Domine Rex, Deus, Abraham

Here is my suggested rendering of the supplicatory Responsory pro serenitate/pluviam, “Domine Rex, Deus, Abraham” in ELGB #273, evidently based on 1 Kings 18:36, 37, 45, a “prayer of the Christian congregation in time of need, for rain or fair weather.” This Latin text is in origin an ancient Antiphon for Litany processions which concluded with an Alleluia, and was evidently taken by Grabau from the Pomeranian Church Order, where it is found re-worked as a Responsory. Grabau indicates that the German version is found in the same Buffalo Synod hymnal as #435 (“Herr Gott, Schöpfer aller Dinge”). The English translation here is based on that of Blunt in his Annotated Book of Common Prayer. No melody is indicated in the hymnal for the Latin text, though the German designates “proper melody.” Grabau curiously numbers the phrases of the Responsory in the manner of hymn stanzas, and perhaps intends the whole to be spoken or sung in unison, or more likely, sung to the standard Agenda tones used for Responsorial singing otherwise (i.e., the versicle tone). As an illustration of the original Antiphon melody, I include that of Cantica Sacra, Magdeburg 1613 (Bezeli), which includes both options (serenitatem / pluviam):

 

℟. O LORD, King, God of Abraham, give us fair weather (or rain) over the face of the earth:
†. That this people may learn that Thou art the Lord our God.
℣. Arise, O Lord, deliver us and defend us for Thy name’s sake.
†. That this people may learn that Thou art the Lord our God.
Amen. 

LATIN

Domine Rex, Deus Abraham, dona nobis serenitatem (pluviam) super faciem terrae:

2 Ut discat populus iste, quia Tu es Dominus Deus noster.

3 Exsurge Domine, libera nos et protege nos propter nomen tuum.

4 Ut discat populus iste, &c. Amen.

Vox ecce clara personat / Vox clara ecce intonat

Now that the busy summer-fall season is over, I am working on a new project; in the course of which, the following composite has been required for the Advent hymn at Lauds, Vox ecce clara personat, AKA Vox clara ecce intonat. The only version found in Lutheran chant books before the Thirty Years War has the modified text, correcting some of the metrical weaknesses that would later be addressed more drastically in 17th c. revisions in the church of Rome (En clara vox redarguit). The text is from Bezelius' Magdeburg cathedral book (1613) and the tune according to its form in Lossius' Psalmodia. Since most translations are based on later or other versions of the text, alteration was necessary in order to produce a faithful rendering of the Latin. I began with Chamber's earliest translation "Lo! what a thrilling voice sounds forth," and utilized some solutions also from Copeland's better-sounding "Hark to the voice, whose thrilling tone," as well as Chambers' revised "Hark! what a thrilling voice invades." Needless to say, nothing was borrowed from the popular "Hark a thrilling voice is sounding" (or "Hark, a herald voice is calling"), despite its wide acceptance, because of its disagreement with the meter.

Festum nunc celebre / Christo Gott dem Herren

Here is my translation of the old Ascension hymn for evening, Festum nunc celebre (Rhabanus Maurus Magnentius, d. 856), formerly sung throughout German-speaking lands, and retained by Lutherans in their earlier hymnals in the original Latin as well as German. The melody is the proper, as given inter alia in Lossius 1553. I include below my translation the Latin along with the German rendering by Paul Speratus. Among others who provided a translation to this enduring hymn was Valentin Triller, a well accomplished hymnwriter in his own right, also provided a translation. That will be examined after this.

Note in particular the interesting meter, composed of three Asclepiads followed by a Glyconic. I have attempted to preserve this accentually rather than metrically. Each stanza consists of three staves thus: x x / u u /   / u u / u / ; the final line thus: x x / u u / u / . The Latin has no evident rhyme scheme, and Speratus' translation, which is relatively early, has rhyme but no regular scheme. I have chosen the scheme ABABCCC.

NOW THE feast-day renowned, / Plenteous in joy, doth move / Swelling hearts to resound, / Mouths their anthems to prove;— / When o’er summits unknown / Up to the peerless throne / Passed our Advocate Christ alone.
2.  Shouting round Him reply / Through the unclouded rays / Saints unnumbered on high, / Blending their songs of praise / From the least to the most / With all the angel host, / Of the Victor’s acclaim to boast.
3.  He who, scaling the height, / Captive the captor led, / Countless spoils of the fight / Over the earth-born spread,— / Yea, who comes again, / Zealous to judge all men, / Now goes tenderly to His reign.
4.  We beseech Thee, O Lord, / Maker of great renown, / Watch Thy servants and guard, / Be Thou our Shield and Crown, / Lest the foe in his wrath / Draw us from heaven’s path / Or else drown us in depths of death.
5.  When with fire on the cloud / Thou Thy return shalt make, / Hidden things to unshroud, / Vengeance on sins to take, / Judge us then not as due; / Lord, for Thy grace we sue: / Our petition in mercy view.
6.  Hear, Good Father, our sigh, / With Thy beloved Son / Reigning ever on high, / And with the Spirit One; / Glorious God, unto Thee, / Trinity, ever be / Laud and praise for eternity. Amen.
Translation © 2013 Matthew Carver.

LATIN — Rabanus Maurus [Alt. Magdeburg 1613]

1. Festum nunc celebre magnaque gaudia
compellunt animos carmina promere,
cum Christus solium scandit ad arduum
caelorum pius arbiter.

2. Conscendit jubilans, laetus ad aethera,
Sanctorum populus praedicat inclitum,
Concinit pariter Angelicus chorus   [Plaudentes celebrant…]
Victoris boni gloriam.   [Victoris quoque…]

3. Qui scandens superos, vincula vinxerat,
Donans terrigenis munera plurima
Districtus rediet arbiter omnium,
Qui mitis modo transiit.

4. Oramus Domine, Conditor inclite,
Devotos famulos respice, protege:
Ne nos livor edax dæmonis obruat,
Demergat vel inferos

5. Ut cum flammivoma nube reverteris,
Occulta hominum pandere judicans:   [Ut judex hominum crimina vindices]
Ne des supplicia horrida noxiis:   [Ne nos suppliciis obrue tristibus,]
Sed justis bona præmia    [Sed complectere gratia.]

6. Præsta hoc Genitor optime, maxime   [Praestes…]
Hoc tu Nate Dei: et bone Spiritus,   […gnate Dei Tu bone…]
Regnans perpetuo fulgida Trinitas
Per cuncta pie sæcula. Amen.  [Aeternum venerabilis.]

GERMAN — SPERATUS

1. Christo Gott dem Herren
sing wir von Herzen-Grund,
den die Wolken aufnahm
sichtiglich zu der Stund,

als er aufsteig zu seim
und unserm Vater Gott,

der alle Ding zu richten hat.

2. Damit hat er die Erd
und all Himmel erfreut,

das durch ihn zum Vater
kommen mag, wer ihm gläubt;

sonst niemand steig hinauf,
dan der herab gesand,

und den durch ihn zeucht Gottes Hand.

3. Er hat die Gefängnis
gefangen genommen

als er steig zum Vater,
von dann wird er kommen,

zu richten nach seim Wort
all lebendig und tot,

wie er uns selbst bezeuget hat.

4. O Herr, wir bitten dich,
den Schöpfer aller Ding,

den Glauben in uns mehr
der die Frücht der Lieb bring,

das wir nachsteigen dir;
ohn dein Hilf sinken wir;

das Werk deiner Händ schreit zu dir,

5. Daß dein herrlich Zukunft
erschreck uns Armen nicht,

wann du mit dein Selgen
sitzen wirst das Gericht,

da vor deim Angesicht
alles wird offenbar,

was hie der Menschen Danken war.

6. Gib Gott, heilger Vater,
mit Christo, deinem Sohn,

das wir durch deinen Geist
mit unsers Herzen-Wonn

zu Dir aufsteigen stet
im Geist und der Wahrheit,

des lob wir dich in Ewigkeit. Amen.

Vita sanctorum, decus angelorum (Easter)

Here is my translation of the anonymous hymn "Vita sanctorum, decus angelorum" as found in Bezelius' Magdeburg cathedral cantionale (1613). It is appointed for Vespers on Easter (and Easter week). The title is similar to another hymn for Michaelmas, so I borrow the initial wording of the more popular translation for this one, so as to imitate the allusion in English. The melody in Bezelius is the same as that of the Michaelmas hymn.

LIFE AND fair glory of the holy angels,
 Life of the faithful, who as one adore Thee:
Christ, who didst conquer death and hell forever
By Thine own dying:

2.  Over Thy servants, joyful in Thy triumph,
Keep Thy protection in this peaceful season,
In which Thy holy feast is celebrated
Throughout creation.

3.  That Easter morning, Thou, from hell arising,
Didst as the Victor free a host unnumbered,
And, thence ascending, brought’st Thine earthen body
O’er starry ethers.

4.  Now in the highest, Thou art Lord all-glorious,
Greatly exalted God above the heavens,
From whence returning, Thou on men shalt render
Judgment eternal.

5.  Lift up, we pray Thee, our poor hearts to heaven
Where Thou art seated at the Father’s right hand,
Nor cast us downward in the Resurrection
To endless torment.

6.  Hear us, O Jesus, merciful Redeemer,
With God the Father and the Holy Spirit
One God in glory, majesty, and powèr,
Reigning forever. Amen.

Translation © 2013 Matthew Carver.

LATIN
1. Vita sanctorum decus angelorum,
vita cunctorum pariter piorum,
Christe qui mortis moriens ministrum
exsuperasti.

2. Tu, tuo laetos famulos trophaeo,
nunc in his serva placidis diebus,
in quibus sanctum celebratur omnem
Pascha per orbem.

3. Pascha, quo victor rediens ab imo,
atque cum multis aliis resurgens,
ipse susceptam super alta carnem
astra levasti.

4. Nunc in excelsis Dominus refulgens,
et supra caelos Deus elevatus,
inde venturus homo judicatus,
denuo judex.

5. Corda tu sursum modo nostra tolle,
quo Patri dexter resides in alto:
ne resurgentes facias in ima
praecipitari.

6. Hoc Pater tecum, simul et sacratus
praestet amborum, pie Christus, Flatus,
cum quibus regnas Deus unus omni
jugiter aevo.