Such a powerful living, breathing, feeling piece of music - and beautifully performed on top of that. Thank you.

Sacred music

WHAT IS A PROLIX RESPONSORY
AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?

by J. Michael Thompson,
on the eve of the First Sunday in Advent, 2021

I heard a prolix responsory sung for the first time in my life at the Church of the Ascension, Chicago, Illinois. The choir was singing the famous "A Procession with Carols on Advent Sunday, which traditionally opens with the choir in the narthex, singing what the "Carols for Choirs" calls "the Advent Responsory," set to a set of faux-bourdons by G. P. da Palestrina.  It is a wonderfully evocative text for the first day of the Church's new year of grace.

R.  I looked from afar, 
and I behold the power of God coming,
and a cloud covering the land.
Go ye out to meet Him and say:
Tell us if Thou art He that shall reign over Thy people Israel?

V. High and low, rich and poor, one with another,
R. Go ye out to meet Him and say:
Tell us if Thou art He that shall reign over Thy people Israel?

V. Hear, O Thou Shepherd  of Israel, 
Thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep.
V. Tell us if Thou art He that shall reign over Thy people Israel?

V. Glory to the Father and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost:

R.  I looked from afar, 
and I behold the power of God coming,
and a cloud covering the land.
Go ye out to meet Him and say:
Tell us if Thou art He that shall reign over Thy people Israel?

The Palestrina setting is lovely, even if not designed by the composer for that particular text.

I was certain, the first time that I heard this text, that it was originally sung to a piece of plainsong.  Mind you, I had never been to a celebration of Matins (or Vigils) in the pre-Vatican II Roman Rite.  But I was certain that I was right.

It took very little sleuthing to find out that this Responsory was given in the Roman and monastic books as the First Responsory of the First Sunday of Advent.  A bit of follow-up showed me that its performance was done in a more complicated fashion than most other Responsories, with more repetitions of parts of the text than were often done.

But it was to be twenty years more before I would find a copy of the Mode VII melody.  It wasn't in the "Liber Usualis," which was my first  "go-to" source for plainchant melodies.  I found quite a few other prolix (long) responsories therein---for major feasts such as Christmas, Epiphany, the Sacred Triduum, Ascension, Pentecost, Corpus Christi.  But nothing for Advent.  Finally, when not looking for it at all, I found it in a Cistertian book with many chants used for processions and other devotions often sung at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.  There it was, "Aspiciens a longe."

And I longed to do a setting of it that would utilize its chant melody and still permit it to have the drama of choral music for the various parts of the "repetenda."

In 2001, I was able to publish a version of "the Procession With Carols on Advent Sunday," entitled "Redeemer of the Nations Come," which World Library Publications took a chance on  publishing, and in that collection, I put my own version of this gorgeous text, in English, so that it could be heard joined to it's ancient Gregorian melody, but in a 21st century dress.

I offer it to you and wish you a most blessed Advent!
JMT

Redeemer Of The Nations, Come

Choral Responsory: I Look From Afar

Alma Redemptoris Mater from Gregorian Chant, Christmas Chants by the monks of the abbey of Einsiedeln

Alma Redemptoris Mater from Gregorian Chant, Christmas Chants

Communion Antiphon
From the Propers for the Mass for Persecuted Christians
Text: Roman Missal
Music: Paul Jernberg
Cor Unum Chorale
Paul Jernberg, conductor
recorded May 17, 2022
St. John the Evangelist Church
Clinton, Massachusetts

Communion Antiphon: That which I tell you in the dark

Johann Sebastian Bach:  St. Matthew Passion
Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Regensburger Domspatzen, Concerto Köln 
Conductor: Peter Dijkstra

Track: 01 Nr. 1 Kommt, Ihr Toechter, Helft Mir Klagen (Chorus)

Available as CD and DVD

Bach: St. Matthew Passion 01 Nr. 1 Kommt, Ihr Toechter, Helft Mir Klagen

From the CD Mass of Saint Philip Neri by Paul Jernberg
Recorded by Schola Cantorum of St. Peter the Apostle, J. Michael Thompson, director, June 2014. www.pauljernberg.com

Salve Regina - Paul Jernberg

The Monks of Notre Dame /// De Ore Leonis

ABRI AS PORTAS A CRISTO (Hino oficial ao Beato João Paulo II - Marco Frisina)

Salve, regina, mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus, exsules, filii Evae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes oculos
ad nos converte.
Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis virgo Maria.


Salve, reina, madre de misericordia,
Vida, dulzura y esperanza nuestra, salve.
A ti clamamos, exiliados hijos de Eva.
A ti suspiramos, gimiendo y llorando
en este valle de lágrimas.
Ea pues,  abogada nuestra,
esos, tus ojos misericordiosos, vuelve a nosotros.
Y a Jesús, bendito fruto de tu vientre,
muéstranos, después de este exilio.
Oh clemente, oh piadosa, oh dulce virgen María.

Salve Regina - Antífona marial -(Antifonario Benedictino, 2007)

Trisagion
from Liturgy No. 3 (English)
Roman Hurko, composer

(visit romanhurko.com)

Sung by the Cor Unum Chorale
Paul Jernberg, director
February 1, 2019
St. John the Evangelist Church
Clinton, Massachusetts

from "The Fire of Your Love":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-iC7meqIlc

Trisagion (Holy God) - Roman Hurko

Recorded at the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral
Basilica Schola
New York City, 12/12
Recorded by Malcolm Addey

14th-century tune; this plainsong version is related to the late medieval Scandinavian version found in Piae Cantiones (1582).

Puer natus in Bethlehem, Alleluia. Unde gaudet Jerusalem. Alleluia. In cordis jubilo Christum natum adoremus, cum novo cantico. 
Hic jacet in præsepio, Alleluia. Qui regnat sine termino. Alleluia. 
 hoc natali gaudio, Alleluia. Benedicamus Domino: Alleluia. 
Laudetur sancta Trinitas, Alleluia. Deo dicamus gratias. Alleluia.

A Child is born in Bethlehem, alleluia. Rejoice together, all Jerusalem, alleluia, alleluia. Refrain: Let us adore the birth of Christ with joyful hearts and a new song. 
He lies here in the manger, alleluia, who rules without end, alleluia, alleluia.  R.
On the joyful day of his birth, alleluia, let us bless the Lord, alleluia, alleluia. R.
The Holy Trinity be praised, alleluia. Let us thank God, alleluia, alleluia. R.

Puer Natus in Bethlehem

Antonio Lotti - Crucifixus à 8

Canto gregoriano. Missa de angelis. Hope you like it.

Antonio Lotti - Crucifixus à 8

Alex Berry

Recent comments

Nokkonen

Criss symphonie

Konstantin Rassomahin

Konstantin Rassomahin

Related tracks