Herr Gott Vater, Schöpfer aller Ding

 Here is my translation of the Antiphon for Fair Weather, “Herr Gott Vater, Schöpfer aller Ding” (Vincentius Schmuck, d. 1628), in ELGB #435, originally in Latin as “Domine Rex,” first apearing in German in the Dresden Gesangbuch (1632) with melody adapted the Gregorian chant. Since another, more musical (in the technical sense) setting was given it by Doles in 1785, I have retained the syllabic structure and to some extent also the accent. However, Doles’ setting is for a text very slightly altered, e.g., “Dinge” for “Ding” in the second phrase (requiring a slur on “thing”); “allein” for “alle” and insertion of “dich” in the last phrase. The Buffalo Synod hymnal thus indicates the later melody by the presence of these variants. My accommodations to these variants are found in square brackets. Nevertheless, it is apparent that the setting should be adapted by an able musician; to which end, for whoever might wish to carry out such a task, I include a more natural form of the English text below.

 

LORD God, Father,
Maker of all things, [things,–]
graciously grant us,
we pray Thee, (fair weather / fruitful rain)
for the fruits of Thy provision,
That receiving them
with thankful hearts
as from Thine own hands for our necessary use,
we may all acknowledge, hold, and ever praise Thee
As our dear Father, Maker, and [our] most gracious Sustainer.

A more natural form:
LORD God, Father and Maker of all things,
mercifully grant us, we beseech Thee, (fair weather / a fruitful rain) for the fruits of Thy provision,
that receiving them from Thy hand with thanksgiving for our necessary use,
we may evermore acknowledge, esteem, and adore Thee as our Father and Sustainer.

From the Latin (Cantica Sacra, 1613):
O LORD the King, the God of Abraham, give us (fair weather / rain) over the face of the earth, that this people may learn that Thou art the Lord our God. (Alleluia.)

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Herr, Gott Vater,
Schöpfer aller Ding! […Dinge!]
gieb uns gnädiglich
ein (schön helles Wetter / fruchtbaren Regen)
zu den Früchten Deiner Gaben,
daß wir sie mögen
von Deiner Hand
zu unsre Nothdurft mit Danksagung empfahen,
und Dich, daß Du unser Vater und Ernährer seist,
alle erkennen, halten und ewiglich preisen. [allein…]

LATIN ORIGINAL

Domine Rex Deus Abraham, dona nobis (serenitatem / pluviam) super faciem terræ, ut discat populus iste quia tu es Dominus Deus noster. (Alleluia).

 

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.