Universal Music for Evening Prayer

- Gary D. Penkala

PDF Sample

Use: Evening Prayer
Required Resources: leader, cantor, organ, congregation
Language: English New 2010 Translation

Revised Edition includes new translations and updated hymn text.

This edition contains all the music you need to prepare sung Evening Prayer on any day of the liturgical year. Included is music for: the Introductory Verse, First Psalm, Second Psalm, New Testament Canticle, Responsory, Magnificat, Lord's Prayer, and Blessing/Dismissal. Suggestions appropriate to each liturgical season are given for an Organ Processional, a Hymn, and an Organ Recessional (with an a cappella chant for Lent). An original hymn, "Christian People Here Assembled" (the suggested hymn for Ordinary Time) is included.

Music for the opening and closing phrases is based on the familiar Gregorian Psalm Tone VIII. The leader's parts (priest, deacon or layman) are a cappella; the congregation's parts are accompanied by organ. Music for the changeable texts (psalms, canticles, responsory) and the Magnificat is written in the style of the great chants of the Saint Meinrad Archabbey. The chant melody is easily adapted, depending on the length of the psalm stanza. It is particularly suited to the singing of English text. A congregation melody page is included with all the music the people will need to participate.

Evening Prayer for any day of the liturgical year can be sung in a parish, school, or small group setting. One need only print the congregation page from our edition, along with the psalmody and responsory for the specific day, these latter two being pointed (marked) to coincide with the changes in the music. A full explanantion of this process appears in the edition.

A copy of Universal Music for Evening Prayer is needed by the leader, by the cantor, and by the organist. The congregation needs only the copied music page (permission is granted to reproduce it) and the pointed text (which can certainly be interspersed for ease in reading). This volume is a great way to sing Evening Prayer for a season (Advent or Lent perhaps), for a special celebration (parish feast day) or on a regular basis (Sunday evenings throughout the year) … all using the same musical setting!

Read the Editor's Notes and Performance Notes online in our Musical Musings article, Notes on Universal Music for Evening Prayer.