A Hymn to the Motu Proprio

12 Comments

1. Suburbanbanshee says:

   7 July 2010 at 11:31 AM

   I canticle all of it to mind, but parts of it sound familiar. :)
2. Archromanist says:

   7 July 2010 at 11:38 AM

   Now indeed has winter passed,;
   The rain has gone and departed.
   Flowers have appeared in our land;
   The time of pruning has come:
   The voice of the turtle-dove has been heard in our land;
   The fig tree has brought forth its unripe figs;
   The blooming vineyards have given their scent.

   I have seen one beautiful like a dove,
   Rising from above
   The streams of the waters:
   Whose inestimable scent
   Was exceedingly in her clothes:
   And like the days of spring
   The buds of roses
   And the lilies of the valleys
   Surrounded her.
3. nhaggin says:

   7 July 2010 at 11:43 AM

   Well, the first part is the Song of Songs 2:11-13; the second is a responsory text along the same lines:

   I saw the lovely one like a dove
   rising above the streams of water,
   whose surpassing fragrance
   was strong in her garments:
   And as on a spring day
   rose blossoms girded her about,
   and lilies of the valley.
4. chironomo says:

   7 July 2010 at 11:55 AM

   Perhaps…??

   As winter has passed,
   The storm recedes, then is gone.
   Flowers appear in our land
   and the time has come for them to be cut:
   The voice of the Dove is heard in our land;
   Fig trees bring forth their unripe fruit;
   The vineyards bloom and bring forth their scent.

   I saw the beautiful one like a dove
   Rising up from above the waters:
   Clothed in that unbelievable scent:
   And like the days of Spring
   was she surrounded by the rose blossoms
   and lilies in the valley.
5. C. says:

   7 July 2010 at 12:02 PM

   Not a consistent meter – is this more of a Prosa?
6. Andrew says:

   7 July 2010 at 12:27 PM

   I like the translation of “nhaggin” above the best with the exception of “and as on a spring day” which I would change to “and like the days of spring” (chironomo above).

   And here’s a useful link to the motett: http://www.uma.es/victoria/pdf/Vidi_Speciosam.pdf
7. DavidJ says:

   7 July 2010 at 12:50 PM

   “What does the hymn really say?” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.
8. BobP says:

   7 July 2010 at 3:04 PM

   Happy third anniversary to the Motu Proprio.
9. YadaYada says:

   7 July 2010 at 7:09 PM

   BTW: Pope Clement VIII (re-)promulgating the Missale Romanum — 07-07-1604 — under the ring of the Fisherman.
10. Suburbanbanshee says:

    7 July 2010 at 9:31 PM

    Who is as lovely as a day in July?
    Thou art more lovely and more septimate….

    Seriously, that is a lovely motet text. Thanks for posting it, Fr. Z.
11. irishgirl says:

    8 July 2010 at 9:31 AM

    What a beautiful text-it would be wonderful if someone set it to a chant melody!

    Happy third anniversary to the Motu Proprio….thank you, Holy Father Benedict!
12. AnAmericanMother says:

    8 July 2010 at 10:06 AM

    I found a chant setting on YouTube, but it’s an awful performance by a well-intentioned guy with a microphone. Unlistenable.

    Polyphonic setting by Francesco Guerrera (16th c. Spanish): Surge propere amica mea

    Spare but beautiful setting by Pablo Casals for organ and SSA: Nigra sum

    A setting of the text in English, by William Billings:

    I Am the Rose of Sharon

    “For lo the winter is past” is the last section. It’s a beautiful marriage of text and tune if you like the New England Singing School tradition.

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