts (such as a Lectionary) the Holy See would expect that the text is reviewed in the light of Liturgicam Authenticam, which was the starting point, as I understand it, for the US revision.

[Southern Comfort]

They have not had the Grail psalter approved for liturgical use before.

I had always understood that US had used Grail psalms in the Office and they are permitted for use at Mass.

This is correct. The US Office uses a version of Grail I. It is not absolutely identical with the Grail I version used in the UK. A small number of minor changes were introduced (without acknowledgement), but basically it is the same Grail text. So it was not a stretch for the US bishops to approve for universal use (Lectionary as well as Office) the revised Grail psalter.

This means that the spirituality of American clergy will be fed by a single translation of the psalms from now on, rather than the former situation where they used NAB psalms in the Lectionary and Grail psalms in the Office — leading to a kind of spiritual schizophrenia. As far as I know, this is the only English-speaking country in which such a bi-psalmic situation has existed. I do not know how they put up with it for so long.

I hope that in the fullness of time the UK bishops will also approve the revised Grail for use. That would mean that for the first time there would be a possibility of the entire English-speaking RC world using the same version of the psalms for all its prayer. And I still hope for that, despite the annoying features of the revised version (such as Psalm 22/23, already mentioned). Overall there is still much that is familiar compared with the text that we (and they) currently use.

[John Ainslie]

Having not seen the new version, I remain hopeful but not sanguine that it can succeed in being both a faithful translation and good English when other recent attempts at squaring this circle have so lamentably failed.

[presbyter]

The standard Gelineau to Psalm 121 (122) is not going to fit either - but another Gelineau chant will.

http://catholickey.blogspot.com/2008/12/grail-psalter-preview.html

[John Ainslie]

The standard Gelineau to Psalm 121 (122) is not going to fit either - but another Gelineau chant will.

Which? The psalm as given here contains three different stress patterns: 3+3, 3+2 and 4+4. There is only one Gelineau tone set that will fit all three to the same tune (mode ME, tones 10, 12 and 14). Actually verses 1 to 8 would be much better rendered as 3-stress throughout, verses 3 and 4 reading '...bónded as óne togéther...the tríbes óf the LÓRD', verse 9 being 4-stress. This would make it easier to use a Gelineau-type setting.

How much does Conception Abbey use Gelineau-type music, I wonder...

[presbyter]

I see our American Benedictines have been influenced by "teen speak"....

Psalm 46 (47)

For the Lord, the Most High is awesome......

I have yet to find God described as wicked or cool.

The revised NAB, by the way, has (to my mind) the more acceptable -

For the LORD, the Most High, inspires awe

[John Ainslie]

'Awesome' is vastly overused in the States, at least to British ears. Having been cheapened by advertising slogans such as 'McDonalds - McAwesome', it has now migrated across the pond and cheapened our much more reserved use of the word.

Here in this American Grail translation is a classic instance of how English words do not have the same meaning or usage in different countries. 'Awe' is fine, but the word continues to spawn an unfortunate series of adjectives - in a previous era we had God's 'awful' throne. Perhaps it's because the concept 'awe' is so difficult to pin down...

[presbyter]

He showers down snow like wool;
he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
He hurls down hailstones like crumbs;
before such cold, who can stand?

Not many. I had 35 people at my Vigil Mass today - lack of public transport and no roads nearby gritted.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Southern Comfort]

'Awesome' is vastly overused in the States, at least to British ears. Having been cheapened by advertising slogans such as 'McDonalds - McAwesome', it has now migrated across the pond and cheapened our much more reserved use of the word.

Here in this American Grail translation is a classic instance of how English words do not have the same meaning or usage in different countries. 'Awe' is fine, but the word continues to spawn an unfortunate series of adjectives - in a previous era we had God's 'awful' throne. Perhaps it's because the concept 'awe' is so difficult to pin down...

Unfortunately the ears of some have been de-sensitized by evangelical offerings such as Michael Smith's (who?) Our God is an awesome God. As follows:

When He rolls up His sleeves
He ain't just puttin' on the ritz
(our God is an awesome God)
There is thunder in His footsteps
And lightning in His fist
(our God is an awesome God)
Well, the Lord wasn't joking
When He kicked 'em out of Eden
It wasn't for no reason that He shed his blood
His return is very close and so you better be believing
that our God is an awesome God

REFRAIN
Our God (our God) is an awesome God
He reigns (He reigns) from heaven above
With wisdom (with wisdom) pow'r and love
our God is an awesome God

And when the sky was starless in the void of the night
(our God is an awesome God)
He spoke into the darkness and created the light
(our God is an awesome God)
Judgment and wrath he poured out on Sodom
Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross
I hope that we have not too quickly forgotten that
our God is an awesome God

Refrain x3

Our God is an awesome God
Our God is an awesome God
(Our God is an awesome God)
(Our God is an awesome God)

Theological patchwork, anyone?

[JoeWilkinson]

http://www.turnbacktogod.com/awesome-god-song-michael-w-smith/
would give you an idea of how it sounds (after 25 seconds intro)

Might be a good Entrance Chant if I could find the place where it ocurs in the new Missal.

[nazard]

I rather hoped that that style of music was dying out. I'll stick to the Graduale Romanum myself.

[gwyn]

I rather hoped that that style of music was dying out.

We wait in joyful hope.

[John Ainslie]

The revised Grail Psalter has been published today in the United States.

Here is the link: http://www.giamusic.com/sacred_music/RGP/psalmDisplay.cfm