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EXPLANATION

OF

MR. SALE'S SYSTEM OF CHANTING.

A CHANT is either a single or double Chant; the latter, as its name implies, consisting of two single Chants.

Every single Chant is divided into two parts, or sections, the first containing four beats or Notes, and the second six; which will, perhaps, be more clearly understood by referring to the Chants printed in Mr. Sale's Book of Psalmody.

But, with the view that the congregation may have one uniform system of dividing the verses, and the sections of the Chant at the same time, (a thing not sufficiently observed even in our Cathedrals,) the following Rule should be observed:

All the words in the first part of the verse must be sung to the first Note of the Chant,

with the exception of the last three words, if they are monosyllables, or the last three accented syllables, if that portion of the verse ends with a word, or words, of more than one syllable, such three final words or syllables having one beat or Note each, whereby this section of the Chant is completed.

In the second section of the Chant, the whole of the second part of the verse, with the exception of the last five words or accented syllables, as the case may be, is to be sung to the first note of the Chant, the remaining five having one note each, thereby making up the full number, six, of which such second section of the Chant consists. For instance, in the "Gloria Patri," the words Glory be to the Father, and" are to be

2 3 4

sung to

the first note; the words "to-the- Son" to the second, third, and fourth notes respectively, whereby the first section of the Chant and of the verse go smoothly together. As the second part of the verse contains but six syllables-the word "And" is alone to be sung to the first note, 2 3 4. 5 6 and the words" to the Holy Ghost" to the five following notes.

And it is to be borne in mind that the first note of each Chant, or section of a Chant, which is called the Chanting Note, is continued upon the organ as long as is necessary to admit of the words which are to be sung to it being distinctly pronounced, while the following notes are always sung in strict time. For instance, in

one of the longest verses in the Psalms, viz. Psalm 68, v. 30, the words " When the company of the spearmen and the multitude of the mighty are scattered abroad among the beasts of the field, so that they humbly bring" are all sung to the chanting note, the section of the Chant being com

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pleted by the words "pieces-of- | sitver, sung to the 2d, 3d, and 4th notes.

To render this still plainer, the " Venite exultemus"-" Jubilate” · Magnificat," and " Nunc Dimittis," are here so printed, that they may be sung to any Chant, care being taken to sing all the words printed in the first line to the first note, and the others to the notes as they are numbered.

VENITE EXULTEMUS.

10 come let us sing un

2 3 4

to the LORD;

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glad in Him with Psalms.

1 For the LORD is

2 3 4

a great God :

1 And a great

2 3 4 5

6

King a - bove all Gods.

1 In His hands are all the corners

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