The Prose Psalms

Herrick Bunney Esq, B Mus, FRCO, Organist and Master of the Music, St Giles, Edinburgh

Herrick Bunney writes on the singing of the prose psalms, giving a short history of the practice of chanting the psalms and then describing the difficulties associated with chanting. He offers three solutions to the difficulties: good rehearsal of the choir and/or congregation prior to a service; letting the congregation, whilst remaining seated, find the psalm in their Bibles, following the words while the words are sung by the choristers. The third, which Bunney calls a somewhat experimental solution, is to ‘throw overboard’ the Anglican Chant and allow the congregation and choir to sing out and achieve the freedom and vitality of good speech.