J.S. Bach’s magnificent St. Matthew Passion is perhaps the most prominent musical composition that we associate with Lent. The most well-known part of the St. Matthew Passion itself is the “Passion Chorale”, which often appears a hymn called “O Sacred Head Surrounded”, or “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded.”
What’s not as well known is that Bach is author of neither the basic melody nor the words: he merely incorporated into his composition (with some significant adaptation) what was already a familiar hymn called O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden (“O Head Full of Blood and Wounds”). The music, which dates from about the year 1600, was composed by Hans Leo Hassler.
Like other familiar devotional songs such as the Schubert Ave Maria and the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria, the tune was originally composed as a secular piece and only later matched up with religious lyrics. The German words were adopted by hymnist Paul Gerhardt from a much earlier Latin song traditionally attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux called Membra Jesu Nostri. Gerhardt’s words and Hassler’s music first appeared together in 1656 in a book published by Johann Crüger; Bach incorporated the song into his St.Matthew’s Passion in 1727.
The first English version of the hymn was published by John Gambold in 1752, and there have been numerous English translations since. The two most prominent are the 1830 translation by James Waddle Alexander that begins “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” and Sir Henry Williams Baker’s version, which opens with the words “O Sacred Head Surrounded.” The lovely a cappella version of the hymn below sung by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, is largely based on Baker’s translation (except for the last stanza, which seems to come from Waddell). The words are posted underneath.
(Feature image: “Christ With Crown of Thorns” by Antonio de Pereda)
O Sacred Head Surrounded By Crown Of Piercing Thorn! O Bleeding Head, So Wounded, Reviled And Put To Scorn! The Power Of Death Comes Over Thee, The Glow Of Life Decays, Yet Angel Hosts Adore Thee And Tremble As They Gaze.
I See Thy Strength And Vigour All Fading In The Strife, And Death With Cruel Rigor, Bereaving Thee Of Life; O Agony And Dying! O Love To Sinners Free! Jesus, All Grace Supplying, O Turn Thy Face On Me.
In This, Thy Bitter Passion, Good Shepherd, Think Of Me With Thy Most Sweet Compassion, Unworthy Though I Be: Beneath Thy Cross Abiding For Ever Would I Rest, In Thy Dear Love Confiding, And With Thy Presence Blest.
Be near when I am dying, O show thy cross to me; And for my succor flying, Come, Lord, and set me free: These eyes, new faith receiving, From Thee shall never move move; For he who dies believing, Dies safely, through thy love.
Yesterday was the fifth Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Passiontide: the liturgical prayers and observances of the Church are building ever more urgently to the climax of the Triduum. Today’s musical selection, my second-to-last Lenten music post, is from what is perhaps the greatest musical composition created for the penitential season, Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion. The piece in the clip below, “Erbarme dich, mein Gott” (“Have Mercy, My God”) powerfully combines words and music to evoke the experience of repentance:
Have mercy, my God,
for the sake of my tears!
See here, before you
heart and eyes weep bitterly.
Have mercy, my God.
Erbarme dich, mein Gott,
Um meiner Zähren willen!
Schaue hier, Herz und Auge
Weint vor dir bitterlich.
Erbarme dich, mein Gott.
The clip was recorded in 1947, and features violinist Yehudi Menuhin and contralto Eula Beal. Don’t let the scratchy sound at the very beginning deter you: this is a magnificent performance. My last Lenten Music selection of the year next Monday will also come from St. Matthew’s Passion.
Below: “Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane” by Carl Bloch (1873)
We hear the moving ancient hymn “Attende Domine” frequently during the season of Lent, especially at TLM masses. It is the cry of repentant sinners imploring God’s forgiveness: Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi: literally, “Take heed, Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against you.”
The Latin text dates from around the tenth century, and is thought to be Mozarabic in origin. “Mozarabic” is a modern term that refers to the language and liturgy of Christians in the Moslem controlled areas of Spain in the Middle Ages (like “Byzantine”, this term a fairly recent invention which was completely unknown to the people to whom it refers). The melody is not Spanish, but is a Gregorian Chant in mode V.
The clip below was posted by kloostermagazine.nl. The Dutch publication Klooster Magazine renders its name into English as Monastery! It is pretty much what it sounds like. In any case, these three gentlemen do a beautiful job:
℟. Attende, Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi.
Ad te Rex summe, omnium redemptor, oculos nostros sublevamus flentes: exaudi, Christe, supplicantum preces. ℟.
One of the greatest of Marian hymns is the Stabat Mater, written (most likely) in the 13th century. It’s authorship is unknown; it has been attributed to Pope Innocent III (1160-1216) or, somewhat more plausibly, the Franciscan Jacopone di Todi (c.1230-1306), although both are doubtful.
The hymn itself begins with Mary at the scene of the Crucifixion:Stabat mater dolorósa/juxta Crucem lacrimósa,/dum pendébat Fílius, “The mournful mother was standing/full of tears, next to the Cross/while her son was hanging . . .” Over the course of twenty verses the hymn draws us into the suffering of Mary, and through her suffering into the suffering of Christ himself. It ends with us asking the Blessed Mother to intercede for us before the Throne of God (per te virgo fac defendar,/in die iudícii, “Make it so that I am defended by you, Virgin, on the day of judgment”), since we have shared in her pain and that of her son. The Stabat Mater has been set to music by literally dozens of composers. The clip below features a setting by Pergolesi, whose Miserere we heard last week. The are musicians the San Francisco Early Music Ensemble Voices of Music, featuring soloists: Dominique Labelle, soprano, and Meg Bragle, mezzo-soprano.
I have posted the Latin text and the best-known English translation below the clip.
The English text below is by Edward Caswall from his, Lyra Catholica (1849). Caswall’s translation is not strictly literal since he wanted to reproduce the trochaic tetrameter of the original, as well as the rhyme scheme of the original (AAB, CCB, DDE, FFE, etc.). In spite of that, he manages to stay remarkably close to the meaning of the Latin text.
1. Stabat mater dolorósa juxta Crucem lacrimósa, dum pendébat Fílius.
2. Cuius ánimam geméntem, contristátam et doléntem pertransívit gládius.
3. O quam tristis et afflícta fuit illa benedícta, mater Unigéniti!
4. Quae mœrébat et dolébat, pia Mater, dum vidébat nati pœnas ínclyti.
5. Quis est homo qui non fleret, matrem Christi si vidéret in tanto supplício?
6. Quis non posset contristári Christi Matrem contemplári doléntem cum Fílio?
7. Pro peccátis suæ gentis vidit Iésum in torméntis, et flagéllis súbditum.
8. Vidit suum dulcem Natum moriéndo desolátum, dum emísit spíritum.
9. Eja, Mater, fons amóris me sentíre vim dolóris fac, ut tecum lúgeam.
10. Fac, ut árdeat cor meum in amándo Christum Deum ut sibi compláceam.
One of the best known of Lenten musical compositions today is the setting Gregorio Allegri composed some time in the 1630’s for Psalm 51. The piece is known as the Miserere (i.e., “Have mercy”) from it’s first word in Latin. Allegri composed it specifically for use in Tenebrae services in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.
And in the Sistine Chapel it stayed, for almost a century and a half. The Popes did not allow transcriptions of Allegri’s mezmerizing composition to be made, and only three authorized versions were given away to private individuals (to Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, to King John V of Portugal, and to the musically gifted Franciscan Giovanni Battista Martini).
That all changed when a 14 year old visitor to Rome named Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart heard the Miserere sung in the Sistine Chapel. He listened closely and, when he went back to his room, he wrote down the music from memory. When he went back two days later to check his work, he found that he needed to make only a few minor corrections. Pope Clement XIV was so impressed with young composer’s achievement that, on July 4th 1770, he honored Mozart with the Order of the Golden Spur.
The group Tenebrae performs the moving rendition Allegri’s Miserere in the clip below. I’ve posted more information about Psalm 51 itself below the clip.
Tradition tells us that King David wrote Psalm 51 as an expression of penitence after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and contrived the death of her husband Uriah (2 Samuel, chapters 11-12).
Psalm 51 is the first psalm in Morning Prayer (Lauds) every Friday (the day of penance) in the Liturgy of the Hours. Portions of it are also used in other parts of the liturgy during Lent. Verse 7 (Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor; lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor, “You will sprinkle me with hyssop and I will be made clean; you will wash me and I will become whiter than snow) is said during the Asperges rite, when the priest sprinkles the congregation with holy water. Traditionally hyssop was used for sprinkling the blood of sacrificed animals.
Below I’ve posted the Latin translation of Psalm 51 used in Allegri’s Miserere, as well as the English translation from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.
Latin:
Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam. Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam. Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me. Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco: et peccatum meum contra me est semper. Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci: ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris. Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum: et in peccatis concepit me mater mea. Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi. Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor. Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exsultabunt ossa humiliata. Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis: et omnes iniquitates meas dele.
Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis. Ne proiicias me a facie tua: et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me. Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui: et spiritu principali confirma me. Docebo iniquos vias tuas: et impii ad te convertentur. Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae: et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam. Domine, labia mea aperies: et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam. Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique: holocaustis non delectaberis. Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies. Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion: ut aedificentur muri Ierusalem. Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae, oblationes, et holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.
English:
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. 16 For thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased. 17 The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18 Do good to Zion in thy good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, 19 then wilt thou delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on thy altar.
I absolutely love J.S. Bach’s Joy-filled celebration of Jesus Christ’s love for humanity, “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring”. Ash Wednesday is just two days away, so this is my last opportunity to get it in as a Music Monday selection before Lent.
Bach composed this piece in 1723 as a part of his cantata Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 (“Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life”), which he wrote for the celebration of the Feast of the Visitation. Bach’s original arrangement included two stanzas from the 1661 hymn “Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne”, written by Martin Janus. The English words that usually accompany Bach’s music are not a direct translation from the German version, but were loosely taken by Robert Bridges, who was England’s Poet Laureate in the early twentieth century, from Janus’s original hymn. Bridges’s verses are beautifully suited to Bach’s soaring music, making a truly joyful combination. I’ve posted the English text, along with the original German, beneath the clip.
The video below features the The Texas Boys Choir singing at Broadway Baptist Church in Ft. Worth, Texas.
English words to Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
Jesu, joy of man’s desiring, Holy wisdom, love most bright; Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring Soar to uncreated light.
Word of God, our flesh that fashioned, With the fire of life impassioned, Striving still to truth unknown, Soaring, dying round Thy throne.
Through the way where hope is guiding, Hark, what peaceful music rings; Where the flock, in Thee confiding, Drink of joy from deathless springs.
Theirs is beauty’s fairest pleasure; Theirs is wisdom’s holiest treasure. Thou dost ever lead Thine own In the love of joys unknown.
German words & English translation:
Wohl mir, daß ich Jesum habe, o wie feste halt’ ich ihn, daß er mir mein Herze labe, wenn ich krank und traurig bin. Jesum hab’ ich, der mich liebet und sich mir zu eigen giebet, ach drum laß’ ich Jesum nicht, wenn mir gleich mein Herze bricht.
Jesus bleibet meine Freude, meines Herzens Trost und Saft, Jesus wehret allem Leide, er ist meines Lebens Kraft, meiner Augen Lust und Sonne, meiner Seele Schatz und Wonne; darum laß’ ich Jesum nicht aus dem Herzen und Gesicht.
Well for me that I have Jesus, O how tightly I hold him that he might refresh my heart, when I’m sick and sad. Jesus I have, who loves me and gives himself to me, ah, therefore I will not leave Jesus, Even if I feel my heart is breaking. —from BWV 147, chorale movement no. 6
Jesus remains my joy, my heart’s comfort and essence, Jesus fends off all suffering, He is my life’s strength, my eye’s desire and sun, my soul’s treasure and pleasure; Therefore I will not leave Jesus out of heart and face. —from BWV 147, chorale movement no. 10
This is the second musical setting I’ve posted recently for the ancient Eucharistic hymn Ave Verum Corpus, “Hail True Body”. A couple weeks ago we saw Mozart’s rendition; today we’re going back a couple centuries earlier to William Byrd’s version of the hymn. Speaking of William Byrd, you might remember that he was one of the models for 20th Century composer Gustav Holst, whose setting for the Nunc Dimittiswas our Music Monday selection last week.
Byrd, who lived from 1543 – 1623, was one of most highly regarded composers of the renaissance era. He lived during a time of religious turmoil in England, particularly for Catholics, who faced increasing persecution under Queen Elizabeth I. Byrd was already well-established as a composer and musician and a Gentleman of the queen’s Chapel Royal when he converted to Catholicism in the 1570’s. Many of his compositions afterwards took on a decidedly Catholic character, including liturgical music and and other compositions on biblical themes. Byrd often touched on the Babylonian exile and captivity in Egypt as a way of encouraging oppressed English Catholics.
The Verum Corpus, “True Body”, refers to the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Byrd published the composition in 1605. The hymn is beautifully sung by the choir of St. Matthews Church in Westminster, England. St. Matthews is an Anglican Church “in the Catholic tradition of the Church of England”, according to their website (as an aside, they might want to look into where that particular combination led John Henry Newman).
Another aside: I had hoped to post a video I put together myself featuring sacred art on the theme of the Eucharist, but I ran into insurmountable issues. I’m posting a link to my video underneath, and I may publish something about it later in the week, if anyone is interested.
Art: “The Last Supper” Jaume Huguet 1463″ Christ on the Cross” Eugène Delacroix 1835 “Christ the Savior with the Eucharist” Juan de Vincente Juanes 1445-1450
Since tomorrow is the Feast of the Presentation, Holst’s “Nunc Dimittis” is an appropriate selection for Music Monday, here with Caravaggio’s powerful depiction of “The Presentation” as the backdrop .
“Nunc Dimittis” is the Latin name for the prayer the old man Simeon says when he picks up the Christ Child in the temple. It has been a part of Compline, the liturgical Night Prayer of the Church, for many centuries.
Gustav Holst
You may or may not be familiar with the early twentieth century composer Gustav Holst, but you are almost certainly familiar with at least one of his musical compositions, at least if you’re in the habit of darkening a church door from time to time. The popular hymn “O God Beyond All Praising” is set to music that was originally part of Holst’s secular composition The Planets. His “Nunc Dimittis”, on the other hand, was always intended to be sacred music. He wrote this choral piece, heavily influenced by sixteenth century masters of polyphony William Byrd and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, specifically as an accompaniment to the “Nunc Dimittis”. Holst’s piece was first performed on Easter Sunday, 1915. The second public performance was sixty years later, on June 11th, 1976, more than 40 years after the composer’s death. Whatever strange fortune led to its burial and resurrection, we should say a prayer of thanks that this beautiful and moving musical prayer is with us today.
Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace: Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum: Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.
Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:
Your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation
Which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
One of my purposes with this blog is to share some of the treasures from the enormous deposit of beautiful art and music, especially sacred art and music, that has been handed down to us. Take the delightful duet below, for instance, which was actually composed as a part of the Mass: it is the “Laudamus Te” passage from a “Gloria” composed by Antonio Vivaldi in 1715.
A 1723 portrait believed to be Antonio Vivaldi. Vivaldi was an extremely accomplished violinist.
Vivaldi himself is best known today for his violin concertos The Four Seasons. He’s an interesting character. He lived from 1678-1741, mostly in Venice. He was ordained a priest in 1703, but was dispensed from the obligation of saying mass a year later, apparently for health reasons. He was never fully secularized, but no longer served as a priest for the rest of his life. Indications are that he remained a devout, pious Catholic until he died.
When he was first ordained he served as a priest at the Ospedale della Pietà, an orphanage for girls in Venice. After the suspension of his priestly responsibilities he stayed on as musical director until 1715, and returned in that capacity from 1723 -1740. Many of his musical compositions were written to be performed by the young women in the Ospedale (perhaps including the piece below). Under Vivaldi’s tutelage the Ospedale’s orchestra and choir became famous not only in Venice but throughout Europe.
Over his career, Vivaldi composed over 300 concertos, 46 operas, and numerous other musical works.
Laudamus Te, by Antonio Vivaldi Bredow Thompson, Soprano Amanda Hart Bassett, Soprano
