Prelude and Fugue on 'Victimae Paschali Laudes'

Dom Paul Benoit, O.S.B. (1893-1979), was an organist, composer, and Roman Catholic priest, who lived as a member of the Benedictine community at the Abbey of St. Maurice et St. Maur, at Clervaux, in Luxembourg. Dom Paul Benoit's compositions never leave the realm of tonality, albeit often modal. His works frequently draw from the melodies of Gregorian chant, making them easily palatable by all ears. Dom Paul acknowledged the influence of the French impressionist works of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel upon his organ compositions.

The "Prelude and Fugue on 'Victimae Paschali Laudes'" is part of a collection, "Pieces d'Orgue" published by J. Fischer & Bro. in 1963. It makes use of the Gregorian chant melody traditionally sung at Easter.

"Victimae paschali laudes" is a sequence prescribed for the Roman Catholic Mass and liturgical Protestant Eucharists of Easter Sunday. It is usually attributed to the 11th century Wipo of Burgundy, chaplain to the German Emperor Conrad II.

"Victimae Paschali Laudes" is one of the few sequences that are still in liturgical use today. Its text was set to different music by many Renaissance and Baroque composers.

A "sequence hymn" is sung or recited during the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations, before the proclamation of the Gospel. The position of the sequence was altered in the 2002 edition of the Roman Missal.

The text of the first "section" (translated) is:

Christians, to the Paschal Victim
offer sacrifice and praise.

The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb;
and Christ, the undefiled,
hath sinners to his Father reconciled.

Death with life contended: combat strangely ended!
Life's own Champion, slain, yet lives to reign.

Pictures of Dom Benoit, as well as of the Abbey of St. Maurice et St. Maur, at Clervaux, in Luxembourg are attached below.