Saturday, June 24, 2017

St. John the Baptist, June 24: De Ventre Matris Meae ("From my mother’s womb")

De Ventre Matris Meae is the Introit for the Feast of St. John Baptist, June 24. It's sung here by Schola Sanctae Sunnivae & Hartkeriana.



The text comes from Isaiah 49; here's the Latin, along with an English translation from Divinum Officium:
De ventre matris meæ vocávit me Dóminus in nómine meo: et pósuit os meum ut gládium acútum: sub teguménto manus suæ protéxit me, et pósuit me quasi sagíttam eléctam

From my mother’s womb the Lord called me by me name, and made of me a sharp-edged sword; He concealed me in the shadow of His arm, and made me a polished arrow.


Here's the chant score:


Here are the actual verses from Isaiah 49:
1 Give ear, ye islands, and hearken, ye people from afar. The Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he hath been mindful of my name.

2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword: in the shadow of his hand he hath protected me, and hath made me as a chosen arrow: in his quiver he hath hidden me.

In the Cantus database this chant is only listed as a Matins Responsory; not sure why that would be.  Here's an image of that Responsory from the Antiphonarium Massiliense; the large red "D" is where the chant begins:



Interesting, though:  I don't find this listed as a Matins Responsory in Divinum Officium.   So, not quite sure what's going on there.


Here's the famous Deesis Mosaic from Hagia Sophia; that's John the Baptist on the right:



This is from Wikipedia's Deesis entry:

In Byzantine art, and later Eastern Orthodox art generally, the Deësis or Deisis (Greek: δέησις, "prayer" or "supplication"), is a traditional iconic representation of Christ in Majesty or Christ Pantocrator: enthroned, carrying a book, and flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist, and sometimes other saints and angels. Mary and John, and any other figures, are shown facing towards Christ with their hands raised in supplication on behalf of humanity.
In early examples, it was often placed on the templon beam in Orthodox churches or above doors, though it also appears on icons and devotional ivories.

Friday, June 02, 2017

The Pentecost Offertory: Confirma Hoc Deus ("Stablish the thing, O God")

This version is sung by Cantarte Regensburg:



The text is taken from Psalm 67:29b-30 (Vulgate):
Confirma hoc Deus, quod operatus es in nobis;
A templo tuo quod est in Jerusalem, tibi offerent Reges munera.
Alleluia. 

Stablish the thing, O God, that thou hast wrought in us,
For thy temple's sake at Jerusalem: so shall kings bring presents unto thee.
Alleluia.

Here's the chant score:



William Byrd, among others, set this text. Here's his setting, sung by the Gloriana Ensemble:




The same text (although without the final clause) is used for the Antiphon sung at Confirmation:
"When all are confirmed, the Bishop washes his hands while the following is sung:" - Liber Usualis, 1961; Administration of Confirmation.





Here's a page from the De la Salle Hymnal; this looks to me like a congregational setting of the same antiphon:





And don't forget to read Full Homely Divinity's Pentecost entry!


Here are links to all the propers on the day, from the Benedictines of Brazil:
Dominica Pentecostes ad Missam in die
Introitus:  Spiritus Domini (cum Gloria Patri)(5m07.0s - 4798 kb)  view score
Alleluia: Emitte Spiritum tuum (1m55.4s - 1806 kb)  view score
Alleluia: Veni, Sancte Spiritus (2m02.9s - 1922 kb)  view score
Sequentia: Veni, Sancte Spiritus (2m29.7s - 2341 kb)  view score
Offertorium: Confirma hoc, Deus (1m35.3s - 1491 kb)  view score
Communio: Factus est repente (1m16.3s - 1195 kb)  view score
Ad dimittendum populum: Ite missa est (28.7s - 451 kb)  view score

And here are Chantblog posts on the Pentecost propers:

Here's a piece of Pentecost art, from the well-known Book of Hours Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Folio 79r - Pentecost the Musée Condé, Chantilly.  



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