BISHOP’S COMMITTEE ON THE LITURGY, BISHOP’S COMMITTEE ON THE LITURGY, MUSIC IN CATHOLIC WORSHIP (1972)MUSIC IN CATHOLIC WORSHIP (1972)

““At times the choir, within the congregation of At times the choir, within the congregation of the faithful and as part of it, will assume the the faithful and as part of it, will assume the role of leadership, while at other times it will role of leadership, while at other times it will

retain its own distinctive ministry. This retain its own distinctive ministry. This means that the choir will lead the people in means that the choir will lead the people in

sung prayer, by alternating or reinforcing the sung prayer, by alternating or reinforcing the sacred song of the congregation, or by sacred song of the congregation, or by

enhancing it with the addition of a musical enhancing it with the addition of a musical elaboration. At other times in the course of elaboration. At other times in the course of

liturgical celebration the choir along will sing liturgical celebration the choir along will sing works whose musical demands enlist and works whose musical demands enlist and

challenge its competence.”challenge its competence.”

SINGING IN ENGLISHSINGING IN ENGLISH

Primary vowelsPrimary vowels DipthongsDipthongs ConsonantsConsonants Connecting/Dividing Syllables within the WordConnecting/Dividing Syllables within the Word Connecting/Separating WordsConnecting/Separating Words What not to StressWhat not to Stress Special RulesSpecial Rules Beginnings and Endings Beginnings and Endings InertiaInertia

VOWELSVOWELS

Basic building block of all singing is the Basic building block of all singing is the vowelvowel

Primary vowels sounds: Primary vowels sounds: ooh (who); oh ooh (who); oh (woe); ah (lah); ay (way); ee (we)(woe); ah (lah); ay (way); ee (we)Remember, sing to the end of the vowel Remember, sing to the end of the vowel

sound and sustain its tone qualitysound and sustain its tone qualityDo not change the quality of the vowel as you Do not change the quality of the vowel as you

ascend higher notes ascend higher notes

DIPHTHONGSDIPHTHONGS

Diphthong is a sound formed by two Diphthong is a sound formed by two consecutive vowels in one syllableconsecutive vowels in one syllable

Each component of a diphthong is Each component of a diphthong is sounded distinctly, e.g., sounded distinctly, e.g., day (day-ee); high day (day-ee); high (hah-ee); new (nee-oo), etc. The first (hah-ee); new (nee-oo), etc. The first vowel sound, however, is generally given vowel sound, however, is generally given prominence.prominence.

CONSONANTSCONSONANTS Consonants may be considered as the gates through Consonants may be considered as the gates through

which we pass from one vowel sound to the next.which we pass from one vowel sound to the next. Consonants are either voiced (resonant-this requires a Consonants are either voiced (resonant-this requires a

vocalized sound or unvoiced (non-resonant- requires a vocalized sound or unvoiced (non-resonant- requires a blowing of air).blowing of air). Singers take care that you singSingers take care that you sing

““On the vine” On the vine” not to be sung as “not to be sung as “On the fine”On the fine”

VOICELESSVOICELESS VOICEDVOICED tt dd ff vv pp bb ss zz

Connecting/Dividing Syllables Connecting/Dividing Syllables within the Wordwithin the Word

PrintedPrinted SungSungSeat-edSeat-ed sea-tedsea-tedDif-fer-enceDif-fer-ence di-ffe-rencedi-ffe-renceBless-edBless-ed ble-sedble-sedMas-terMas-ter ma-sterma-ster

Consonants are generally carried forward Consonants are generally carried forward so that they begin the next syllable.so that they begin the next syllable.

Connecting/Separating WordsConnecting/Separating Words

If the first word ends in a consonant, this consonant is If the first word ends in a consonant, this consonant is quite often carried over to the second word: e.g., quite often carried over to the second word: e.g., kiss me kiss me (ki-sme); his own (hi-zown)(ki-sme); his own (hi-zown)

When the same consonants occur at the end of one When the same consonants occur at the end of one word and at the beginning of the second word, generally word and at the beginning of the second word, generally omit one of the consonants; e.g., omit one of the consonants; e.g., send down (sen-down)send down (sen-down)

When the first word ends in the same vowel sound that When the first word ends in the same vowel sound that begins the second word, separate the two words: e.g., begins the second word, separate the two words: e.g., three / eagles (three / eagles (and not and not threeeagles).threeeagles).

Always separate words if a mistake in hearing would Always separate words if a mistake in hearing would occur by linking them together: e.g., occur by linking them together: e.g., deaf / ears (deaf / ears (not not dea-dea-fears).fears). Words may be separated to give them special effect: e.g.,Words may be separated to give them special effect: e.g.,

His / silent journey.His / silent journey.

What NOT to StressWhat NOT to Stress

Do not stress prepositions (Do not stress prepositions (of, at, toof, at, to), ), conjunctions (conjunctions (and), and), or articles (or articles (the, a, anthe, a, an).).

Do not emphasize consonants like Do not emphasize consonants like s, z, sh, s, z, sh, ch,ch, and the soft and the soft c. c. Doing so results in a Doing so results in a very unmusical effect. Generally these very unmusical effect. Generally these consonants are linked to the following consonants are linked to the following syllable or word: e.g., syllable or word: e.g., ma-sterma-ster

A Consonant with Special RulesA Consonant with Special Rules

The consonant The consonant r has some special rulesr has some special rules It is never sung before another consonant:It is never sung before another consonant:

e.g., e.g., summer day summer day sung day sung day summe’ daysumme’ day It is not sung before a pauseIt is not sung before a pause It is always sung before a vowelIt is always sung before a vowel

LOOK AHEAD!LOOK AHEAD!ALWAYS SING TO THE END OF THE WORD,ALWAYS SING TO THE END OF THE WORD,

TO THE END OF THE PHRASETO THE END OF THE PHRASE

BEGINNINGS and ENDINGSBEGINNINGS and ENDINGS

A slight unobtrusive A slight unobtrusive h h sound helps facilitate sound helps facilitate attacks that begin with a vowel: e.g., attacks that begin with a vowel: e.g., (h) O bone (h) O bone Jesu.Jesu.

Singers need to pay special attention to releases Singers need to pay special attention to releases concluding with consonants like concluding with consonants like s,z,sh,ch s,z,sh,ch to to avoid the “snake” effect: e.g., avoid the “snake” effect: e.g., fears fears sung as sung as fearssssss. fearssssss. The same is true for the final d and t.The same is true for the final d and t.

Overcome the natural inertia found in daily Overcome the natural inertia found in daily speech. e.g., “speech. e.g., “Whaujheet?” Whaujheet?” for “for “What did you What did you eat?” eat?” Do not “sing as we speak”Do not “sing as we speak”

SINGING LATINSINGING LATIN

PRONUNCIATIONPRONUNCIATION VOWELSVOWELS CONSONANTSCONSONANTS

VOWELSVOWELS

Letter English WordLetter English Word Latin WordLatin Wordaa fatherfather paterpater

e, ae, oee, ae, oe redred etiam or caelumetiam or caelum

i, yi, y feetfeet gloriagloria

oo foefoe DeoDeo

uu tunetune cumcum

CONSONANTSCONSONANTS

bb Pronounced as in EnglishPronounced as in English

cc 1) pronounced 1) pronounced ch ch (as in (as in church) church) before before I,e, ae, oe, y:I,e, ae, oe, y:

e.g., e.g., caeli caeli ((che-leeche-lee))

2) 2) cc cc before those same vowels is pronounced before those same vowels is pronounced t-ch:t-ch:

e.g., e.g., ecce ecce ((et-cheet-che))

3) at all other times 3) at all other times c c is pronounced as is pronounced as k: k:

e.g., e.g., cum cum ((koomkoom))

4) 4) ch ch is always pronounced as is always pronounced as k:k:

e.g., e.g., chorus chorus ((ko-roosko-roos))

dd pronounced as in Englishpronounced as in English

ff pronounced as in Englishpronounced as in English

gg 1) always soft (as in 1) always soft (as in generalgeneral) ) before before e, i, ae, oe, y: e, i, ae, oe, y: e.g., e.g., genitorgenitor

2) 2) gn gn is pronounced is pronounced ny: ny: e.g., e.g., magnummagnum (mah-nyam)(mah-nyam)

3) before all other vowels the 3) before all other vowels the g g is is hard, as in hard, as in governmentgovernment

hh 1) silent1) silent

2) except for 2) except for mihi mihi and and nihil nihil

((mee-hee,nee-heelmee-hee,nee-heel

jj often written as often written as I I and pronounced and pronounced as as y y forming one sound with the forming one sound with the following vowel: e.g., following vowel: e.g., jam jam ((yamyam))

k, l, m, n, p k, l, m, n, p and and qq: pronounced as : pronounced as in in EnglishEnglish

rr rolled slightly with the tonguerolled slightly with the tongue

ss 1) hard (as in 1) hard (as in sea)sea)

2) slightly softened when it occurs 2) slightly softened when it occurs between two vowels: e.g., between two vowels: e.g., misericordiamisericordia

3) 3) sc sc before before e, I, ae, oe, y, e, I, ae, oe, y, is is pronounced like the English pronounced like the English sh sh (as in (as in shedshed): ): e.g., e.g., suscepi suscepi (su-she-pee)(su-she-pee)

tt 1) pronounced as in English: e.g., 1) pronounced as in English: e.g., totustotus

2) 2) ti ti appearing before a vowel and appearing before a vowel and following any letter (except following any letter (except s, x, ts, x, t) is ) is pronounced pronounced t-see: t-see:

e.g., e.g., gratia gratia ((grat-see-a)grat-see-a)

thth pronounced as pronounced as tt: : e.g., e.g., catholicam catholicam (ka-to-lee-kam)(ka-to-lee-kam)

vv pronounced as in Englishpronounced as in English

xx 1) like the English 1) like the English ks: ks: e.g., e.g., ((exercitus exercitus (eks-er-chee-tus)(eks-er-chee-tus)

2) 2) xc xc before before e, ae, oe, i, y e, ae, oe, i, y is is pronounced as pronounced as ksh: (ksh: (excelsis)excelsis)

3) before other vowels 3) before other vowels xc xc has the has the hard sounds of the letters hard sounds of the letters

composing it: e.g., composing it: e.g., excussorum excussorum (eks-(eks-coos-so-rum)coos-so-rum)

z z (rare in liturgical Latin) (rare in liturgical Latin)

pronounced pronounced dz: dz:

e.g., e.g., zona (dzo-na)zona (dzo-na)• Double consonants: clearly sound Double consonants: clearly sound

each consonant: e.g., each consonant: e.g., bello bello (bel-lo)(bel-lo) terra terra (ter ra)(ter ra)