200 Hymns & Psalms

In 1978 The Right Reverend John T. Walker succeeded William F. Creighton as Bishop of Washington and asked that the newly approved Book of Common Prayer (1979) be used exclusively for all cathedral services unless he gave permission for exceptions in specific circumstances. Immediately, the twenty or more psalms sung in the Offices each month had to be pointed, and suitable chants adapted or created since the translations were completely different from the earlier prayer book. During the next two years new chants were written for the following psalms. My own theories of pointing were developed for them. They are meant for choir performance; none are for congregational use. Some are triple chants, the rest double, often irregular (irr.) in rhythmic treatment and harmonically sophisticated. Antiphons (ant.) are added where the text invites their use.