Magnificat Primi Toni (Tomás Luis de Victoria)

Magnificat: anima mea Dominum.
Et exultavit spiritus meus: in Deo salutari meo.
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae:
ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.
Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est:
et sanctum nomen eius.
Et misericordia eius, a progenie et progenies:
timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo:
dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede:
et exaltavit humiles.
Esurientes implevit bonis:
et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum:
recordatus misericordiae suae.
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros:
Abraham, et semini eius in saecula

Composer: Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611)

Blessed City, Heavenly Salem

Blessed city, heavenly Salem,
vision dear of peace and love,
who of living stones art builded
in the height of heaven above,
and, with angel hosts encircled,
as a bride dost earthward move;

from celestial realms descending,
bridal glory round thee shed,
meet for him whose love espoused thee,
to thy Lord shalt thou be led;
all thy streets and all thy bulwarks
of pure gold are fashioned.

Bright thy gates of pearl are shining;
they are open evermore;
and by virtue of his merits
thither faithful souls do soar,
who for Christ's dear Name in this world
pain and tribulation bore.

Many a blow and biting sculpture
polished well those stones elect,
in their places now compacted
by the heavenly Architect,
who therewith hath willed for ever
that his palace should be decked.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Laud and honor to the Father,
laud and honor to the Son,
laud and honor to the Spirit,
ever Three, and ever One,
consubstantial, coeternal,
while unending ages run.

Text: Latin, seventh century, trans. John Mason Neale, 1851
Tune: Edward Bairstow (1874-1946)

Who Would True Valour See / He Who Would Valiant Be (To Be A Pilgrim)

TUNE I: MONK'S GATE
Version 1: Original Text by John Bunyan




Version 2: Percy Dearmer










TUNE II: ST. DUNSTAN'S






ORIGINAL TEXT BY JOHN BUNYAN:

Who would true valour see,
Let him come hither;
One here will constant be,
Come wind, come weather
There’s no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent
To be a pilgrim.

Whoso beset him round
With dismal stories
Do but themselves confound;
His strength the more is.
No lion can him fright,
He’ll with a giant fight,
He will have a right
To be a pilgrim.

Hobgoblin nor foul fiend
Can daunt his spirit,
He knows he at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies fly away,
He’ll fear not what men say,
He’ll labor night and day
To be a pilgrim.

Text: John Bunyan (1684)


PARAPHRASE BY PERCY DEARMER:
He who would valiant be
'gainst all disaster,
let him in constancy
follow the Master.
There's no discouragement
shall make him once relent
his first avowed intent
to be a pilgrim.

Who so beset him round
with dismal stories
do but themselves confound
his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might;
though he with giants fight,
he will make good his right
to be a pilgrim.

Since, Lord, thou dost defend
us with thy Spirit,
We know we at the end,
shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away!
I'll fear not what men say,
I'll labor night and day
to be a pilgrim.

Background information

Text: Percy Dearmer
Tunes: MONK'S GATE (by Ralph Vaughan Williams) or ST. DUNSTAN'S (by Charles Winifred Douglas)

Kostet und seht (Taizé)

Kostet und seht, gütig ist Gott.
Glücklich die sich bergen bei ihm.
Meide das Böse, tue das Gute.
Suche Frieden und jage ihm nach.

Taste and see how good is the Lord,
happy are those who take refuge in him.
Forsake evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.

[NB: Provisional Taizé song]

See my other blog postings in the "Taizé" series of chants.

Official Taizé Community Website

Wikipedia information on the Taizé Community
- in French
- in English

Laetentur Coeli (Taizé)

Laetentur coeli,
exultet terra,
a facie Domini quia venit,
quia venit!

May the heavens rejoice
and the earth be glad,
before the Lord
who is coming!

Alégrense los cielos,
goce la tierra,
delante del Senor,
que yo llega!

Paraphrase of Ps 96,11.1

See my other blog postings in the "Taizé" series of chants.

Official Taizé Community Website

Wikipedia information on the Taizé Community
- in French
- in English

Spiritus Jesu Christi (Taizé)

Spiritus Jesu Christi,
Spiritus caritatis,
Confirmet cor tuum,
Confirmet cor tuum.

Music: Jacques Berthier (English bio) (French bio)

See my other blog postings in the "Taizé" series of chants.

Official Taizé Community Website

Wikipedia information on the Taizé Community
- in French
- in English

O God of Bethel, By Whose Hand

O God of Bethel, by whose hand
thy people still are fed;
who through this earthly pilgrimage
hast all our fathers led:

Our vows, our prayers, we now present
before thy throne of grace:
O God of Israel, be the God
of their succeeding race.

Through each perplexing path of life
our wandering footsteps guide;
give us each day our daily bread,
and raiment fit provide.

O spread thy covering wings around,
till all our wanderings cease,
and at our Father's loved abode
our souls arrive in peace!

Such blessings from thy gracious hand
our humble prayers implore;
and thou shalt be our covenant God
and portion evermore.

Text: Philip Doddridge (1736)