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Dòng 1:
Serving as a Cantor
Health Insurance Marketplace
 
“The Lord is worthy ofall praise;
 
may he give you the gift ofstriving to sing a new song
 
to him with your voices, your hearts, and your lives,
 
so that one day you may sing that song for ever in heaven. ”
 
—Book of Blessings, #1339
 
Music, Liturgy, and the Cantor
 
Multiple Roles
　　　
　　　In the previous section of this book, you reflected on the ministry of the cantor and the role the cantor plays in communal worship. Still, it is not always clear exactly how we are to perform this role of musical leader of the assembly’s song and of the sung prayer—and all the while remain a member of the assembly. How do you encourage the singing of our brothers and sisters without overpowering them with our own voices? How do you proclaim the Responsorial Psalm as the sung word of God with all the beauty and skill we possess without drawing attention to ourselves, and leave listeners remembering the beauty of the word of God rather than the beauty of the sounds we make? How do you remain transparent, so not to let the music dominate the liturgy but rather serve the liturgy?5
　　　
 
“The function of music is ministerial; it must serve and never dominate.”
 
　　　
　　　Being able to sing well is only the first step. As you have seen, the primary activity of the cantor is more than simply to sing or to make music. Music is only the first layer of the ministry, the medium through which the ministry takes place. Within the sung moments of a liturgy, in fact, the cantor normally fulfills three distinct functions. At times you are the song leader or animator, the invitation and support for the song of the assembly. At other times the assembly needs no vocal support, and here it is our job simply to be present as an assembly member and model well what all are asked to do in any given moment. Finally, during the Liturgy of the Word, you are called to be the psalmist, minister of the sung word just as the lectors are ministers of the spoken word. At times you are called to provide clear and hospitable leadership to the assembly, directly engaging the people in order to invite and empower their song.
　　　
　　　At other times, you must do all we can to focus attention on the prayer text we are singing, endeavoring to become transparent so that the words of faith can shine through in its entire splendor. Sometimes, you strive to be almost invisible. In any case, it quickly becomes apparent that our role as cantor goes far beyond the specific moments of music-making or leading song, but reaches into every moment of the liturgy from beginning to end.
　　　
A Musical Journey through the Mass
　　　
　　　It will be helpful for your ministry to take a musical walk through the Mass. There are four parts to the Mass: the Introductory Rite, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the Concluding Rite. Because the majority of cantors will serve primarily during the Mass, it is important to understand the individual parts of the Mass with a special focus on the role of music and the cantor.
　　　
Introductory Rites
　　　
　　　The Introductory Rite consists of the Entrance Procession, the Entrance Chant, Sign of the Cross, Opening Greeting, the Act of Penitence (Penitential Rite), the Kyrie, Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water, Gloria, and Opening Prayer (Collect). The purpose of the Introductory Rite “is to ensure that the faithful who come together as
 
　　　
　　　Another approach to this is to be dear on what we as ministers hope will be remembered: at leadership moments, we want people to remember what we sang, so that they can remember what they sang, so that they can sing it again.
　　　
　　　So, that the music they sing is a rhythm of prayer. At moments of psalm or prayer proclamation, we want people to remember the words they heard, not the beauty of the song or of the singer. At moments when the people are secure enough in their own singing not to need us, we don’t want them to remember that we were there at all.
 
 
A Musical Journey through the Mass
　　　
　　　It will be helpful for your ministry to take a musical walk through the Mass. There are four parts to the Mass: the Introductory Rite, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the Concluding Rite. Because the majority of cantors will serve primarily during the Mass, it is important to understand the individual parts of the Mass with a special focus on the role of music and the cantor.
　　　
Introductory Rites
　　　
　　　The Introductory Rite consists of the Entrance Procession, the Entrance Chant, Sign of the Cross, Opening Greeting, the Act of Penitence (Penitential Rite), the Kyrie, Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water, Gloria, and Opening Prayer (Collect). The purpose of the Introductory Rite “is to ensure that the faithful who come together as one establish communion and dispose themselves to listen properly to God’s word and to celebrate the Eucharist worthily.”6
 
The Entrance Chant (Song)
　　　
　　　The liturgy begins with a song, chant, or hymn whose purpose is four-fold. It is intended to “open the celebration, foster the unity of those who have been gathered, introduce their thoughts to the mystery of the liturgical season or festivity, and accompany the procession of the priest and ministers.”7 This is a rather large task for a single song to bear! The common musical selection for this song is in strophic or verse-refrain form. The cantor’s role is to provide just enough guidance so that the assembly can sing with strength, but the cantor should not overpower them. Through careful listening, appropriate microphone use (or non-use!), good eye contact, and gesture (please refer to page 44 for more information), we will be able to empower the assembly to sing well and comfortably, without drawing undue attention to ourselves.8
　　　
Sign of the Cross and Opening Greeting
　　　
　　　After the Entrance Chant (Song), the priest makes the Sign of the Cross and “signifies the presence of the Lord to the community gath-ered there by means of the Greeting.”9 Both may be chanted by the priest. If chanted, the cantor may elicit the assembly’s response.
　　　
Act of Penitence
　　　
　　　The Act of Penitence is often referred to as the Penitential Rite. During this rite, “the priest invites those present to take part in the Act of Penitence, which, after a brief pause for silence, the entire community carries out through a formula of general confession.”10 The members of the assembly rejoice in God’s mercy while silendy recalling their sins. There are three forms for the Act of Penitence. Penitential Rite, Form C consists of the Kyrie Eleison with three tropes praising God for the gift of salvation in Christ Jesus. This is often led by the cantor, and is an example of litanic form. The dialogue between cantor and assembly is brief, and people can easily sing it without a book in front of them. When working with an assembly just learning to find its voice, the lit-anic form is an excellent place to start. The less familiar the litany, the clearer and larger your gestures will need to be, with your leadership apparent and visible. Naturally, as an assembly becomes more familiar with a given litany, you can retreat from the forefront once again and become more transparent.
　　　
Kyrie Eleison
　　　
　　　The Kyrie Eleison is an acclamation addressed to Christ praising him for his mercy, goodness, compassion, and salvation. Unless the Kyrie was included in the Act of Penitence (that is, Form C), it follows. When this is sung, the cantor may intone the acclamation, the assembly responds with the same acclamation.
　　　
Gloria
　　　
　　　The Gloria is “a very ancient and venerable hymn in which the Church, gathered together in the Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats God the Father and the Lamb”11 that forms part of the ordinary of the Mass.12 Settings of the Gloria are many and varied; some are sung only by the choir, some are in responsorial or verse-refrain (song) form, and others are through-composed. How much leadership the cantor needs to give will depend entirely on the form of the musical setting used and the assembly’s familiarity with the arrangement. As part of the ordinary of the Mass, it is best to have the assembly so comfortable with their part that the cantor is not needed at all. “The Gloria is intoned by the priest or, if appropriate, by a cantor or by the choir” in order to prompt the assembly to begin singing this prayer.13
　　　
The Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water
　　　
　　　This rite may replace the Act of Penitence. Music of various forms may accompany this rite. Usually it is an acclamation in responsorial, verse- refrain, or litanic form. With these forms, the cantor may intone the refrain, antiphon, or acclamation to which the assembly responds.
　　　
The Collect
　　　
　　　After a communal invitation to a brief, silent prayer, the Collect (Opening Prayer) is prayed by the priest. The words of this prayer draw the attention of the assembly to the mysteries celebrated in a particular Mass. In some cases, the priest may chant the Opening Prayer. In these cases, especially if this is new or unusual practice, the cantor should lead the assembly with the sung response, “Amen.”
　　　
Liturgy of the Word
　　　
　　　The Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist are the two primary parts of the Mass and are intimately connected. In the Liturgy of the Word, Christ himself is present. Through the proclamation of cripture (both Old and New Testaments) God speaks the truth of salvation to the gathered assembly, opening our ears to redemption and our hearts to faith. The Liturgy of the Word includes the First Reading, Responsorial Psalm, Second Reading (which usually is not included in weekday Masses), Acclamation before the Gospel, Homily, Dismissal of Catechumens, Profession of Faith, and Prayer of the Faithful. Of these elements the Gospel is primary and the homily is the hinge between word and sacrament. “The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord, since from the table of both the word of God and of the body of Christ she unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the bread of life, especially in the sacred liturgy.”14
　　　
 
A Note about the “Responsorial” Psalm
　　　
　　　Many people think that the term “responsorial” when applied to the psalm between the readings refers to the psalms position as a “'response” to the First Reading. In fact, while the psalms found in the Lectionary were indeed chosen to relate to the first reading and Gospel of the day; the term "responsorial” refers not to the psalms purpose but to its manner of singing. '‘Responsorial”singing, as far back as Gregorian chant and even beyond, is simply a dialogue form of singing between a cantor/ soloist and the larger group.
　　　
　　　This can be confusing for some people—not only does it require for many of us a new way of thinking about the Responsorial Psalm, but we will encounter a great deal of music in the liturgy sung in a responsorial form: that is, alternating between assembly refrain and cantor verses.
 
Responsorial Psalm
　　　
　　　The psalm that follows the First Reading is “an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word” and “fosters meditation on the Word of God.”15 The Responsorial Psalm will be discussed in greater detail in the section of this book titled “The Cantor as Psalmist” on page 50.
　　　
　　　As one would conclude by its title, the Responsorial Psalm is nor-mally, taken from the book of Psalms, but at some points in the year a canticle (scriptural song) such as the Magnificat (Luke 1:46—55) or the Song of the Three Children (Daniel 3:23) will be used instead. Normally the Psalm will be taken directly from the Lectionary readings of the day, although within the Lectionary one can also find “seasonal” psalms that may be substituted for the proper weekly psalm.16
　　　
　　　Because of the great importance of the psalm in the Liturgy of the Word, the psalm is sung from the ambo (or other appropriate place). Usually, the cantor intones the refrain, and the assembly responds by repeating it. The cantor then sings the verses, and the assembly responds by listening intently to these verses and responding by singing the refrain after each one.17
　　　
The Sequence
　　　
　　　A sequence is a joyful, poetic, non-biblical chant sung during the Liturgy of the Word before the singing of the acclamation before the Gospel. The cantor may chant the texts from a designated, appro-priate location alone, with the choir, or lead the assembly.
　　　
Acclamation before the Gospel
　　　
　　　The acclamation before the Gospel usually accompanies the procession with the Book of the Gospels. In this song of praise the assembly “wel-comes and greets the Lord who is about to speak to them in the Gospel.”18 This moment is also intended to be a responsorial piece of music: the cantor intones the response (“Alleluia” during most of the year, although it may be omitted or replaced by other acclamation responses during the Lenten season), after which it is repeated by the assembly. The cantor then sings the Gospel verse specified for the particular liturgy, and the assembly repeats the “Alleluia” or Lenten response.
　　　
Profession of Faith
　　　
　　　The singing of the Creed (Aposdes’ or Nicene) is an option for Sundays and solemnities,19 but generally this communal Profession of Faith is recited by all. The cantor alone or with the choir can be of great assistance to congregations for whom singing the Creed is new. Once the assembly has become accustomed to singing this part of the Mass, there may not be a need for the cantor.
　　　
Prayer of the Faithful
　　　
　　　The Prayer of the Faithful (also referred to as the General Intercessions) is the prayer of the baptized in which those gathered pray to God on behalf of the Church, the world, the oppressed, and the local commu-nity.20 When sung, the cantor chants the prayer of petition and invites the assembly to join in the response, usually “Lord, hear our prayer” or some similar text. Like the Kyrie Eleison, this is a moment where assemblies who are not yet fully comfortable with their own voices may be able to sing out their part with confidence. When this happens, it is the cantor s job to step back and let them'.
　　　
Other Parts of the Liturgy of the Word
　　　
　　　THE BIBLICAL READINGS: The First and Second Readings may be chanted.21 Singing the readings, however, is proper to the role of lec-tor. This is not common practice; however, pastoral staff may request that one who normally serves as cantor fulfill this role. Because of this, it is important to note that the GIRM states that ministers “should carry out solely but completely that which pertains to them.”22 This means that if a cantor is chosen to chant the readings (because of their pleasant voice, ministerial presence, good diction, and so on) they are not serving during this liturgy as cantor but as lector. As such, they should not fulfill any other role during that particular liturgy but that of lector.
　　　
　　　When serving as cantor, you may sing the conclusion to the First and Second Readings (“The word of the Lord”) and lead the assembly with the response (“Thanks be to God”).23
　　　
　　　A priest or deacon may sing the invitation to the Gospel (“The Lord be with you” and “A reading from the holy Gospel according to . . . ”), the Gospel, and the conclusion (“The Gospel of the Lord”). The cantor may elicit the response (“Praise to you Lord, Jesus Christ”).
　　　
　　　Please note that on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, a cantor may be asked to participate with the chanting of the Passion. The priest or deacon assumes the role of Christ. Cantors (or other qualified singer) may sing the other parts.
　　　
　　　EXSULTET: During the Easter Vigil, the Exsultet is sung following the procession with the paschal candle (lit from the newly blessed Easter fire) into the church. The Exsultet, or Easter Proclamation, is an ancient text joyfully praising Christ, the undying light of the world, the “morning star which never sets,” for his work of salvation, restoring the world to grace. This chant is usually sung by the deacon; for pastoral reasons, however, a cantor may assume this challenging role. As noted in the Roman Missal, however, there are certain parts that can only be sung by a priest or deacon. If a cantor sings the Exsultet, these parts are omitted. If a deacon does sing the Exsultet, the cantor may lead the assembly with the necessary response. If the deacon or cantor sings the Exsultet, the cantor may lead the assembly with the concluding “Amen.” Cantors should consult with their pastoral staff (especially priest, dea-con, and music minister) when preparing this challenging and sacred piece. A cantor may also sing the “Christmas Proclamation” and the “Proclamation of the Dates of Easter and Epiphany.”
　　　
Liturgy of the Eucharist
　　　
　　　During the Liturgy of the Eucharist (the second of the two primary parts of the Liturgy, see Liturgy of the Word), we celebrate what the Lord Jesus Christ himself commanded—to “take, eat, and drink” his own body and blood. The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the Preparation of the Altar and Gifts, continues with the eucharistic prayer, and concludes with the Communion Rite (Lord’s Prayer, Sign of Peace, Lamb of God, reception of Holy Communion, and Prayer after Communion).
　　　
Offertory Chant (Song)
　　　
　　　The Preparation of the Altar and the Gifts begins the Liturgy of the Eucharist. During this time, “the bread and the wine with water are brought to the altar, the same elements that Christ took into his hands.”24 The altar is prepared, and monetary contributions are col-lected.25 At this time a song is sung or instrumental music is played. This song may take almost any musical form but is normally strophic or verse-refrain. As with all such cases, the cantor should be only as pres-ent as absolutely necessary to assist the people in singing their part.
 
　　　
Preface Dialogue
　　　
　　　The Preface Dialogue begins the Eucharistic Prayer. In some instances, the priest celebrant will choose to chant the Preface Dialogue, which invites the assembly to join in singing the responses. As with any other moment of assembly sung or chanted prayer, it’s the cantor’s job to lead these responses only as much as necessary to facilitate the people’s sing-ing, without dominating the sound.
　　　
Eucharistic Prayer and Proper Acclamations
　　　
　　　The Eucharistic prayer is the “center and summit” of the Mass. The prayer is prayer of the people—it’s a dialogue between the faithful and the priest, who stands, in persona Christi capitis (in the headship of Christ), offering this prayer of thanksgiving (the literal meaning of the word Eucharist) to God the Father, through Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. The gifts of bread and wine, placed on the altar during the Preparation of the Gifts, are sanctified, made holy, transformed into the body and blood, soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ. So too, those gathered are made more into the body of Christ.
　　　
　　　The cantor will often take an active role during the eucharistic prayer, leading the proper acclamations. There are three acclamations: Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy), Memorial Acclamation, and the Great Amen. Like the Gloria, these acclamations are considered part of the Ordinary of the Mass and remain basically consistent from week to week.26 Because they are so brief, assemblies are usually able to grasp them with relative ease. Most parishes will only have a few settings of these acclamations that rotate throughout the liturgical year—in this case, more is definitely not better! Once the repertoire is set and the assembly is comfortable, more and more parishes are finding it possible to remove the cantor from the microphone completely at these moments, allowing the singing to belong entirely to the people (for an example of “modeling,” see page 48).
　　　
　　　The following cues will be helpful to knowing when and what acclamations to sing.
　　　
　　　SANCTUS: After the preface to the Eucharistic prayer, the Sanctus is sung. Cantors should listen for the concluding phrase to the preface, which always emphasizes our belief that our prayer is joined with the ngels and our saints: “In our joy we sing to your glory with all the choirs of angels.”27
　　　
　　　MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION: The Memorial Acclamation follows the words of institution in the Eucharistic Prayer and precedes the Anamnesis. This Greek word means to remember. And what we remem-ber, we are actually participating in at this moment in time—Christ’s “blessed Passion, glorious Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven.”28 Heaven and earth are united. We recall the past events of salvation. This act of salvation then becomes present for us right now. And yet we wait for what is yet to come—Christ’s glorious second coming at the end of time.
　　　
　　　The Memorial Acclamation follows the Institution Narrative. The cantor will lead the assembly with one of four acclamations (please refer to endnote 26).
　　　
　　　GREAT AMEN: At the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest sings (or says) what is called the final doxology: “Through him, with him in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all glory and honor is yours almighty Father, for ever and ever.” The assembly responds with an “Amen”, known as the Great Amen. The cantor may lead this as well.
　　　
　　　Please see page 44 regarding posture and other reflections regard-ing the cantor’s role during the Eucharistic Prayer.
　　　
Lord’s Prayer
　　　
　　　The Lord’s Prayer may be sung. Whether it is the traditional chant ver-sion29 or in a through-composed more contemporary setting, it’s espe-cially important that the people’s ability to participate not be impeded in any way, and that the cantor foster this participation by becoming as transparent as possible.
　　　
Agnus Dei /Lamb of God
　　　
　　　The Agnus Dei or Lamb of God is another part of the ordinary of the Mass, also in litanic form. Unlike the other litanies we use each week in the liturgy, this litany is intended to accompany a specific liturgical action, namely, the breaking of the bread. During this rite, the priest breaks the eucharistic bread. A piece of the consecrated host is then placed in his chalice. This signifies “the unity of the Body and Blood of the lord in the work of salvation, namely, of the living and glorious Body of Jesus Christ.”30
　　　
　　　Normally, the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) is a threefold litany: “Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.” When a large number of faithful are gathered for Eucharist and more Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and vessels are needed, this rite sometimes takes longer than the threefold litany can support. Many musical resources provide for such need with settings of the Agnus Dei with additional tropes to cover ritual action (for example, Bread of Life, Hope for All, and so on). In these cases, the Agnus Dei can be extended to cover the ritual action; the final invocation will always end with “Grant us peace.”31
　　　
Communion Chant (Song)
　　　
　　　Where assembly participation is concerned, the Communion Song or Chant presents perhaps the greatest challenge to the cantor. The rites of the Church are clear that this is intended to be a moment for song with the entire assembly (although provisions for it being a choir-only piece are also made),32 and yet people are walking in procession, receiving Holy Communion, consuming, returning to their places, and praying. We expect them to be able to sing as well? There is a delicate balance to be found here for the cantor. On the one hand, if a song for the assem-bly is chosen, it is important that we continue to use our best skills in leading and empowering the assembly to find its voice. On the other, if the reality in our parish is that very few people choose to sing this piece, it’s important that our audible and prayerful presence in the microphone be at least sufficient to enable those who would like to join in later verses of the song to know where we are, and so that the song itself is proclaimed with beauty.
　　　
　　　Due to the processional nature of the ritual moment, strophic hymnody (with its non-repeated, word-heavy style) is usually not very practical. Verse-refrain music can work very well, giving people in their pews the opportunity to enter fully into the song if they wish, while still providing an easily memorized refrain for those moving in procession to receive the Eucharist. Responsorially sung music is also appropriate for the Communion Song or Chant, likewise giving people a sung refrain that they can easily sing while moving through the worship space. As with the Entrance Chant, the Roman Missal specifies a set of Communion Antiphons for people to sing, a few settings of which are currently avail-able. Please refer to the resources list on page 73.
　　　
Song of Praise
　　　
　　　Following the distribution of Holy Communion, “as circumstances sug-gest, the priest and the faithful spend some time praying privately.”33 The liturgical documents invite us to sing a song of praise with the entire assembly after this silence. While this option is not exercised in many parishes as of yet, the tradition is growing slowly as more and more parishes discover how effective a communal song of thanksgiving after Holy Communion can be for reaffirming our unity and oneness after our individual receptions of the sacrament and the private prayer that follows.34
　　　
Prayer after Communion
　　　
　　　The Prayer After Communion concludes the Communion Rite. Like the Collect (Opening Prayer), it may be chanted by the presiding priest. If chanted, the cantor may lead the assembly’s response, “Amen,” espe-cially if this is unfamiliar or new parish practice.
　　　
Concluding Rite
　　　
　　　The Concluding Rite begins following the Prayer after Communion. At this time, any announcements are given, the Final Blessing is given, and the assembly is dismissed, transformed by the word they have heard and the Eucharist they have received, “to love and serve the Lord.”35
　　　
The Final Greeting, Blessing, and Dismissal
　　　
　　　“The priest’s greeting and blessing, which on certain days and occasions is enriched and expressed in the prayer over the People or another more solemn formula; [and] [t]he dismissal of the people by the deacon or the priest, so that each may go out to do good works, praising and blessing God” may be chanted.36 If the assembly is unfamiliar with this practice or recently learning the sung response, it makes pastoral sense to have the cantor lead the necessary sung response.
　　　
Closing or Recessional Song
　　　
　　　Although it is common practice in the United States to conclude the Mass with a closing song, it is interesting to note that the General Instruction of the Roman Missal makes no mention of such a song! Music and Catholic Worship, however, recognized the custom in the United States for singing a concluding song; thus, the document recommends that although “the recessional song has never been an official part of the rite. . . musicians are free to plan music which provides an appropriate closing to the liturgy. A song is one possible choice. However, if the people have sung a song after communion, it may be advisable to use only an instrumental or choir recessional.”37 Music selected may be a song, hymn, or chant, and, similar to the Entrance Chant, it is usually in strophic or verse-refrain form and treated similarly by the cantor.
　　　
The Cantor as Musician
　　　
　　　Although we know that the other roles a cantor must go beyond that of singer (song leader/animator and psalmist are the primary ones of the ministry), it should be clear that musicianship must be there at the core of the ministry or nothing can be accomplished. In fact, unless the can-tor is well trained and well prepared (not to mention physically well!), concerned with the nuts and bolts of singing and music-making can severely inhibit the cantor s ministry. The cantor will be forced to focus on him- or herself, rather than on the liturgy and assembly he or she is there to serve.
　　　
Training
　　　
　　　Before everything else, a cantor must have a pleasant voice, and must know how to use it to its best advantage.38 The ability to sing in tune, in the range required of the music (usually quite modest since most of the cantors repertoire is in the same range asked of the assembly), and with enough clarity of pronunciation and vocal strength to proclaim the music well is the first necessary qualification for a cantor. While for some this comes naturally (or more likely has been a part of a person’s life since childhood), for others additional study may be needed. Most parish music directors/ministers, if they are not able to provide assistance themselves, are happy to recommend voice teachers or workshops for their cantors to work on purely vocal issues; the music departments of local colleges or even high schools can often help a singer locate a good teacher.
　　　
　　　The ability to read music is also highly valuable; any cantor who has not had the chance to learn in the past should pursue it at first opportunity. The ability to work out on one’s own how a piece of music should sound fosters independence and confidence, and saves a tremen-dous amount of time and work when learning a piece of music. It can-not be said more plainly than this: if you cannot read music, it is worth your time to learn! Not being able to read music does not exclude some-one from being able to minister as a cantor. If a cantor can’t read music, but has a good ear, it makes good sense to allow for extra rehearsal time, maybe even twice per week, especially when learning new music. Even making a recording of the music to play while driving the car, cleaning the house, or during home practice time will help memorize the melody. Please note that this is also good practicefor those who read music!
　　　
 
Well trained and well prepared does not mean that a cantor must be vocally trained.
 
A good cantor should have a pleasant voice, be able to sing in tune, and exhibit prayerful and hospitable leadership skills.
 
Preparations for the Cantor
　　　
　　　Anyone who has ever served in the ministry of cantor knows how much work it involves, and how many layers the work takes. Let us take a look at the different attitudes of a cantor in terms of the balanced preparation and work that need to be done physically, mentally, and spiritually.
　　　
The Care of the Human Voice
　　　
　　　Of all musicians, singers are the ones whose instrument is a part of the body and not an external contraption of metal or wood. Any instrument needs good care and regular preventative maintenance; the vocal instru-ment is no exception. Complicating this issue is the reality that we cannot easily examine the instrument for stress or damage, except based on how we feel at any given moment. Medications to treat any bodily illness, however effective at doing what they are intended, may frequendy have a negative effect on the voice itself. Therefore, preventative maintenance is by far the best route to pursue—take care of your body, head to toe, and your vocal instrument will in most cases take care of itself. We have all heard it before, many times: eat a sensible and balanced diet, and avoid excessive caffeine, refined sugars and starches, and alcohol.
　　　
Rule for Singing
 
Eat a balanced diet.
 
Avoid caffeine, refined sugar and starches, and alcohol.
 
Keep physically fit.
 
Avoid stress.
 
Drink lots of water.
 
Warm up.
 
　　　
　　　Exercise regularly. Get plenty of rest. Avoid stress. Mental and emotional anxieties have profound and immediate effects on the body in general and tend to manifest very quickly in the voice and throat. Be aware of how you use your voice in non-singing situations. The best vocal singing technique can be completely undone by abuse of the vocal cords and poor vocal speaking technique. Above all, stay well hydrated\ all the time, not just when you are singing. It cannot be stressed too much: we cannot care for our voices without caring for our whole selves.
　　　
　　　
We will look at some simple warm-up and vocal health issues starting on page 39, and other suggested resources are given on page 73. Still, vocal technique is a complex issue and one the learning of which cannot and should not be attempted from a book; it is always best to work with choral directors or teachers.
 
 
Warming Up
　　　
　　　If we were to get into our car on a cold February morning, back out of the garage, and immediately pull onto the expressway at 60 miles per hour, we would probably not be surprised to find that our automobile did not perform as well as it should. Nor would an athlete simply leap out of bed in the morning, swallow a quick cup of coffee, and immediately run a marathon. Yet far too many of us may attempt the exact vocal parallel to these situations on Sunday mornings, especially if we are scheduled to sing at an early morning liturgy. We owe it to our instruments (and our selves) to prepare our voice for the work it needs to do, if we are to do it well and without doing our instrument damage.
　　　
　　　See pages 40-42 for examples of simple vocal warm-ups. While each person will have their own approach to warm-ups, the basic components will usually be the same: stretching, breath work, basic phonation, low-range singing, high-range singing, and mobility of enunciators.
 
Many singers are reliant on a bottle of water beside them at all times while singing,: often this reliance is due to the fact that they do not hydrate consistently, all the time, 24/7. Consistent and steady hydration should correct the need to sip water after every song, even in very dry spaces.
 
 
　　　STRETCHING: Stretch both arms over your head. Reach up very slowly with one arm at a time, as though you were climbing a rope ladder; feel the stretch down your sides all the way to your waist. From the same position, slowly reach your left arm sideways over your head to your right, as though making the “C” from the well-known “YMCA” dance. Hold this stretch for a few moments, and then return to center. Repeat to the left. Gently shake out your arms and shoulders. Obviously, do these stretches only to the extent you are physically able to do so, and stop if youfeel any pain. Pain is a sign of your body telling you you’re trying to do more than it’s able to do; listen to it!
　　　
　　　Drop your arms to your sides and slowly roll your shoulders: take them forward, then up, then back, then down. Repeat this motion a few times, and then reverse. Drop your head down to the front (just your head; keep your shoulders comfortably upright and relaxed). Let your head roll gently to the side until your right ear is over your right shoulder, being careful not to raise the shoulders. Feel the gentle stretch down the left side of your neck. Let your head roll back to center front, and then repeat the stretch to your left, so that you feel the stretch down the right side of your neck. Repeat this back and forth several times. End with the head dropped to the front; inhale slowly, lifting your head as you breathe, and then exhale, staying upright.
　　　
　　　Take a few minutes to gendy massage your facial muscles, concen-trating especially on the cheeks and jaw. Stretch and scrunch your whole face a few times, to open up and release any lingering tension in these muscles. A gentle neck-and-back rub (self-administered can do a won-derful job if there is no one to assist!) to the neck and upper shoulders can work wonders for releasing tension to the face and head.
　　　
 
Some people prefer to do these head rolls all the way around, first to the right, then to the back, then left, and finally forward once again. However, this can cause significant discomfort to the back of the neck if not done properly, and the stretch to the back does not accomplish much more than the simple back andforth front stretch.
 
 
　　　BREATH WORK: The muscles of the ribcage and back, which primarily assist our breathing, also should be gendy worked into action. Breathe deeply, either through the nose alone or through the nose and mouth together, feeling the breath fill your ribcage and expand it all the way down to your waist, and then slowly exhale. Do this several times. (For many experienced singers, this deep breathing can be combined with the physical stretching exercises, in which each enhances the other and a small amount of time is saved.)
　　　
　　　BASIC PHONATION: Most singers, before moving into specific vocal warm-ups, will do some very simple and basic phonation, depending on their voice type. A series of gentle hum, sighs or “siren” sounds on a neutral “ooh” or “oh” vowel help to awaken the vocal cords and get them moving.
　　　
　　　LOW-RANGE SINGING: Access to a piano or keyboard is helpful for these exercises. Simple note patterns (such as the one below), sung each time lowered by a half step, help to awaken the lower registers:
　　　
[Zee-ee 01]
　　　
　　　Proceed down by half-steps, in a gentle neutral volume (do not over-sing, especially when waking and warming the voice), as far as your voice is comfortable; try to stretch your range a little as time goes by, but don’t overdo! It also can help to vary the vowels you sing; gener-ally when singing lower, it is easier to use the “brighter” vowels, such as “eeh” or “eh.” Once you’re well warmed up on an “eeh” vowel, try chal-lenging yourself by singing the same exercise on an “aah” vowel, or in alternation:
　　　
[Zee-ee 02]
 
　　　HIGH-RANGE SINGING: Just like the low-range warm-ups, singing some simple patterns on different vowels, ascending by half steps, can be a good way to awaken the higher registers of the voice.
　　　
　　　Below are some examples of good warm-ups to take you into the higher registers, with suggestions for different vowels to try. There are, of course, endless possibilities here. Use your imagination and see works best for you.
　　　
[Zee-ee 03]
[Zee-ee 04]
[Zee-ee 05]
[Zee-ee 06]
　　　
　　　As with the low-range exercises, while we do want to challenge ourselves to expand our range over time, we should not overdo. Singing to the point of pain or uncomfortable tension is never a good idea, and in warm-ups it is especially counterproductive.
　　　
　　　MOBILITY OF ENUNCIATORS: These last sets of exercises are designed to get the “enunciators” moving—those parts of our mouths which enable us to proclaim text clearly (diction). Our lips, tongues, cheeks, and jaws are as sluggish as any part of us early in the morning, and they need gentle waking up as well! Again, there are countless options: some singers will choose a particular passage of poetry (“Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll is a mouth-twisting favorite) or song (“Modern Major General” from Pirates of Penzance, or the final count-down of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” for example). Any of a hun-dred childrens rhymes or tongue-twisters can serve, as long as the mouth gets moving!
　　　
Learning Our Music
　　　
　　　When we speak of the mental part of musical preparation, we are refer-ring mainly to the simple learning of the notes and words of any part of the liturgy we are required to sing. This should go without saying, but it is imperative that cantors know their music inside and out. They must rehearse or review every piece of music in the liturgy before standing up to sing, even if they think they are familiar with the song, hymn, or chant. Sometimes a familiar tune will have a different text; sometimes the text underlay of verse 3 may be different from verse 2; sometimes a hymn may be in a higher key than you are accustomed to singing. Sometimes a song you know very well may not have crossed your lips in a year or two. This is twice as important for new music—if a piece is unfamiliar, enough time must be given to its learning so that the cantor can sing it, not simply accurately, but with complete confidence and assurance in order to lead and sustain the singing of the assembly.
　　　
　　　Do not simply mentally scan through the texts and music you are going to sing; it is crucial that you actually physically sing through the music you are preparing. Researchers have long been aware of the con-cept of “muscle memory” in repeated activities, in which repetition cre-ates neural pathways that make the—action easier to repeat; the more repetition, the stronger the pathways. As difficult as it often is to find an opportunity, it is important that a singer find a place and time to rehearse full voice,39 without feeling the need to hold back.
　　　
　　　Unless the words, pitches, and rhythms of the music you are sing-ing are absolutely well-known and familiar to you, it will be impossible to free yourself from the music and engage the other layers of this important and substantial ministry.
　　　
Music outside of the Liturgy
　　　
　　　Despite all of the very important tasks involved with musical prepara-tion and work as a cantor, we need to always remember that we do this because we love it! Sometimes we can get so involved in our life as litur-gical music ministers that we forget how to simply enjoy good music, of whatever kind. Make sure, as you work at being the best cantor you can possibly be, to remember that the best cantor will always be someone who loves music. Enjoy your ministry, yes, but broaden your musical horizons to enjoy different genres and styles of music. If you love classi-cal symphonic music, get tickets to hear the symphony, but also open your mind and heart by listening to a jazz radio station, buy a CD of West African traditional drumming, or go salsa dancing. If you dare, borrow one of your teenager’s CD’s and try to enter into it. The best way to understand any cultural or age group is by learning to understand its music. Keep your experience as a lover of music alive and well, and you will never burn out or lose your sense of wonder as a minister of music.
The Cantor as Song Leader/Animator
　　　
　　　When we think of the cantor’s ministry, the image of the song leader or “animator” is probably the first one that comes to mind. But while we speak very easily of the “role” of the animator, the one who leads and encourages the singing of the people without dominating their sound, we do not often address the nuts and bolts of “how” we are to accom-plish this ministry.
　　　
　　　The “how” of the animator role is not a single event, but a process that develops over time. The process is also a dynamic one, taking into account the assembly present in any given parish at any given moment. There is no one “correct” way to lead an assembly in song. Our responsi-bility is to learn and know our assemblies the same way we learn and know our music, and to nurture the musical instrument that is their voice with the same care we give to our own. In this, we are truly more “minis-ters of hospitality” than simply music ministers. We are there to offer gracious assistance and comfort to those whom we serve, and to help them feel not just warmly welcomed but truly at home in the liturgy.
　　　
Facial Expressions and Gestures
 
　　　While many of the factors which will decide whether an assembly decides to sing the liturgy are outside of your control, one factor is entirely up to you: your own face and persona as you sing and lead. It is your manner that will help people feel welcomed and empowered to sing the liturgy. If you can learn to always approach your public minis-try with warmth, openness, accessibility, and confidence, and let these be seen on your face, people will not be able to help but respond. And if you cannot engage their response from the very beginning of the liturgy, it will become that much more difficult to engage them later.
　　　
　　　Once your smiling face and warm, confident voice have engaged people’s willingness to sing, the remaining major work in the song lead-er’s or animator’s role centers around the gestures we use to encourage and empower assembly singing. The repertoire of gestures a cantor uses is widely varied and will depend at every turn on a series of variables:
　　　
Musical concerns: What is the musical form of the piece of music?
Hospitality concerns: How well does the assembly know this piece? What is the “personality” of the assembly at a particular time of day?
Spatial concerns: How big is the worship space? How big is the assembly? How tall is the cantor? Where is the cantor located in relationship to the rest of the assembly? Is the cantor positioned in a place of leadership?
Microphone and stand concerns: How live is the sound sys-tem, and how close to the microphone does the cantor need to be to achieve optimal (but not overbearing) amplification? (Bear in mind that the answer will be different for every can-tor, as each person’s personal vocal quality, microphones, and church acoustics will determine this factor!) Similarly, is the placement of the microphone such that consonants are carried clearly, without loud popping on a “p” or other explosive conso-nant sound?48 Is the music stand at an appropriate height for reading the music, or does the cantor need to hold the music in hand in order to see it clearly, and what can be done to address this? Is the arrangement of microphone, stand, and music such that a cantor can safely gesture and turn pages without bump-ing music or microphones?
　　　
　　　These are just a start. The more you start paying attention to the nuances of your assemblies, the longer this list of variables becomes, and the more your gestures and presence to the assembly will reflect each individual group.
　　　
　　　The basic gesture will look something like this: On the last beat or two before you are to enter singing, as you inhale, let your intake of breath be the impetus to raise your arms in a gende curve similar to the orans pos-ture used by the priest celebrant at many moments in the liturgy—arms raised and extended to the sides, a little over the head.
　　　
　　　On the first beat you sing, let the hands extend a bit, as you bring the people in. The height of the arms will depend both on the size of the room and the size of the cantor. A tall cantor singing in a small space may only need to bring the arms up to shoulder level in a gesture similar to inviting someone forward for a hug. A petite cantor in a larger room will probably need to raise the arms much higher into almost a “v” shape in order to be seen.
　　　
　　　In smaller worship spaces, or in groups where the music is quite familiar, one-armed gestures may be perfecdy sufficient. On music that is especially well known within a more intimate assembly, the gesture can sometimes be accomplished simply with one’s facial features: a lift of the head and a moment of inyiting eye contact The impor_
tant factor to remember with a gesture of any size is that it must come enough before the singing that the people have time to breathe: remember that you’re not just inviting them to sing with you, you’re inviting them to breathe with you first. This is the only absolute; almost everything else about a cantor’s gesture—when, how big, how often—will relate direcdy to our ability to respond to what we hear from our assemblies. Consult with your parish music director; experiment a little! If you pay attention to your own gestures, you will soon figure out what works best for you and elicits the best response from the people.
 
 
Gesturing Rule #1: The gesture happens before you sing; the assembly should not just be able to sing with you, they should be able to breathe with you.
 
 
Listening to the Assembly's Voice
　　　
　　　First and foremost, although it has been said before, it is crucial that cantors be absolutely solid on the notes, words, and rhythms of the music they are singing. Without utter assurance from their leader, not only will people not get the support they need and deserve, but they are likely to think that if the cantor cannot manage a song, there is no way they can expect to do it. Without complete confidence in your own words and music, it is extremely difficult to move beyond yourself into a true listening connection with the assembly.
　　　
　　　Different musical forms will also affect our gestures. In a strophic hymn, the assembly may need a good strong gesture to get them started at the beginning of the hymn; on the other hand, if your space has a good instrument and the hymn is very familiar, the gesture may not be needed. With a verse-refrain piece of music, some assemblies will need a gesture at the beginning of each verse and each refrain; others will not. (In this case, at least a facial acknowledgement of the moment for the assembly’s entrance on each part of the song is helpful in most cases, unless one is working in a space so large that even a prominent face-and-head gesture will not be seen.)
　　　
　　　A responsorially sung piece of music will definitely need a gesture at each assembly refrain. As a general rule, whenever the status quo changes (for example, solo singing gives way to assembly singing), a gesture is definitely called for. Litanies will behave the same way, the only exception being that in a very long litany (the Litany of the Saints, for example, or a long and familiar litany for the Prayer of the Faithful) the cantor may be able to diminish or eliminate the gesture all together by the end. Only gesture when the gesture will make a difference. If it is not needed, don’t gesture!
　　　
　　　Listening to the assembly is perhaps the most difficult aspect for us to master, and yet it is probably the most important. The sense of being able to listen and respond to our assemblies, taking nothing for granted but always reacting to what we are hearing minute to minute and even second to second, and tailoring our response to it, is absolutely central to our ministry. It also is an aspect that is very difficult to explain or teach from a text; even with whatever hints and suggestions this book may give, it is a skill that takes years to hone.
　　　
 
Gesturing Rule #2: Only gesture when you believe the gesture will accomplish something. If the people do not need your gesture to facilitate their singing, then don’t gesture!
 
　　　
　　　Then how do we know when a gesture is needed? How do we know when to back off from the microphone and when to stay present?
　　　
　　　Oddly, this question is not as difficult to answer as it sounds, and most cantors are able (when they get beyond their own difficulties with the music and texts) to answer it relatively easily—once they get into the habit of asking it of themselves. It is a question that needs to be asked, not just once in a liturgy, but literally dozens or even hundreds of times.
　　　
　　　As you make your gesture at the beginning of a familiar verserefrain hymn at the Preparation of the Gifts, for example, scan the room to see how many people have their hymnals or worship aids out and are ready to sing. See how many truly are breathing with you. As you begin singing, listen carefully to discern whether you can hear the voice of the assembly singing with you. If you can clearly hear them, try backing off slightly from the microphone. After a few measures, listen carefully again. Did your movement away from the microphone cause the assembly’s voice to strengthen or weaken? If the latter is the case, then subtly move back to the microphone and remain clearly audible through the remainder of the verse. Listen again when you reach the refrain, which is typically the part of the song that an assembly is most comfortable with. Can you hear them singing? If so, back off slightly from the microphone. Some assemblies sing better with firm support from a cantor, and others are more likely to rally forth with strength when the cantor moves back from the microphone. The only way to discover which of these you are ministering to on a given Sunday is to pay attention and learn.
　　　
　　　This constant adjusting-readjusting process can be exhausting at first, but it eventually becomes automatic and is the sign of a truly excel-lent cantor.
　　　
 
Naturally, the decision of how and when a cantor should move away from the micro-phone should be made in conversation with the music director of your parish; especially in communities with multiple cantors, consistency is very important.
 
 
The Cantor as Model
　　　
　　　It sounds a bit strange to say, but our goal as cantor in almost all song leader or animator moments should be, over time, to render ourselves obsolete. Our role is to lead, but in a leadership which consistently gives the power to the primary choir of the liturgy, the gathered assembly. Over time, especially in the ordinary of the Mass, if your parish’s can-tors habituate themselves in the process outlined above, you will notice that you are able to move farther and farther from the microphones for longer spaces of time. If you are in a parish where this is already the case, bravo! This is a powerful opportunity. When the assembly’s voice becomes strong enough that you are not needed for entire sung moments of the liturgy, think of the powerful message conveyed when, instead of moving to the microphone for the Sanctus, you remain in your place a few feet away from the microphone and give a gesture just large enough that the people can see that you are cuing them in—per-haps simply a facial one40—and that you intentionally are simply sing-ing as an assembly member and not actively leading them. And think of the message a few weeks later when even that small gesture can disap-pear, and the assembly is completely on their own, confident in their own singing. Moments such as these are the “Holy Grail” of cantors and should be sought after and cultivated as much as possible.
　　　
The Cantor’s Life of Prayer
　　　
　　　Our children have the flu and the baby was up all night teething, we had a disagreement with our spouse or parent in the morning, and our boss at work has been out of sorts all week. And now we need to go to church and serve as cantor for liturgy, leading several hundred people in song and praise. We don’t even have the luxury of showing up and just singing. We have to enter into the prayer and allow ourselves to be con-nected to our brothers and sisters in faith, or we’re not fulfilling our ministry in the liturgical celebration. How do we manage this? How do we make ourselves transparent enough to serve in this way, especially on the days it was all we could manage just to show up?
　　　
 
Implicit in this whole process, of course, is the assumption that "on time”for a cantor means arriving early enough to rehearse anything needed and have plenty of time at the end to spend in reflection.
 
 
　　　During the five to ten minutes, you should always take between our warm-up and rehearsal time and the start of liturgy and spend some time in quiet prayer. If pieces of your life from outside your ministry well up and threaten to get “in the way,” don’t immediately push them aside. Look at them and name them, and then decide what to do. The decision generally boils down to this, inelegant though it may sound: “Use it or lose it.” If whatever is happening in our lives, at the forefront of our hearts, is something we can keep there and offer up as part of what we are there to do, then don’t be afraid to let it stay there. We are there to minister, but we are also there to pray and worship and be fed by the God who loves and calls us. Sometimes the very vulnerabilities of life can deepen and enrich what we are there to do. We make them part of our prayer, bringing them forth as part of our offering upon the altar of the Eucharist. At other times, however, we find that our life’s concerns may keep our minds running in circles and pull us away from our prayer. When this happens, try this simple mental visualization exercise used by many artists and musicians: In your mind, put whatever it is getting in your way into a cardboard box, put a lid on it, and label it. In your mind, set it on a shelf just outside the doors of the church, and leave it there. You know it will be waiting for you when you leave; you can pick it up and deal with it then, but in the meantime it is out of your way. Go through this process until you are able to stand and be the minister you know you are called to be; one day, perhaps, these very things we once left in a box outside our worship may be the same things we can bring forth and place upon the altar with the gifts of the com-munity, as part of our offering to the Lord.
　　　
　　　We always need to nourish our musical life outside of our function as music ministers. In the same way, our prayer life also needs time spent outside of active ministry to remain alive and healthy. The “Spirituality and Formation” section of this book (pages 16—23) will be very helpful and insightful for your personal prayer life.
　　　
The Cantor as Psalmist
　　　
　　　Even older than the liturgy itself are the texts of the book of Psalms from scripture. These ancient songs were already deeply embedded in the hearts and tasted on the lips of God’s people two millennia ago when Jesus of Nazareth walked on the earth. He learned and sang and prayed them through his life, as do we today. They form an unshakable bond between our ancestors and us, an intimacy of experience and emo-tion matched by no other body of texts. For while all of scripture is holy and inspired by God, holding the stories of our faith, the psalms carry forward the hopes and fears and emotions of the people who lived the stories. Think of each psalm not as simply a piece of scripture (although of course it is!), but as the experience of a single individual at a particular moment in time—a real person, who lived and breathed and hurt and celebrated and wept and laughed. Every single human emotion known to our lovely and fallen race is expressed somewhere in these 150 poetic songs: rejoicing, thanksgiving, praise, sorrow, lament, anger, fear, trust, and so many more. A story, a recounting of events, can be told in words. When the emotion is too great for a simple narrative to carry it, we have to sing.
　　　
The Presence of the Psalmist
　　　
　　　Normally, the Responsorial Psalm should be proclaimed from the ambo—the same place from which the readings are proclaimed. While it is also acceptable to proclaim the Responsorial Psalm from another location, doing so blurs the already somewhat nebulous distinction between the Responsorial Psalm and the other parts of the liturgy led by the cantor. Always remember that, when you are filling the ministry of psalmist, you are doing something completely different from all other parts of your ministry.41
　　　
 
“The psalmist, or the cantor of the Psalm, sings the verses of the Psalm from the ambo or another suitable place.”
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, #61
 
　　　
　　　Therefore, before we even look at the actual psalm itself, we should be aware of our presence when proclaiming it. However hard we work to achieve invisibility and unobtrusiveness in other liturgical moments, at this moment we must be entirely visible and well listened to, and command the focus of the room. And yet, once we have that focus, it must not remain on us but must come to rest on the words we sing. Remember, our goal here is for people to remember what we sang, not how beauti-fully we sang it. There is no concrete way to explain how to do this, except to stress yet again that complete confidence and security in what we are proclaiming is the imperative first step.
　　　
　　　Entering into that proclamation ourselves, hearing it in our own hearts, and letting it shine forth in all the clarity and vulnerability of the first psalmist who uttered the same words thousands of years ago, aban-doning ego and self-consciousness, is then our task.
　　　
　　　It should also be noted that if true “responsorial” singing is intended as a dialogue between psalmist and assembly, then ideally we should not need to sing on the people’s response at all. This is a twofold challenge. On the one hand, especially for those parishes that use the proper psalm of the week each Sunday, it may take an assembly more than one hearing to grasp a psalm text and melody. When this is the case, you as cantor are operating under a bit of a “split-personality.” During the verses you are psalmist, and during the responses you are song leader or animator. When there is a choir present during the liturgy, some of this tension is relieved; the choir can support the assembly on the responses, freeing you to simply be psalmist. Parishes that use seasonal psalms rather than weekly propers can help the assembly become familiar with singing the psalms. As always, consult with your music director before attempting to make changes such as this in your ministry. For some parishes, the Gospel Acclamation is a safer and less threatening place to start acclimating cantors and assemblies to this true dialogue form, before trying it with the psalm.
　　　
　　　The second challenge here is one that we must own for ourselves: Most cantors are completely unfamiliar with the sense of standing at an ambo before hundreds of people, looking at them, and not singing. Most cantors, even knowing that their sung support is not needed, cannot resist singing with the people’s part, not because the people need it but because the sense of selfconsciousness and exposure in standing silent and receiving the assembly’s response is too much to bear. But try! Remember that the psalm is a dialogue, and to dialogue one must speak and then be silent, listening for the response of the other, before speaking again. (Please refer to page 64 for a complete treatment on the practicalities of singing the Responsorial Psalm from the ambo.)
　　　
The Cantor as Minister of the Word
　　　
　　　Many cantors, when doing their preparation for liturgy, make the mistake of treating the Responsorial Psalm like just another song in the list of music they need to learn. This could not be farther from the truth; the psalm is the central moment of the cantor’s liturgical ministry, and it must be treated as such. Here, you are not simply a music minister or a minister of hospitality as you are when you lead song. You are a minister of the word, the keeper and holder of the sung scriptures for the community.
　　　
　　　Musical settings of the psalms generally fall into two major categories: chant-tone psalmody and rhythmic psalmody.42 As singers, rhythmic psalmody (in basic “song form,” with melody and rhythm through the verses) is what we are accustomed to and which we find more comfortable. The danger here is that it takes at least twice the skill in such a setting to make the words reign supreme and be remembered above a pretty melodic setting. In the words of Saint Augustine, “When it happens to me to be more moved by the singing than by what is sung, I confess myself to have sinned criminally, and then I would have rather not heard the singing at all.”43 For this reason, more and more parishes are shifting to chanted psalmody, with a melodic refrain and a chant tone for the verses; the style is clearly distinguished from all the other singing at liturgy, and it is simple and stark enough that the text can more easily be heard and taken in.
　　　
 
"When it happens to me to be more moved by the singing than by what is sung, I confess myself to have sinned crimi-nally, and then I would have rather not heard the singing at all. ”
—Saint Augustine
 
 
See the psalm setting using a chanted tone on page 54.
　　　
　　　The automatic reaction of most cantors, especially those who read music, is to pick up the music and simply sing the phrase. This is not the best approach! Remember that in this moment you are first and foremost a minister of the word, so do what a minister of the word would do here. This will require some time for practice before the lit-urgy begins. The first few times through the psalm verses do not sing them or put them to music. Simply speak through them, verbally and out loud (not just silently in your head). Read them the way a lector would read them, and repeat them this way until they are comfortable on your lips and the meaning and intent is clear in your mind.
　　　
　　　Only then should you move to singing, but not yet to singing the tone as written. Take an intermediate step and try chanting the words on a single pitch, with the same speed and inflection you used when you spoke. Most of us think of speech and song as two radically different things. In the ancient Church, however, they were much closer to the same thing. In fact, in ancient Hebrew and Greek there was not even a separate word for “music”;44 speech was speech until it crossed over into the area of poetry and chanting and took on musical qualities. The intermediate step of single-pitch chanting the spoken texts can help us blur the distinction a little and achieve the speech-song quality of chant for which we are striving for. Like the spoken text exercise, practice this one also until we can do it comfortably and without “bumps” in our chant.
　　　
 
[Antiphone]
 
Psalm Tone
 
Laudate Dominum
 
Praise God in his holy place, praise him in his mighty heavens.
 
1. Praise him for his powerful deeds, praise his surpassing greatness.
 
2. O praise him with sound of trumpet, praise him with lute and harp.
 
3. Praise him with timbrel and dance, praise him with strings and pipes.
 
4. O praise him with resounding cymbals, praise him with clashing of cymbals.
 
5. Let everything that lives and that breathes give praise to the Lord. Amen.
 
Give praise to the Father Almighty, to his Son, Jesus Christ the Lord, to the Spirt who dwells in our hearts, both now and for ever. Amen.
 
 
　　　Only then (after making sure we are comfortable with the chant tone’s melody line) should we attempt to marry the text with the psalm tone, still keeping the text moving at speech-rhythm and with the inflections and pacing of the spoken word as much as possible. By this point, you should be able not only to chant these texts clearly and with confidence (with the text as your main focus), but you’ve also engaged in enough repetition that you will hopefully be able to move beyond the notes and words on the page into the area of truly praying the texts. This may seem like a lengthy process, but it truly does not take as long as it sounds, and it is worth every minute.
　　　
Praying the Psalms
　　　
　　　It is also important not to let the task of learning to proclaim the psalms for our communities distract and blind us to all they have to offer to us, as people of God and people of song. These 150 poems are filled with the hopes and joys and sorrows and longings of our brothers and sisters over millennia; they have a great deal to say to us. And though, of course, all of scripture belongs to God’s people, we as cantors and psalmists have a unique and special relationship with these ancient songs. Read the psalms and get to know them over time. Choose one to live with daily for a week or two, depending on where your life and heart are at the time.
　　　
　　　In a time of joy and celebration, perhaps, spend some time with Psalm 100:
　　　
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
 
serve the LORD with gladness;
 
come before him with joyful song.45
 
　　　When life feels uncertain or overwhelming, Psalm 121 can help quiet our souls:
　　　
I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
 
whence shall my help come to me?
 
My help is from the LORD,
 
who made heaven and earth.46
 
　　　When life is at its most painful, we can seek refuge in the lament of Psalm 31:
　　　
Have pity on me, 0 LORD, for I am in distress;
 
with sorrow my eye is consumed;
 
my soul also, and my body . . .
 
For all my life is spent with grief
 
and my years with sighing.41
 
　　　Spending time with these beautiful poem-songs and becoming friends with them will not only enrich our ministry as cantors, but it will enrich our lives as well.
　　　
Things to Think About
　　　
　　　Most of us, when we started our ministry as cantor, weren’t thinking in terms of some complex and integral-to-the-liturgy ministerial role. We just did it because we loved to sing, someone at our parish asked us to consider leading song during liturgy, or any number of simple reasons. And once here, we discovered and continue to discover not just how far we’ve come, but also how much we still have to learn and how much growing is still before us.
　　　
　　　Periodically during the liturgical year, especially when things are getting especially busy and we begin to feel ourselves off-kilter or out of focus with our ministry, some people choose to put themselves through a very cantor-specific “examination of conscience.” It will be different for everyone, but it might look something like this:
　　　
Do we truly believe ourselves to be members of the assembly?
 
Do we truly believe in our function to support the song of the “primary choir” of the liturgy, the gathered faithful, and to help them sing with greater strength and joy?
 
In parishes where we may be assigned to different liturgies, do we sing the exact same way at 7:30 in the morning as we would at the 9:30 family-oriented Mass, or the heavily teen-populated 5:00 pm? Or do we listen to the room, trying in every second to discern what the voices before us most need from us in any given moment?
 
Do we ever, when we hear suddenly an unexpectedly strong and vibrant collective voice coming from the assembly on a particular much-loved hymn, simply step away from the microphone and render ourselves entirely inaudible, because in that moment we are not needed?
 
When we pray before exercising our ministry, is our prayer formed as “O God, let me sing well and with beauty,” or is it more like “O God, help me to be come transparent and let your music and word shine forth”?
 
　　　The simple fact that you are reading this book and exploring your ministry further is a wonderful and life-enriching thing. That you understand, at whatever level of the ministry you have currently achieved, that growing and learning is a part of any ministry is also to be affirmed and commended. The most important thing for you to remember, always, is that everything we do has meaning, and every smallest gesture or look or sound we make communicates something to those for and with whom we minister. There is no neutral ground here, no way to simply decide not to communicate something for a few min-utes. You do not have the option of believing that the only time we’re serving our ministry is during the moments when we are actively sing-ing. When you are serving as cantor for a liturgy, every moment is one of ministry.
　　　
Questions for Discussion and Reflection
 
How do you respond when people compliment you on the beauty of your voice?
 
Do you experience “stage fright” before a liturgy you’re prepar-ing to serve as cantor for? If so, what are you afraid of? If the “worst” happened, whatever that means for you, what would be the consequence?
 
How would you feel if one day you realized that, with the exception of the Responsorial Psalm, your assembly was sing-ing so well that you were in effect now obsolete and no longer needed?
 
What is your favorite part of the liturgy to sing? Why?
 
What is your favorite piece of liturgical music? Why?
 
How does your ministry as cantor and song leader/animator affect your life outside of the liturgy?
 
NOTES
 
1. GIRM #40.
 
2. See Music in Catholic Worship (MCW), #23.
 
3. Liturgical Music Today (LMT), #5.
 
3. GIRM, #40.
 
5. See MCW, #23.
 
6. GIRM, #46.
 
7. GIRM, #47.
 
8. From time to time, especially to highlight particular liturgical seasons, the Entrance Chant (Song) may be sung in a responsorial or litanic form. These will, of course, require a different approach.
 
9. GIRM, #50.
 
10. Ibid., #51.
 
11. Ibid, #53.
 
12. The ordinary of the Mass is comprised of texts that do not change. They are consis-tent from week to week throughout the liturgy. The parts of the Ordinary are the Kyrie Eleison (Lord, Have Mercy), Gloria, Profession of Faith (Nicene or Apostles’ Creed), Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy), and Agnus Dei (Lamb of God). This is in contrast to the proper of the Mass, those prayers and readings that change from week to week through-out the cycles of the liturgical year and which include the Responsorial Psalm.
 
13. GIRM, #53.
 
14. Constitution on Divine Revelation, #21.
 
15.GIRM, #61.
 
16. GIRM #61: “In order . . . that the people may be able to sing the Psalm response more readily, texts of some responses and Psalms have been chosen for the various sea-sons of the year or for the various categories of Saints. These may be used in place of the text corresponding to the reading whenever the Psalm is sung.”
 
17. Please note the following from GIRM, #61: “In the dioceses of the United States of America, the following may also be sung in place of the Psalm assigned in the Lectionary for Mass: either the proper or seasonal antiphon and Psalm from the Lectionary, as found either in the Roman Gradual or Simple Gradual or in another musical setting; or an anti-phon and Psalm from another collection of the psalms and antiphons, including psalms arranged in metrical form, providing that they have been approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop. Songs or hymns may not be used in place of the responsorial Psalm.”
 
18. GIRM, #62.
 
19. See GIRM, #68.
 
20. See GIRM, #69, 70.
 
21. “The readings, taken from the approved editions, may be sung in a way suited to different languages. This singing, however, must serve to bring out the sense of the words, not obscure them” (Introduction, Lectionary for Mass, #14).
 
22. GIRM, #91.
 
23. Introduction, Lectionary for Mass, #18.
 
24. GIRM, #72.1.
 
25. On Holy Thursday, foodstuffs for the poor are also collected.
 
26. The Sanctus and the Great Amen are always the same text. At the time of this pub-lication, the Roman Missal provides four options for the Memorial Acclamation: “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again”; “Dying, you destroyed our death; rising, you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory”; “Lord, by your cross and resurrection you have set us free; you are the savior of the world”; and “When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come again.”
 
27. See the Roman Missal, Preface 59 for the Assumption.
 
28. GIRM, #79.e.
 
29. Music: Traditional chant, adapted by Robert Snow, 1964.
 
30. GIRM, #83.
 
31. GIRM, #83.
 
32. “While the priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion chant is begun. Its purpose is to express the communicants’ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight more clearly the ‘communitarian’ nature of the procession to receive Communion” (GIRM, #86).
 
33. GIRM, #88.
 
34. GIRM, #87-88, reads: “In the dioceses of the United States of America there are four options for the Communion chant: (1) the antiphon from the Roman Missal or the Psalm from the Roman Gradual as set to music there or in another musical setting; (2) the seasonal antiphon and Psalm of the Simple Gradual; (3) a song from another col-lection of psalms and antiphons, approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop, including psalms arranged in responsorial or metrical forms; (4) a suitable liturgical song chosen in accordance with no. 86 above. This is sung either by the choir alone or by the choir or cantor with the people. When the distribution of Communion is finished, as circumstances suggest, the priest and faithful spend some time praying privately. If desired, a psalm or other canticle of praise or a hymn may also be sung by the entire congregation’(emphasis added).
It should be noted that in noplace in any church document can we find any men-tion of the “Communion Meditation,” a custom that unfortunately may have taken hold in many places. It is not permitted on the grounds that it only reinforces a model of assembly nonparticipation and individualism in a moment clearly intended to be the high point of our unity. What should be the climax of our communal worship and praise disintegrates into a passive moment which is neither the personal prayer called for after the reception of Holy Communion nor a communal prayer of thanksgiving and celebration. An increasing number of parishes, if they wish to have a choir-only piece of music at this time, will choose to place it at the beginning of the Communion Rite, immediately followed by an assembly-oriented Communion Song. Parishes choos-ing to employ the option of the “psalm or canticle of praise” following Holy Communion often find it to be a highly effective moment of drawing the community together in praise and song.
35. At this time, “testimony given by a layperson during Mass is only done if warranted by pastoral need. This should not be a regular occurrence and it is done only following the Prayer After Communion so not to confuse the nature of this testimony with a homily” (Redemptionis Sacramentum, #74).
 
36. GIRM, #90 b, c.
 
37. MCW, #73.
 
38. Obviously, “pleasant” is a highly subjective term. The fact that opera houses and rock concert stadiums tend to have radically different clienteles is testament to that! But a parish does not have a “clientele”; it is a community of faith where people gather each week to pray and praise and take part in the Eucharist. As has been mentioned before, the cantor’s voice should draw attention not to itself but to the assembly it leads and the word it proclaims. Therefore, while musicianship is paramount, it would be a mistake to assume that the most skilled and professionally trained singers will always be the best cantors. Hardworking volunteers are the backbone of the cantor ministry in the Church and not only serve their people admirably but may sometimes do a better job in the ministerial role of cantor than their professional counterparts.
 
39. This term means to sing not deliberately soft, with your whole voice.
 
40. A general guideline for microphone placement, especially for wider-ranged con-denser microphones, is to never have the microphone pointed directly into the mouth—this will almost invariably cause the popping “p” problem to explode through the system. If this problem is occurring, try pointing the microphone a little higher or lower. For a shorter cantor, a microphone pointed exactly between one’s eyes usually works well, and for a taller cantor sometimes the microphone pointed at the chin will solve this problem. Trial and error is the only way to find the best solution.
 
41. Some parishes blessed with sufficient cantors to do so will even separate the minis-tries of “Song Leader” and “Psalmist.” One cantor remains at the cantor’s normal loca-tion leading the singing, and the other serves strictly as a minister of the word, proclaiming the psalm at the ambo with the lectors. While this is a wonderful idea in many ways and truly sets the psalm apart as being what it is, an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word and a sung reading from scripture (not just a “song” that happens to fall between the readings or a “response” to the First Reading), few parishes have enough cantors to accomplish this on a regular basis.
 
42. A third possibility, found in the psalm collections of Joseph Gelineau, forms a sort of hybrid between the two. Gelineau’s “sprung rhythm” psalmody and method for sing-ing it are discussed in detail in Diana Kodner’s Handbook for Cantors.
 
43. Saint Augustine’s Confessions, chapter 33.
 
44. “Hebrew and Greek have no separate word for music. The frontier between singing and speaking was far less precise As soon as speech turned to poetry, or when public or ceremonial speaking was involved, rhythmic and melodic featers were incorporated which today would be classified as musical, or at least pre-musical.” Joseph Gelineau, “Music and Singing in the Liturgy,” The Study of Liturgy, ed. Cheslyn Jones et al, rev. ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), 497 as found in “The Cantor in Historical Perspective,” Ritual Music: Studies in Liturgical Musicology, Edward Foley, Capuchin. (Beltsville, Maryland, Pastoral Press, 1995).
 
45. Psalm 100: lb-2.
 
46. Psalm 121:1-2.
 
47. Psalm 31:10,11.
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