I was quite taken aback at my good fortune in finding the full gradual in reverent english, for Sundays and Holydays. I found it under a mound of documents called Project Canterbury. I am indebted to C. David Burt for his work in preparing it. To top it off, you'll find the entire gradual reproduced at that site in PDF format - all 417 pages! My only complaint is that the propers seem to always follow the simple chant tones, rather than the traditional gregorian tones. Never mind. This is a great start.
"Thank you, Daniel."
You are welcome, Mr. Rex. I like the Coverdale psalms okay, but some associate them strongly with Protestantism, so I did not plug them harder in my previous post.
// originally posted 12.30.03 - 2:41 pm
What are the Coverdale psalms? Is that a reference to this Project Canterbury that I mentioned in my post?
// originally posted 12.30.03 - 6:20 pm
The Coverdale psalms are, naturally enough, what were used by Burgess and Palmer (whom I mentioned) many years ago in their chant propers. Mr. Burt has taken the two books, transcribed them into chant notation (as far as I know; I had only seen modern notation), and squished them into one.
Here is a Googleproduct:
www.bible-researcher.com/prayerbook1.html
"Coverdale's translation of the Psalms (based on Luther's version and the Latin Vulgate) have a particular importance in the history of the English Bible. This Psalter, as revised by Coverdale himself for the Great Bible, continued to be used in the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer up until the late twentieth century. For many Anglicans and Episcopalians the words of Coverdale's version are more familiar and beloved than any other translation of the Scriptures. Others are familiar with some of Coverdale's renderings through Handel's Messiah, which in several places uses the Prayer Book Psalter instead of the King James version."
// originally posted 12.30.03 - 7:06 pm
I still have not looked at it in detail, but one thing in particular did jump out at me. It may seem like a small thing, but don't we all use litmus tests when we pick up an unknown work? In this case, as I paged through it, I happened to notice that "Et cum spiritu tuo" is rendered "And with thy spirit" instead of that icky, I mean other (ICEL), creative interpretation. This is one of the things that Liturgiam Authenticam aims to fix. See the supplement to the press release of this instruction, paragraph 56. So, in a sense, the Gradual seems to anticipate the outcome of the reform being brought about by the Vox Clara Committee.
// originally posted 12.30.03 - 7:30 pm
Yes, it does seem that the text has a more Protestant bent, but it is still much more reverent than most Catholic-approved translations. I'll live with it. Although I may or may not ever get permission to use it regularly in a Catholic Mass setting, they are excellent for reference, or if ever needed in a pinch.
// originally posted 12.31.03 - 1:43 pm
With reference to the translation; that is what is used in Rite I by Episcopalians. Rite II includes the same Mass commons that we are stuck with at present. What is unfortunate is that the pre-1970 Catholic translations, which may have been stolen from Episcopalians, were highly accurate.
In my new parish, we use the Anglican Use Gradual once a week, except for the, er, gradual; we chant the responsorial psalm to a psalm tone.
The equivalent of the Anglican Use Gradual for other Latin Rite Catholics is, of course, the Rossini book, which went through innumerable editions. Unfortunately, even though it is still available as a reprint, it was never realigned with the Novus Ordo as the Anglican Use Gradual was. Like the Liber Usualis, also available as a reprint, it can be used with the Novus Ordo, of course, and I have done so, but the calendar shift is a headache.
However, there is a very interesting ad on the last page of the current issue of Sacred Music (have you paid your dues?), which also includes a complete SATB English Mass setting and a review of By Flowing Waters:
The Propers of the Mass
in Latin, using Gregorian Psalm Tones
for Sundays throughout the Year & Holidays
PLUS
A Small Kyriale of Masses
PLUS
A Short Introduction to Gregorian Chant and
the Method of Singing the Psalms
156 pages -- 8 1/2" x 12" Spiral Bound
Single Copy: $35 + $6 postage
10 Copies: $35 each postage FREE
(check or money order, please)
Prepared by The Gregorian Institute of Guam
P.O. Box 9789
Tamuning, Guam 96931
gregchantguam@pocketmail.com
Mr. Burt says that he expects to have a "newer version up on line very soon."