October 18: St. Luke Evangelist, Part 2

From Part 1:

Hymn Melodies for the whole year from the Sarum service books lists a variety of hymns to be sung on the feast days of Apostles and Evangelists, and the LLPB provides two mp3s that match up with Hymn Melodies for the whole year. First, the hymn listed for Lauds and Evening Prayer (using two different tunes): "Let the Round World With Songs Rejoice" (mp3), which in Latin is Exultet caelum laudibus. Here is the chant score for this melody, the one listed for Evensong:




And here are the words used here:

Let the round world with songs rejoice;
let heaven return the joyful voice;
all mindful of the Apostles' fame,
let heaven and earth their praise proclaim.

Ye servants who once bore the light
of Gospel truth o'er heathen night,
still may your work that light impart,
to glad our eyes and cheer our heart.

O God, by whom to them was given
the key that shuts and opens heaven,
our chains unbind, our loss repair,
and grant us grace to enter there;

for at thy will they preached the word
which cured disease, which health conferred:
O may that healing power once more
our souls to grace and health restore:

that when thy Son again shall come,
and speak the world's unerring doom,
he may with them pronounce us blessed,
and place us in thy endless rest.

To thee, O Father; Son, to thee;
to thee, blessed Spirit, glory be!
So was it ay for ages past,
so shall through endless ages last.

Second, "The Eternal Gifts of Christ the King" (mp3); in Latin, this is Aeterna Christi Munera. I've linked to the St. David's Compline Choir version of this before; here it is again. Here's the chant score:




The words used on this mp3 are in the 1982 Hymnal at #233, and originally come from the 1940 hymnal, it says; here's a translation by J.M. Neale of the original words from Ambrose; this isn't the exact version used on the audio file.

The eternal gifts of Christ the King,
the apostles' glory, let us sing,
and all, with hearts of gladness, raise
due hymns of thankful love and praise.

For they the Church's princes are,
triumphant leaders in the war,
in heavenly courts a warrior band,
true lights to lighten every land.

Theirs is the steadfast faith of saints,
and hope that never yields nor faints;
and love of Christ in perfect glow
that lays the prince of this world low.

In them the Father's glory shone,
in them the will of God the Son,
in them exults the Holy Ghost,
through them rejoice the heavenly host.

To thee, Redeemer, now we cry,
that thou wouldst join to them on high
thy servants, who this grace implore,
for ever and for evermore.

Here is the version from my sources, which I had not been able to identify until now - but in fact, this is Annue, Christe, the hymn listed at Hymn melodies for the whole year for Mattins and 1st Evensong:



I don't have an audio file for this one, but you can hear a bit of it at this page, listed as #6. It's very pretty, and if I find an mp3 I'll certainly come back and post it.

For more, see Hymnody: Apostles and Evangelists

Here are the mass chants from the Brazilian Benedictines:

S. Lucæ, Evangelistæ
Introitus: Ps. 138, 17 et 1 Mihi autem (1m04.7s - 1017 kb) 
Graduale: Ps. 18, 5. V. 2 In omnem terram (2m39.2s - 1089 kb MONO) 
Alleluia: Io. 15, 16 Ego vos elegi (3m31.1s - 3301 kb) 
Offertorium: Ps. 138, 17 Mihi autem nimis (1m32.8s - 1457 kb) 
Communio: Mt. 19, 28 Vos qui secuti estis me (22.9s - 359 kb)
                         vel
                  Mt. 19, 28 Vos qui secuti estis me (altera melodia) (not yet available)
 

Now, for something a  bit different:   this is Peter Abelard's hymn for Lauds of Evangelists:

Eunt cum illis euntibus
Atque stant rotae cum stantibus,
Levantur cum se levantibus,
Cum iis vitae sit spiritus.

Pedes eorum pedes recti,
Plantaque pedis ut vituli,
Tamquam ex aere sint candenti,
Scintillae visae sunt progredi.

Carbonum instar ardentium,
Lampadum habent splendentium,
In modum visa micantium
Ire, redire sunt fulgurum.

Gloria patri et filio
Spirituique paraclito,
Uni tam Deo quam Domino,
Cum sint personae tres numero.

Google Translate says:

They went with them as they were going
And are standing with wheels that stand
To lift up with themselves,
With them is the spirit of life.

Their feet are upright feet;
Plantaque foot to the calf,
As being of bronze shining,
Sparks were seen advancing.

As coal blazing,
Their lamps are radiant
It seemed like the glittering
To return lightnings.

Glory to the Father and the Son
Spirit Comforter;
One in both the Lord and the Lord,
Since there are three persons in number.

Three hymns for 3 Nocturnes of Matins are also listed - I may look at these in another post - and as always, I wish I knew what music there might have been for them.

Here are the texts for versions of the Troparion and Kontakion for St. Luke from this page at the OCA site:

Apostle and Evangelist Luke

Troparion - Tone 5

Let us praise with sacred songs the holy Apostle Luke,
the recorder of the joyous Gospel of Christ
and the scribe of the Acts of the Apostles,
for his writings are a testimony of the Church of Christ:
He is the physician of human weaknesses and infirmities.
He heals the wounds of our souls,
and constantly intercedes for our salvation!

Kontakion - Tone 2

Let us praise the godly Luke:
he is the true preacher of piety,
the orator of ineffable mysteries
and the star of the Church;
for the Word, Who alone knows the hearts of men,
chose him, together with wise Paul, to be a teacher of the gentiles!

Unfortunately, I can't find music online for these; really too bad.  If I come up with something, I'll be back to add it.

There are a couple of chant scores (PDF) from the AOCANA site - here ("Troparion sung on October 18th.  This is a special troparion in Tone 5 for St. Luke himself.") and here ("Troparion sung on October 18th.  This is the traditional troparion in Tone 3 for the Apostles.")

And here's a lovely video from St. Luke's College of Nursing in Quezon City, Philippines. ("The St. Luke's Hymn of St. Luke's College of Nursing, Trinity University of Asia (formerly known as St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing during the early 1900's).")



Here's a fantastic St. Luke by Simone Martini (c. 1284–1344)!