Description: | Here is the sixth installment of the Advent-Hymn-per-day series. Today we have the well-known plainsong melody for "Conditor alme siderum" - "Creator of the stars of night". The English translation that I'm using is from "The New English Hymnal" and the words were translated from the Latin by John Mason Neale (1818-1866), with some revisions by the edtors of the hymnal.
I did this in a "traditional plainsong accompaniment style," using only 8' flute stops. It is conceived for verses to be sung in "alternatum", with the treble voices singing the odd verses and the male voices the even. Technically the final verse should NOT be sung full, but is to be treated like a "regular" verse, meaning it's sung by whichever voice part has the turn. However, by custom, it is normally sung full. The "Amen" should be sung full.
You'll hear first the organ given the first phrase as an intro, then a solo treble (here played on the organ) begins the phrase with all trebles joining when you hear the first "chord" in the organ part.
Creator of the stars of night,
Thy people's everlasting light,
O Jesu, Saviour of us all,
Regard thy servants when they call.
Thou, grieving at the bitter cry
Of all creation doomed to die,
Didst come to save a ruined race
With healing gifts of heavenly grace.
Thou camest, Bridegroom of the bride,
As drew the world to evening tide,
Proceeding from a virgin shrine,
The Son of Man, yet Lord divine.
At thy great Name, exalted now,
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow,
And things in heaven and earth shall own
That thou art Lord and King alone.
To thee, O Holy One, we pray
Our judge in that tremendous day,
Preserve us, while we dwell below,
From every' onslaught of the foe.
All praise, eternal Son to thee,
Whose advent sets thy people free,
Whom wih the Father we adore,
And Spirit blest for evermore. Amen. |