Music for the Feast of St. Cecilia
In honor of the feast of St. Cecilia which we celebrate today, we thought we’d share with you a bit of our music which we’ve sung recently. The first recording is of the motet Lauda Sion Salvatorem by Claudio Monteverdi (1582). We sang this at the end of Mass on the Solemnity of Christ the King a few days ago.
Text:
Lauda Sion Salvatorem,
Lauda ducem et pastorem
In hymnis et canticis.
Quantum potes, tantum aude,
Quia maior omni laude,
Nec laudare sufficis.
Bone pastor, panis vere,
Jesu, nostri miserere,
Tu nos pasce, nos tuere,
Tu nos bona fac videre
In terra viventium.
Praise, O Sion, praise thy Saviour,
Praise thy Shepherd and thy Guide
In hymns and canticles:
Insofar as you are able, so far dare to sing,
For he is greater than all praise,
Nor can your praises ever fill his measure.
O Good Shepherd, true bread
Jesus, have mercy on us,
Feed us, protect us,
Make us to see good things
In the land of the living.
This next recording is from the feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, celebrated this past Monday. This feast is particularly special to our community, because it is the anniversary of the day our community had the privilege to make Solemn Vows and become fully incorporated as Nuns of the Order. This beautiful hymn compares the entrance of the Virgin into the temple at her presentation to her entrance into the holy of holies of Heaven.
Text: “Watching the entrance of the purest one, how the angels wondered as the gentle virgin entered the holy of holies. Let no unholy hands dare to touch the virgin who has become the dwelling of God. Let all the faithful sing with joy instead repeating the angel’s greeting. Truly you are higher, O Virgin pure, higher than any other creature that God has made.”