O Sacrum Convivium
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O Sacrum Convivium is a Latin prose text honoring the Blessed Sacrament. It was written by Saint Thomas Aquinas. It was included in the Catholic liturgy as an antiphon on the feast of Corpus Christi. Its sentiments express the profound mystery of the Eucharistic miracle: "O sacred banquet at which Christ is consumed, the memory of his Passion is recalled, our souls are filled with grace, and the pledge of future glory is given to us."[1]
Contents |
[edit] Text
- Original Latin (punctuation from Liber Usualis)
- O sacrum convivium!
- in quo Christus sumitur:
- recolitur memoria passionis ejus:
- mens impletur gratia:
- et futurae gloriae nobis pignus datur,
- Alleluia.
- Translation of original Latin
- How holy is this feast
- in which Christ is our food:
- his passion is recalled,
- grace fills our hearts,
- and we recive a pledge of the glory to come.
- Alleluia.[2]
[edit] Various settings
O Sacrum Convivium has been arranged into a Gregorian and an Ambrosian chant. These composers have created their own versions as well.
- Ludovico da Viadana
- Gregor Aichinger
- William Byrd
- Luca Marenzio
- Tomas Luis de Victoria
- Francisco Guerrero
- Giuseppe Antonio Bernabei
- Andrea Gabrieli
- Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
- Giovanni Croce
- Douglas Brooks-Davies
- Thomas Tallis
- Giovanni Paolo Cima
- Lorenzo Perosi
- Francisco Valls[3]
- Javier Busto
- Olivier Messiaen
- Noel Goemanne
- Matthew Harris
- Kenneth Leighton
- Peter Mathews
- Francisco J. Nunez
- Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
- Hendrik Andriessen
- Don Michael Dice
- Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck[4]
- Roberto Remondi[5]
[edit] James Biery
James Biery's setting of O Sacrum Convivium was written for the Cathedral of St. Joseph Parish, Hartford, Connecticut, the Reverend Christie A. Macaluso, Pastor. It is for an a cappella, SATB choir and features a new English text by Marilyn Biery:
- O Christ, come and dwell within
- through this sacred mystery;
- we celebrate the memory of your holy Passion!
- Jesus' love enfolds our hearts.
- We receive your covenant of eternal glory.
- Alleluia.[2]
[edit] Eugene E. Englert
Eugene Englert, a prominent American composer living in Cincinnati, Ohio, has set the text in his own traditional and slightly chromatic style. Beginning quietly, the SATB motet builds with each phrase, reaching a climax on the word "gloriae" before a series of "Alleluias" and a calm pianissimo ending.[1]
[edit] Roger T. Petrich
Petrich's setting of O Sacrum Convivium is a cappella communion motet. It is cast in a serious contemporary idiom, but its restrained dissonances are carefully controlled and voiced to keep the work within the reach of practically any four-part choir.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Englert's O Sacrum Convivium. Retrieved on December 13, 2006.
- ^ a b (1995) in James Biery: O Sacrum Convivium. Morning Star Music Publishers.
- ^ O Sacrum Convivium at cpdl. Retrieved on March 24, 2007.
- ^ O Sacrum Convivium at sheetmuicplus.com. Retrieved on March 25, 2007.
- ^ Remondi's O Sacrum Convivium. Retrieved on March 24, 2007.
- ^ Petrich's O Sacrum Convivium. Retrieved on December 13, 2006.
