Author: artsyhonker

O Virgo virginum

Byartsyhonker December 23, 2013 0 Comments
O Virgo virginum, quomodo fiet istud? Quia nec primam similem visa es nec habere sequentem. Filiae Jerusalem, quid me admiramini? Divinum est mysterium hoc quod cernitis. O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be? For neither before thee was any like thee, nor shall there be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me? The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery. This antiphon doesn't...

O Emmanuel

Byartsyhonker December 22, 2013 0 Comments
O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster. O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver, the hope of the nations and their Saviour: Come and save us, O Lord our God. Emmanuel means God-with-us. The juxtaposition of God-with-us and imagery like "king" and "lawgiver" is a good one. This is not some lofty palace-dwelling ruler who...

Our Cheerful Voices let us raise

Byartsyhonker December 22, 2013 0 Comments
Cheerful Voices by Kathryn Rose Our cheerful voices let us raise, And sing a parting song; Although I'm with you now, my friends, I can't be with you long: For I must go and leave you all, It fills my heart with pain; Although we part, perhaps, in tears, I hope we'll meet again. A final shape-note tune to end Cheerful Voices. If you're still short of Christmas presents, you can either download...

O Rex gentium

Byartsyhonker December 21, 2013 0 Comments
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti. O King of the nations, and their desire, the cornerstone making both one: Come and save the human race, which you fashioned from clay. I always feel the "you made us" argument is a bit petulant, almost. "Oi! God! You got us INTO this mess, you get us out of it! We...

Cheerful Voices: Hark! Hark! Glad tidings charm our ears

Byartsyhonker December 21, 2013 0 Comments
Hark! hark! glad tidings charm our ears, Angelic music fills the spheres; Earth spreads the sound with decent mirth, A God, a God is born on earth! A God is born! the valleys cry; A God is born! the hills reply; Evening repeats to wondering morn, A God, a God on earth is born! Another lovely bit of shape note music from Southern Harmony. I think this would lend itself to trumpet instrumentation...

O Oriens

Byartsyhonker December 20, 2013 0 Comments
O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Morning Star, splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness: Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. Today's antiphon feels appropriate, in the northern hemisphere. Solstice is around this time, and we address Christ as Dayspring, Morning Star,...

Cheerful Voices: What wondrous love is this?

Byartsyhonker December 20, 2013 1 Comment
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul, What wondrous love is this, O my soul! What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul, To bear the dreadful curse for my soul! When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down, When I was sinking down, sinking down, When I was sinking down beneath God's righteous frown, Christ laid...

O Clavis David

Byartsyhonker December 19, 2013 0 Comments
O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel; you open and no one can shut; you shut and no one can open: Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house, those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. This...

Cheerful Voices: Dou way Robyn/Sancta Mater

Byartsyhonker December 19, 2013 1 Comment
Dou way, Robyn, the child wile weepe; dou way Robyn. Sancta mater gratiae, stella claritatis visita nos hodie plena pietatis. Veni, vena veniae mox incarceratis, solamen angustiae, fons suavitatis. Recordare, mater Christi, quam amare tu flevisti; juxta crucem tu stetisti, suspirando viso tristi O, Maria, flos regalis, inter omnes nulla talis; Tuo nato specialis nostrae carnis parce malis O,...

O Radix Jesse

Byartsyhonker December 18, 2013 0 Comments
O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare. O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples; before you kings will shut their mouths, to you the nations will make their prayer: Come and deliver us, and delay no longer. This is an interesting one to try and relate to, at first glance....