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Originally Posted by Galatians220  Split-leaf...  Then you can sing different psalms to different tunes. You can sing, for example, Psalm 23 to "Crimond" or "Ballerma" whatever other tune fits with the words. (I'm referring, of course, to the 1650 Scottish Metrical Psalmody, which is the only one I've used outside of our visits to churches in Grand Rapids.) Split-leaf makes it seem less as though one is singing hymns and more as though the tunes are secondary to the psalms themselves, at least IMHO. And that's good. |
At SRPC in Boise, we use the TBS, words only, editions of Psalms of David in Metre (1650 Scottish Psalter), specifically because they do not tie a single tune to a particular Psalm. Our congregation is not the most musically inclined and we're learning to sing Psalms. However, using the words only Psalters, with even a dozen or so familiar Common Meter tunes, and a couple Long Meter and Short Meter tunes, one can sing the entire Psalter.
It helps to print the name of the tune in the bulletin and/or announce it before singing, to aid people in learning the tunes by name. After the congregation is familiar with a dozen of so tunes, you can add new ones one at a time.
I observed use of the TBS Psalters in Free Church Continuing congregations in Scotland. Of course, folk there are so familiar with the tunes and Psalms, one can name a Psalm and tune and people can often sing without any Psalter at all.