The Recovering Choir Director

Posted on the comment box for this NLM post:

I view these Englishing attempts, perhaps erroneously, as one way to demystify the singing of plainsong while using a familiar language, on the road to adoption of the sung Latin.

However worthy or unworthy these attempts may be, it would be something of a shame for these to be a final destination rather than a stop on the journey towards the singing of the Latin ordinary, keeping in mind Sacrosanctum Concilium 54b:

“Nevertheless steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.”

The “nevertheless” is there for a reason, however widely ignored it may be at the parish level presently.

One more point about adaptation:

If there is no intention to move eventually to the Latin Ordinary from the vernacular, then one may feel free compose and utilize an original plainsong melody native to the characteristics of the vernacular. If, however, an English plainsong adaptation is intended as a stepping-stone on the way to the Latin, it may be favorable to hew closely to the Latin original. An English plainsong adaptation that preserves the integrity of the Gregorian melodies, insofar as it is possible, would seem to better prepare the listener/singer for the melodic contours and rhythmic pulses (icti) found in the Latin originals. And when the transition is made to the Latin from the vernacular, it will not feel or hear overly awkward; a best-case scenario would involve an almost seamless transition.

Differences of opinion are welcome.