Full Homely Divinity's Advent Calendar

As always, FHD has something beautiful for the new season:

Finding ourselves a bit frustrated by Advent Calendars that are more about Christmas than Advent, we decided to try our hand at creating our own online Advent Calendar. The background for our calendar [below] is a Jesse Tree on an ivory panel from Bavaria, c. 1200, which is now at the Louvre Museum in Paris. (Click here for more information about this piece.) As is the case with most Advent calendars, ours begins on December 1st, rather than the First Sunday of Advent. That simply means that in some years you will have to start the calendar a day or two before Advent begins, while in other years, it will not have enough days. Click on the numbers to follow a link for each day of December leading up to Christmas. All of the numbers are linked, so you can jump ahead if you want, but we recommend discipline and doing one page a day. The Jesse Tree provides one of the themes of the project: the ancient faith history of the people of God as the forebears of the Messiah lived it. The calendar also looks forward to the culmination of God's plan at the end of time, linking the faith history of the past with John's grand apocalyptic vision in the Book of Revelation.

More about Advent on Full Homely Divinity:
                    
Rediscovering Advent                    
The Saints of Advent                       
Hymns of Advent             
A Devotion for the Last Days of  Advent

The readings from Scripture on the calendar are throughout from the Old Testament - Genesis through the Prophets - and Revelation.  Clearly the idea is to point to Christ as Alpha and Omega - and just at the time he enters the world to "consecrate it with his most loving presence."  Quite a wonderful way to move through Advent, I'd say.

The Hymns at the Lesser Hours: Prime V

This is the fifth and last post on the topic of the hymns at Prime; see Part I here, which describes the Office of Prime in a general way.  Part II is here; Part III here; Part IV here.

The following are the hymns listed for Prime, in  Hymn melodies for the whole year, from the Sarum service-books:

Daily throughout the year :-

Jam lucis orto sidere

    (1) On Sundays in Advent ... ... ... ... 24

(2) On all Ferias except in Paschal-tide ... ... 1

(3) On Xmas Day, Feasts of the  B.V. M.,  Dedication of a Church, Nativity of S. John Bapt, SS. Peter and Paul, Translation of S. Thomas, Abp., Feast of' Relics, S. Gregory, & S. Ambrose, (if they fall before Passion-tide), S. Augustin of England, if celebrated out of Paschal-tide, S. Augustin of Hippo, S. Michael & all Angels, S. Jerome, & Translation of S. Edward, K. Conf.  ... ... ... ... 3

(4) On the Feast of S. Stephen & the three days following, & on the Feasts of the Circumcision & of S. Vincent ... 27

(5) On the 6th day in the 8ve of Xmas & daily till the Vigil of Epiphany, and on the Vigil, (if it be a Sunday), & on all Feasts, except those of the lowest class, from the 8ve of Spiphany until the Purification of the B. V. M. ... ... ... ...26

(6) On the Vigils of Christmas & Epiphany (not being a Sunday), & on all Ferias & Vigils from Low Sunday to Ascension Day, & on the Vigil of Pentecost, & on all Simple Feasts of the lowest class throughout the year, & during 8ves. ... ... ... ...2

(7) On the Feast of Epiphany, the Sunday within the 8ve, & on the 8ve day ... ... ... ... ... ... 28

(8) On the remaining days of the 8ve ... ... ... 29

(9) On all Sundays from the 8ve of Epiphany until the 1st  Sunday in Lent, when the Service is of the Sunday ... ... 21

(10) On the 1st & 2пd Sundays in Lent ... ...  ... ...30

(11) On the 3d & 4th Sundays in Lent ... ...  ... ...33

(12) On Passion & Palm Sundays, & on Feasts of the Holy Cross  ... ...   ... ... 35

(13) On all Sundays from Low Sunday until Ascension Day, when the Service is of the Sunday ... ... ... ... 37

(14) On Ascension Day & daily until the Vigil of Pentecost, & on the Feast of Corpus Christi ... ... ... ... 41

(15) On Whitsun Day & daily until Trinity Sunday ...  ... ...42

(16) On Trinity Sunday & all following Sundays until Advent, when the Service is of the Sunday ... ... ... ... 43

(17) During the 8ve of the Dedication of a Church, & on all Feasts, except those of the lowest class, from the Purification of the B.V. M.. until Passiontide, & from Trinity until Advent ... ... ... 4

(18) On all Feasts of Apostles & Evangelists out of Xmas & Paschaltides, except SS. Peter & Paul  ... ... ... ...48

(19) During the 8ves of the Assumption & Nativity of the B.V.M.  ... ... ... ... 63

(20) On all Feasts of Saints occurring between Low Sunday & Ascension Day, except the Annunciation of our Lady ...  ... ...39

(21) On the Feast of All Saints  ... ... ... ...3 or 26

[At Christmas-tide (York) : Agnoscat omne seculum ... ... 55]

Iam lucis orto sidere is the one and only hymn prescribed for use at Prime; there are over twenty different melodies in the list above, though!  The melodies used for  Iam lucis orto sidere vary by feast and season - Sundays are counted this way too;  the hymn takes on a melody associated with the season or holy day in which it's sung.  (As you can see from the note above, Agnoscat omne seculum was used only in Christmastide at York; I go over that one just here in this post.)

This is TPL's entry for Iam lucis orto sidere; it's noted that "This 6th century hymn is used in the Roman Breviary at the Office of Prime. In the Liturgia Horarum it is found at Thursday Lauds for the second and fourth weeks of the Psalter during Ordinary time."   These are the words from that page, in Latin and English (translation by Alan G. McDougall (1895-1964)).

IAM lucis orto sidere,
Deum precemur supplices,
ut in diurnis actibus
nos servet a nocentibus.    

Linguam refrenans temperet,
ne litis horror insonet,
visum fovendo contegat,
ne vanitates hauriat.    

Sint pura cordis intima,
absistat et vecordia:
carnis terat superbiam
potus cibique parcitas.    

Ut cum dies abscesserit,
noctemque sors reduxerit,
mundi per abstinentiam
ipsi canamus gloriam.    

Deo Patri sit gloria,
eiusque soli Filio,
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
nunc et per omne saeculum.
Amen.    

NOW in the sun's new dawning ray,
lowly of heart, our God we pray
that He from harm may keep us free
in all the deeds this day shall see.

May fear of Him our tongues restrain,
lest strife unguarded speech should stain:
His favoring care our guardian be,
lest our eyes feed on vanity.

May every heart be pure from sin,
and folly find no place therein:
scant meed of food, excess denied,
wear down in us the body's pride

That when the light of day is gone,
and night in course shall follow on,
we, free from cares the world affords,
may chant the praises that is our Lord's.

All laud to God the Father be,
all praise, Eternal Son, to Thee;
|all glory, as is ever meet,
to God the Holy Paraclete.
Amen.

Here's the chant score for melody #39, used for  Iam lucis orto sidere "On  all Feasts of Saints occurring between Low Sunday & Ascension Day, except the Annunciation of our Lady":

This is the same melody used for the Sarum Mattins hymn, Aurora Lucis Rutilat ("The Day Draws on with Golden Light") (mp3 here); again the audio file comes from the LLPB.


Here's melody #3 again, one option for Iam lucis orto sidere "On the Feast of All Saints"

The other option for Iam lucis orto sidere "On the Feast of All Saints" is melody #26; this is the same melody used for the All Saints hymn at Lauds and 2nd Evensong, Christe, redemptor omnium, Conserva - which in turn is the same tune used for the Christmas Matins hymn, Christe, Redemptor omnium, De:

Here, from LLPB is an mp3 that matches this tune; it's called "Jesus, the Father's Only Son," and is listed as a "Hymn for the first Vespers of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord."



York, as usual, sings melody #55 for Prime in Christmastide; the melody is the same one used at all the other offices there:

I still don't have an audio file of this tune; sorry about that.  Will try to remedy as soon as I can.

The hymn itself come from a long Fortunatus hymn/poem, and I'm not quite sure which portion of it they sing for Prime, or whether it's sung in its entirety.  Herem againm is that entire poem/hymn from this book about the Christmas season by Dom Gueringer.

Agnoscat omne saeculum
Vemsse vitae praemium;
Post  hostis asperi jugum
Apparuit redemptio

Esaias quae cecinit
Complete sunt in Virgine
Annuntiavit Angelus
Sanctus replevit Spiritus.

Maria ventre concipit
Verbi fidelis semine:
Quem totus orbis non capit
Portant puellae viscera.

Radix Jesse floruit,
Et Virga fructum edidit;
Foecunda partum protulit,
Et Virgo mater permanet.

Praesepo poni pertulit
Qui lucis auctor exstitit,
am Patre coelos condidit,
Sub Matre pannos induit.

Legem dedit qui saeculo,
Cujus decem praecepta sunt,
Dignando factus est homo
Sub Legis esse vinculo.

Adam vetus quod polluit
Adam novus hoc abluit:
Tumens quod ille dejicit
Humiliimus hie erigit,

Jam nata lux est et salus,
Fugnta nox et victa mora,
Venite gentes, credite,
Deum Maria protulit. Amen.

Let all ages acknowledge  that he is come,
Who is the reward of life.
After mankind had carried the yoke of its cruel enemy
Our Redemption appeared.

What Isaias foretold,
has been fulfilled in the Virgin;
an Angel announced the mystery to her,
and the Holy Ghost filled her by his power.

Mary conceived in her womb,
for she believed in the word that was spoken to her:
the womb of a youthful maid holds Him,
whom the whole earth cannot contain.

The Root of Jesse has given its flower,
and the Branch has borne its fruit:
Mary has given birth to Jesus,
and the Mother is still the spotless Virgin.

He that created the light
suffers himself to be laid in a manger;
He that, with the Father, made the heavens,
is now wrapt by his Mother's hand in swaddling-clothes.

He that gave to the world the ten
commandments of the law, deigns,
by becoming Man, to be
Under the bond of the law.

What the old Adam defiled,
that the new Adam has purified;
and what the first cast down by his pride,
the second raised up again by his humility.

Light and salvation are now born to us,
night is driven away, and death is vanquished:
oh! come, all ye people, believe;
God is born of Mary. Amen.

Here's a peek-in to the SSM Breviary entry for Prime:

Richard Lloyd: Drop Down Ye Heavens (AKA "The Advent Prose")

The Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge sings this setting of the Advent text.



This text is commonly known as "The Advent Prose"; it's attributed to Prudentius.  Here is the full text:

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour forth righteousness: let the earth be fruitful, and bring forth a Saviour.

Be not very angry, O Lord, neither remember our iniquity for ever:
thy holy cities are a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation:
our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee.

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour forth righteousness: let the earth be fruitful, and bring forth a Saviour.

We have sinned, and are as an unclean thing,
and we all do fade as a leaf:
our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away;
thou hast hid thy face from us:
and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour forth righteousness: let the earth be fruitful, and bring forth a Saviour.

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen;
that ye may know me and believe me:
I, even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no Saviour:
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour forth righteousness: let the earth be fruitful, and bring forth a Saviour.

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, my salvation shall not tarry:
I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions:
fear not for I will save thee:
for I am the Lord thy god, the holy one of Israel, thy Redeemer.

This is the English version of the plainsong hymn:



And here's the chant score with Latin words, from the Liber Usualis:

 More about the "Advent Prose" from this page:

The Advent Prose is a series of texts adapted from the book of the prophet Isaiah, and said, or more usually sung, in churches during the season of Advent. In its Latin form, it is attributed to Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, who lived in the fourth century. The English translation is traditional. It is most common in high church Anglican or Roman Catholic churches, but no doubt known elsewhere as well. There are several ways of singing it, but a common one is for the Rorate section, shown here with emphasis to be sung as a chorus, and for the choir to take the verses, with the chorus alternating. Although the English text says 'Drop down, ye heavens...', the Latin verb rorare actually means 'to make or deposit dewdrops', a fact which evaded me when I first came to the piece. Similarly, justum in the second line means 'the just man', rather than 'righteousness'.

More about Rorate Coeli, from New Advent:

(Vulgate, text), the opening words of Isaiah 45:8. The text is used frequently both at Mass and in the Divine Office during Advent, as it gives exquisite poetical expression to the longings of Patriarchs and Prophets, and symbolically of the Church, for the coming of the Messias. Throughout Advent it occurs daily as the versicle and response at Vespers. For this purpose the verse is divided into the versicle, "Rorate coeli desuper et nubes pluant justum" (Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just), and the response: "Aperiatur terra et germinet salvatorem" (Let the earth be opened and send forth a Saviour"). The text is also used: (a) as the Introit for the Fourth Sunday in Advent, for Wednesday in Ember Week, for the feast of the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin, and for votive Masses of the Blessed Virgin during Advent; (b) as a versicle in the first responsory of Tuesday in the first week of Advent; (c) as the first antiphon at Lauds for the Tuesday preceding Christmas and the second antiphon at Matins of the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin; (d) in the second responsory for Friday of the third week of Advent and in the fifth responsory in Matins of the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin. In the "Book of Hymns" (Edinburgh, 1910), p. 4, W. Rooke-Ley translates the text in connection with the O Antiphons:

Mystic dew from heaven
Unto earth is given:
Break, O earth, a Saviour yield —
Fairest flower of the field".

The exquisite Introit plain-song may be found in in the various editions of the Vatican Graduale and the Solesmes "Liber Usualis", 1908, p. 125. Under the heading, "Prayer of the Churches of France during Advent", Dom Guéranger (Liturgical Year, Advent tr., Dublin, 1870, pp. 155-6) gives it as an antiphon to each of a series of prayers ("Ne irascaris", "Peccavimus", "Vide Domine", "Consolamini") expressive of penitence, expectation, comfort, and furnishes the Latin text and an English rendering of the Prayer. The Latin text and a different English rendering are also given in the Baltimore "Manual of Prayers" (pp. 603-4). A plain-song setting of the "Prayer", or series of prayers, is given in the Solesmes "Manual of Gregorian Chant" (Rome-Tournai, 1903, 313-5) in plain-song notation, and in a slightly simpler form in modern notation in the "Roman Hymnal" (New York, 1884, pp. 140-3), as also in "Les principaux chants liturgiques" (Paris, 1875, pp. 111-2) and 'IRecueil d'anciens et de nouveaux cantiques notés" (Paris, 1886, pp. 218-9).

For the Latin version, and some polyphonic settings, see these posts from previous years.

Chant from Solesmes, 1930

This is the "Monastic Choir of the Abbey of St. Pierre de Solesmes," singing a variety of chant from the liturgy (both the Mass and Office) - complete with scratchy-sounding vinyl.



This is from the YouTube page:

One LP of a two LP collection issued in the early 1960s on the RCA Victor Red Seal Collector's Issue label, catalogue number LCT-6011.

Images of the slipcase covers of what I believe are the original Decca recordings can be seen here: https://plus.google.com/108298623225603793041/posts/9bawRyCtPg8


Solesmes Abbey or St. Peter's Abbey, Solesmes (Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes) is a Benedictine monastery in Solesmes (Sarthe, France), famous as the source of the restoration of Benedictine monastic life in the country under Dom Prosper Guéranger after the French Revolution. It was originally founded in 1010 as a priory of the Benedictine Le Mans abbey. The abbey is noted for its crucial contribution to the advancement of the Roman Catholic liturgy and the revival of Gregorian chant. A documentary film on life at Solesmes was made in 2009 and focuses on the tradition of the chant at the monastery.

Here's Solesmes' website.

Seen and heard Sunday at Divine Service: Christ the King (November 24, 2013)

The white, high holy day vestments.

The wonderful collect:

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The absolutely splendid Gospel reading, perfect for this feast of ineffable mystery and beauty:

Luke 23:33-43

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

The Offertory:




And speaking of weeping at hymns:  I did, today, at the final words of the final hymn, "Crown him with many crowns."   The video below comes from Queen Elizabeth II's 50th Jubilee, and the reason for weeping is right there in the text.  It becomes very stark and clear when watching the video; it's exceedingly moving that the Queen, a "crowned head" herself, had made this choice:  "Crown Him the Lord of Lords, Who over all doth reign....."

It's good to know there are still people like her in the world.




You can get nine verses here (some of which are used in the video above), but we sing only these five:

Crown Him With Many Crowns

Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne;
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own;
awake, my soul, and sing of him
who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.

Crown him the Son of God
before the worlds began,
and ye, who tread where he hath trod,
crown him the Son of man;
who every grief hath known
that wrings the human breast,
and takes and bears them for his own,
that all in him may rest.

Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed over the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save;
his glories now we sing,
who died, and rose on high,
who died, eternal life to bring,
and lives that death may die.

Crown him of lords the Lord,
who over all doth reign,
who once on earth, the incarnate Word,
for ransomed sinners slain,
now lives in realms of light,
where saints with angels sing
their songs before him day and night,
their God, Redeemer, King.

Crown him the Lord of heaven,
enthroned in worlds above;
crown him the King,to whom is given,
the wondrous name of Love.
Crown him with many crowns,
as thrones before him fall,
crown him, ye kings, with many crowns,
for he is King of all.

Not heard today, but why not post this video of the wonderful Dutch carol, "King Jesus Hath a Garden," anyway - just for the joy of it?

1. King Jesus hath a garden, full of divers flowers,
Where I go culling posies gay, all times and hours.

Refrain:
There naught is heard but Paradise bird,
Harp, dulcimer, lute,
With cymbal, trump and tymbal,
And the tender, soothing flute.

2. The Lily, white in blossom there, is Chastity:
The Violet, with sweet perfume, Humility. Refrain


3. The bonny Damask-rose is known as Patience:
The blithe and thrifty Marygold, Obedience. Refrain


4. The Crown Imperial bloometh too in yonder place,
'Tis Charity, of stock divine, the flower of grace. Refrain


5. Yet, 'mid the brave, the bravest prize of all may claim
The Star of Bethlem-Jesus-bless'd be his Name! Refrain


6. Ah! Jesu Lord, my heal and weal, my bliss complete,
Make thou my heart thy garden-plot, fair, trim and neat. Refrain

Anglicans Online offers a fantastic meditation on what it calls, aptly, "one of the richest days of the liturgical year."   Here's the last part of it - but I definitely advise reading the whole thing:

The lifetime of every reader of Anglicans Online has been a period in which every sort of ideology has been substituted for the kingdom of God, by Christians no less than by others. We have seen capitalism, communism, racism, sexism, absolutism, bullionism (our favourite), spiritualism, nationalism and even mechanism fail to meet completely the needs of the human soul. Our Christian faith is that the reign of Jesus Christ in the kingdom of God does meet every need of our souls and our societies; the reign of Christ is in our hearts and in our actions, not in our forebears' misunderstanding of a King Jesus who would overthrow the Romans. This instead is the kingdom of God described by our Lord:

Then the king will say [...], 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.'

This parable teaches us that Christ the King reigns when he reigns within us.

Christ reigns in weakness from the Cross itself, in weakness transformed into power and beauty through forgiveness and self-offering.

Christ reigns in joy from the time of his first miracle, in joy made ever new through food and wine and song.

Christ reigns in poverty begun in his childhood in Nazareth, in poverty without earthly power but with dignity and honor and kin.

Christ reigns in service from the time of his last supper, in service like the washing of feet and the clothing of the naked and the feeding of the poor.

Christ reigns in teaching from the beginning of his ministry, in teaching that nourishes every mind and heart open to it.

Christ reigns in learning from his childhood, in learning through which he grew and changed, and we do, too.

Christ reigns in sorrow, in sorrow so deep that no pain of ours is beyond his sympathy and empathy.

Christ reigns in quiet and calm, in 'the silence of eternity, interpreted by love'.

Christ reigns in love itself, in love made perfect in every firm and gentle act of a father for his daughter, of a priest for a penitent, of a friend for a friend, of a labourer for her family, of a professor for his students, of a cook for them who will eat, of a doctor for such as need care, of a poet who feeds our hearts, of a builder who keeps rain and snow from our mortal frames, of an altar guild member who has washed and ironed linens for 50 years, of a human feeding an animal, of a farmer who tends the plants that give us nutrition, of a cleaner who keeps us safe from infection of mind or body. Christ reigns in love as care takes place and increases among all of God's creatures, and as wickedness and selfishness and confusion are banished from our motives.

Christ is king when he reigns in our hearts.

See you next week. Advent is upon us!

Veni Redemptor gentium (Andrew Smith / New York Polyphony)

Wow.  Here's New York Polyphony singing Andrew Smith's gorgeous setting of this Advent/Christmas office hymn.  Stunning, as always.



The lyrics here alternate, Latin then English - but here are all the original Latin words:

VENI, redemptor gentium, ostende partum Virginis; miretur omne saeculum: talis decet partus Deum.
Non ex virili semine, sed mystico spiramine Verbum Dei factum est caro fructusque ventris floruit.
Alvus tumescit Virginis, claustrum pudoris permanet, vexilla virtutum micant, versatur in templo Deus.
Procedat e thalamo suo, pudoris aula regia, geminae gigas substantiae alacris ut currat viam.
Aequalis aeterno Patri, carnis tropaeo cingere, infirma nostri corporis virtute firmans perpeti.
Praesepe iam fulget tuum lumenque nox spirat novum, quod nulla nox interpolet fideque iugi luceat.
Sit, Christe, rex piissime, tibi Patrique gloria cum Spiritu Paraclito, in sempiterna saecula. Amen.

---

From the YouTube page:

Veni Redemptor gentium - Andrew Smith (b. 1970)
Performed by New York Polyphony
Images from Robert Greene's "Snow Study/Weather Control"
© 2010 Prewar Cinema http://www.prewarcinema.com

This track is featured on the Avie Records release 'I sing the birth' Ⓟ & ©

New York Polyphony Available on:

Amazon - http://amzn.to/1g9qrdI
iTunes - http://bit.ly/18zVf5O
and most other online music retailers

For more information, please visit:

http://www.newyorkpolyphony.com
http://www.facebook.com/newyorkpolyphony

The Hymns at the Lesser Hours: Prime IV

This is the fifth and last post on the topic of the hymns at Prime; see Part I here, which describes the Office of Prime in a general way.  Part II is here; Part III here; Part IV here.


The following are the hymns listed for Prime, in  Hymn melodies for the whole year, from the Sarum service-books:

Daily throughout the year :-

Jam lucis orto sidere

    (1) On Sundays in Advent ... ... ... ... 24

(2) On all Ferias except in Paschal-tide ... ... 1

(3) On Xmas Day, Feasts of the  B.V. M.,  Dedication of a Church, Nativity of S. John Bapt, SS. Peter and Paul, Translation of S. Thomas, Abp., Feast of' Relics, S. Gregory, & S. Ambrose, (if they fall before Passion-tide), S. Augustin of England, if celebrated out of Paschal-tide, S. Augustin of Hippo, S. Michael & all Angels, S. Jerome, & Translation of S. Edward, K. Conf.  ... ... ... ... 3

(4) On the Feast of S. Stephen & the three days following, & on the Feasts of the Circumcision & of S. Vincent ... 27

(5) On the 6th day in the 8ve of Xmas & daily till the Vigil of Epiphany, and on the Vigil, (if it be a Sunday), & on all Feasts, except those of the lowest class, from the 8ve of Spiphany until the Purification of the B. V. M. ... ... ... ...26

(6) On the Vigils of Christmas & Epiphany (not being a Sunday), & on all Ferias & Vigils from Low Sunday to Ascension Day, & on the Vigil of Pentecost, & on all Simple Feasts of the lowest class throughout the year, & during 8ves. ... ... ... ...2

(7) On the Feast of Epiphany, the Sunday within the 8ve, & on the 8ve day ... ... ... ... ... ... 28

(8) On the remaining days of the 8ve ... ... ... 29

(9) On all Sundays from the 8ve of Epiphany until the 1st  Sunday in Lent, when the Service is of the Sunday ... ... 21

(10) On the 1st & 2пd Sundays in Lent ... ...  ... ...30

(11) On the 3d & 4th Sundays in Lent ... ...  ... ...33

(12) On Passion & Palm Sundays, & on Feasts of the Holy Cross  ... ...   ... ... 35

(13) On all Sundays from Low Sunday until Ascension Day, when the Service is of the Sunday ... ... ... ... 37

(14) On Ascension Day & daily until the Vigil of Pentecost, & on the Feast of Corpus Christi ... ... ... ... 41

(15) On Whitsun Day & daily until Trinity Sunday ...  ... ...42

(16) On Trinity Sunday & all following Sundays until Advent, when the Service is of the Sunday ... ... ... ... 43

(17) During the 8ve of the Dedication of a Church, & on all Feasts, except those of the lowest class, from the Purification of the B.V. M.. until Passiontide, & from Trinity until Advent ... ... ... 4

(18) On all Feasts of Apostles & Evangelists out of Xmas & Paschaltides, except SS. Peter & Paul  ... ... ... ...48

(19) During the 8ves of the Assumption & Nativity of the B.V.M.  ... ... ... ... 63

(20) On all Feasts of Saints occurring between Low Sunday & Ascension Day, except the Annunciation of our Lady ...  ... ...39

(21) On the Feast of All Saints  ... ... ... ...3 or 26

[At Christmas-tide (York) : Agnoscat omne seculum ... ... 55]

Iam lucis orto sidere is the one and only hymn prescribed for use at Prime; there are over twenty different melodies in the list above, though!  The melodies used for  Iam lucis orto sidere vary by feast and season - Sundays are counted this way too;  the hymn takes on a melody associated with the season or holy day in which it's sung.  (As you can see from the note above, Agnoscat omne seculum was used only in Christmastide at York; I'll go over that one just briefly at the end.)

This is TPL's entry for Iam lucis orto sidere; it's noted that "This 6th century hymn is used in the Roman Breviary at the Office of Prime. In the Liturgia Horarum it is found at Thursday Lauds for the second and fourth weeks of the Psalter during Ordinary time."   These are the words from that page, in Latin and English (translation by Alan G. McDougall (1895-1964)).

IAM lucis orto sidere,
Deum precemur supplices,
ut in diurnis actibus
nos servet a nocentibus.    

Linguam refrenans temperet,
ne litis horror insonet,
visum fovendo contegat,
ne vanitates hauriat.    

Sint pura cordis intima,
absistat et vecordia:
carnis terat superbiam
potus cibique parcitas.    

Ut cum dies abscesserit,
noctemque sors reduxerit,
mundi per abstinentiam
ipsi canamus gloriam.    

Deo Patri sit gloria,
eiusque soli Filio,
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
nunc et per omne saeculum.
Amen.    

NOW in the sun's new dawning ray,
lowly of heart, our God we pray
that He from harm may keep us free
in all the deeds this day shall see.

May fear of Him our tongues restrain,
lest strife unguarded speech should stain:
His favoring care our guardian be,
lest our eyes feed on vanity.

May every heart be pure from sin,
and folly find no place therein:
scant meed of food, excess denied,
wear down in us the body's pride

That when the light of day is gone,
and night in course shall follow on,
we, free from cares the world affords,
may chant the praises that is our Lord's.

All laud to God the Father be,
all praise, Eternal Son, to Thee;
|all glory, as is ever meet,
to God the Holy Paraclete.
Amen.

Here is the chant score used for Iam lucis orto sidere "On Ascension Day & daily un the Vigil of Pentecost, & on the Feast of Corpus Christi":

This is the same tune used for Aeterne Rex altissime at Ascension Evensong.  Here is an mp3 file of that hymn, called "a Hymn for First Vespers of the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord," by the Lutheran Liturgical Prayer Brotherhood. 


Here is the chant score used for Iam lucis orto sidere "On Whitsun Day & daily until Trinity Sunday":

 
This is the same tune prescribed for the 1st Vespers and Mattins Pentecost hymn, Jam Christus astra ascenderat.  The Lutheran Liturgical Prayer Brotherhood has that one in English as "When Christ Our Lord Had Passed Once More" (mp3).


Here's the chant score used for Iam lucis orto sidere "On Trinity Sunday  & all following Sundays until Advent, when the Service is of the Sunday":

This is the same melody prescribed for Adesto, sancta Trinitas, the hymn for Evensong & Mattins in the Trinity Office.   Here's an mp3 of the St. David's Compline choir (of Austin, TX) singing Adesto, sancta Trinitas to melody #43.   The Lutheran Liturgical Prayer Brotherhood also offers an mp3, using the same melody.


Here is the chant score for melody #4 - another tune used at Prime and at no other time; it's used for Iam lucis orto sidere "During the 8ve of the Dedication of a Church, & on all Feasts, except those of the lowest class, from the Purification of the B.V. M.. until Passiontide, & from Trinity until Advent":

This is one of the four Prime hymn melodies I haven't found recordings for - but I'll again offer the three alternative possibilities I've offered before.

First, here's the entry for Iam lucis orto sidere at The Liber Hynarius Wiki (click the download arrow to open the sound file):

Iam lucis orto sidere (saec. VIII ?)
Meter: 8.8.8.8
Melody: e c d f ef g f e

•   H.IV, p. 233

Giovanni Vianini offers this Ambrosian version of the hymn,



As well as this one, sung to the melody from the Liber Usualis.






Melody #48 is used "On all Feasts of Apostles & Evangelists out of Xmas & Paschaltides, except SS. Peter & Paul":

This is the same melody used on feasts of Apostles & Evangelists at Lauds; I have no sound file for melody #48 so far.


Here is the chant score for melody #63, used for Iam lucis orto sidere   "During the 8ves of the Assumption & Nativity of the B.V.M."

This melody is used for Quem terra, pontus, ethera, the Mattins and Lauds hymn on Assumption, and at Mattins on Purification (Candlemas).   Here's an mp3 of that hymn sung to melody #63; it's LLPB's English version of "The God Whom Earth and Sea and Sky."


Here's a peek-in to the SSM Breviary entry for Prime: