[history_matters]

I was amazed. I called Professor William Mart, a Professor of Music at Stanford University and a friend. I said, “Bill, is this true?” He said, “Yes. The Psalm tones have their roots in ancient Jewish hymnody and psalmody.” So, you know something? If you sing the Psalms at Mass with the Gregorian tones, you are as close as you can get to praying with Jesus and Mary. They sang the Psalms in tones that have come down to us today in Gregorian Chant.

I have never seen this post before today. This is a great affirmation of what I have felt more by way of intuition than by learning. Thank you nickcarraway for a very useful and in its own way inspirational post.

[Catholicguy]

"How Christ said the First Mass" is filled with such information. It can be ordered from TAN Books

[Judith Anne]

Thank you for the ping...that is something I didn't know, and it's fascinating. We go to a Trappist monastery to hear chant live, one of the monks belongs to a group that has put out several CDs of Chant. When I listen to it, I find it compelling in beauty.

[chatham]

It certainly is inspirational,Thanks.

[maryz]

I can give you a reference:

. . . it is only natural to assume that there also existed a musical tradition leading from the Jewish to the earliest Christian chant. This surmise, formerly based only on inductive reasoning, has been scientifically established through the work of Idelsohn [A.Z. Idelson, Thesaurus of Hebrew Oriental Melodies, 10 vols., 1914-32]. . . . The most important result, from our point of view is the fact that there is a striking similarity of style between the ancient Jewish melodies and those of the Gregorian repertory, indicated by such basic traits as absence of regular meter, responsorial and antiphonal performance, prevailingly conjunct motion,psalmodic recitation, syllabic style mixed with melismas, and use of standard formulae.

Appel, Willi. Gregorian Chant. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, Fourth printing 1970.

The author notes that, although chant continued to develop and change, among chants that have survived with little change are psalm tones and the Gloria XV.

I read the book years ago (it would have been more enjoyable if a record or tapes had been included); it was very difficult going for me, as I'm pretty much musically illiterate, but there were a great many interesting things that weren't technical enough to be unintelligible.

[Askel5]

Something I shall remember when I'm in the loft at the Latin Mass.

Thanks for the heads up.

[Askel5]

If you sing the Psalms at Mass with the Gregorian tones, you are as close as you can get to praying with Jesus and Mary. They sang the Psalms in tones that have come down to us today in Gregorian Chant.

Your beliefs about the Catholic Church are in no way founded in fact and seem shaped instead by the media and agit-prop. Until you evidence any concrete knowledge of the Church, it's better to keep your mouth closed rather than to open it and remove all doubt you're a fool.

[saradippity]

Thanks for the "ping". Father Fessio reflects my thoughts exactly,expands them with knowledge,intelligence and holiness and then expresses them with clarity.

I think I will print this article out and send it to the "Liturgical Terrorist" and her comrades at the Chancery.

I think just some Gregorian Chant and turning the priest to face the East with us would greatly strengthen us and enhance the efficacy of the Mass. I also think encouraging our bishops to return to praying the prayer of St. Michael would be helpful in combatting the iniquities that have penetrated deep into the heart of the Church.