Feast of the Epiphany with John Michael Talbert

Today was the Feast of the Epiphany, and I have posted often on it.  But I was listening some John Michael Talbert songs this evening and I wanted to create a post of two songs, one certainly on the epiphany and the other more loosely.  First, his rendition of “We Three Kings.” 

 

He plays it a shade slower than most.  I think it gives the song more reverence. 

Then I came across this song which I had never heard before, “I Found My Beloved,” which is not a Christmas song, nor a song of the Magi.  Actually it’s an imagine excursion from the point of view of St. John of the Cross.  But it struck me that these are the emotions any one of the Magi might have experienced. 

 

That is a magnificent song.

I hadn’t posted much Christmas music this year.  Between work, which took me a way for a couple of weeks, illnesses in the family, and then my cold.  I just haven’t had that much time.  Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Feast of the Epiphany.

Music Wednesday: Miserere Mei Deus

Yes, I know.  It’s supposed to be Music Tuesday, but today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, and I wanted to commemorate it with a perfect music piece for the day.  It’s Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere mei, Deus, a polyphonic choral piece composed around 1638.  Wikipedia explains it better than I can.

 

 Miserere (full title: Miserere mei, Deus, Latin for "Have mercy on me, O God") is a setting of Psalm 51 by Italian composer Gregorio Allegri. It was composed during the reign of Pope Urban VIII, probably during the 1630s, for the exclusive use of the Sistine Chapel during the Tenebrae services of Holy Week, and its mystique was increased by unwritten performance traditions and ornamentation. It is written for two choirs, of five and four voices respectively, singing alternately and joining to sing the ending in 9-part polyphony.

You can read the history of the piece in that Wikipedia entry.  It’s interesting.

So this is the penitential 51^st psalm set to song, and one that should be prayed repeatedly during Lent.  This rendition, conducted and arranged by Edward Higginbottom is just stunningly beautiful. 

 

The lyrics are listed but I’ll present them here.  First in Latin.

 

Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.

Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam.

Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me.

Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco: et peccatum meum contra me est semper.

Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci: ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris.

Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum: et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.

Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.

Asperges me hysopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.

Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.

Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis: et omnes iniquitates meas dele.

Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.

Ne proiicias me a facie tua: et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.

Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui: et spiritu principali confirma me.

Docebo iniquos vias tuas: et impii ad te convertentur.

Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae: et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam.

Domine, labia mea aperies: et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.

Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique: holocaustis non delectaberis.

Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.

Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion: ut aedificentur muri Ierusalem.

Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae, oblationes, et holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.

 

English translation (Douay Rheims)

 

Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.

And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged.

For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.

For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.

Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.

Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

 

Perhaps you can visit this choral several times during Lent.  The lyrics are part of the video.  You can pray it as you listen.

Personal Note: Papal Mass Update

A week and a half ago I mentioned I had tickets to the Papal Mass on September 25^th at Madison Square Garden when Pope Francis makes a visit to New York.  I also mentioned that for security reasons I had to be at the event before 2:30 PM, even though the Mass wouldn’t start before 6:30 that evening.  We were not told what we could do inside while we waited, but now that have released a list of entertainers that will perform during that long down time.  From the NY Times:

 

To persuade the thousands of Roman Catholics who will attend Pope Francis’ Mass at Madison Square Garden next week to arrive early, the Archdiocese of New York announced on Monday that the Mass would be preceded by a two-hour show with prayer and devotional music performed by stars including Harry Connick Jr., Gloria Estefan and Jennifer Hudson.

And  

The show announced on Monday, called “A Journey in Faith,” will begin at 3 p.m. Among the other performers will be Kelli O’Hara, Martin Sheen, James (D Train) Williams and Norm Lewis. The Broadway Inspirational Voices, a Grammy-nominated gospel choir, and the St. Charles Borromeo Choir will also sing. The performance will include the recitation of the rosary and the sacrament of reconciliation. 

Whoa!!!!!  Who would have thought!  God is so good! 

 

 

I guess those are all Catholic entertainers.  I know Gloria Estafan, Harry Connick Jr., and Martin Sheen are.  I’ve never heard of Kelli O’Hara, James (D train) Williams, and Norm Lewis.  Obviously the St. Charles Borromeo Choir is Catholic.  Anyone heard of those people I don’t recognize? 

Now can you imagine some people have been so slimy as to do this: 

Last week, the city distributed 80,000 tickets to the procession through a lottery. (Some of those tickets have since turned up on eBay and Craigslist, where they are listed for hundreds of dollars. The scalping has been condemned by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, the archbishop of New York, and by city and state officials.) 

There’s just no accounting for people’s morals.  Anyway I feel so blessed to be able to attend.

Music Tuesday: “Hosanna to the Son of David” by Christopher Walker

In commemoration of Palm Sunday this past Sunday, I want to post this lovely hymn.  It’s a favorite of mine and this version might be the best.  I don’t know much about Christopher Walker but I came across his music and was impressed.