Good Friday: The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, according to St. John

In Latin, with the English translation scrolling at left.

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:

Good Friday: Tenebrae Factae Sunt

Tenebrae Factae Sunt is the fifth of the nine responsories for Matins of Good Friday.

 

From CPDL:

A responsory is a sung response to a Scripture reading. It has two parts: a respond and a versicle. After the versicle (indicated below by V. and usually sung by a single voice or a smaller group), the second part of the respond is repeated.

Tenebrae factae sunt, dum crucifixissent Jesum Judaei: et circa horam nonam exclamavit Jesus voce magna: Deus meus, ut quid me dereliquisti?

Et inclinato capite, emisit spiritum.

V. Exclamans Jesus voce magna ait: Pater, in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum.

Et inclinato capite, emisit spiritum.


There was darkness over the earth when the Judaeans crucified Jesus: and about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.

V. Jesus cried with a loud voice and said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.

And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.

The Maundy Thursday Offertory: Ubi Caritas

The Offertory for the Maundy Thursday Evening Mass (Missa Vespertina in Cena Domini) is Ubi Caritas - "Where Love is, there is God." This is one of the few chants not based directly on Scripture, and for most of its history, it was used as one of the antiphons for the footwashing rite at the Maundy Thursday Eucharist. (It was assigned by the Roman Catholic Missal as the Offertory only in 1970.)



Here's the chant score, with the Latin text and one English translation below. (There are differences in the Latin text, according to manuscript used; one version has Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est ("Where Love and Charity are, there is God"), and another version - the one given below - has Ubi caritas est vera, Deus ibi est. ("Where Charity is true, there is God").)

Ubi caritas est vera, Deus ibi est.

Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.

Exultemus, et in ipso jucundemur.

Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.

Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.

Simul ergo cum in unum congregamur:

Ne nos mente dividamur, caveamus.

Cessent iurgia maligna, cessent lites.

Et in medio nostri sit Christus Deus.

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.

Simul quoque cum beatis videamus,

Glorianter vultum tuum, Christe Deus:

Gaudium quod est immensum, atque probum,

Saecula per infinita saeculorum. Amen.

Where charity and love are, God is there.

Christ's love has gathered us into one.

Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.

Let us fear, and let us love the living God.

And may we love each other with a sincere heart.

Where charity and love are, God is there.

As we are gathered into one body,

Beware, lest we be divided in mind.

Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease,

And may Christ our God be in our midst.

Where charity and love are, God is there.

And may we with the saints also,

See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God:

The joy that is immense and good,

Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen.

Here's Marucie Durufle's choral version, hewing closely to the Gregorian chant melody, sung by the King's College Choir:



This is Morten Lauridsen's lovely version, via the "Poznan Chamber Choir, Dir.: Bartosz Michalowski at 11th International Chamber Choir Competition Marktoberdorf 2009":




Here, 'Composer/pianist Ola Gjeilo joins the CWU Chamber Choir (Gary Weidenaar, director) in presenting Gjeilo's "Ubi Caritas"':



And here is the Taize version of this song:



Here's a post on the Introit for today, Nos autem gloriari (also used on Holy Cross Day), and another on all the chants for today.

Palestrina's "Lamentations of Jeremiah"

Via the Hilliard Ensemble; lovely. The Lamentations are sung in plainchant as part of Holy Week's Office of Tenebrae, sung at Mattins and Lauds on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday; see Breviary.net for the full Office, beginning with Maundy Thursday.  (Here is the Episcopal Church's liturgy for the single-service version of Tenebrae, from The Book of Occasional Services.)

The Palestrina here is broken into the three videos below, as the Lamentations would be sung at the three separate services (although a few sections are missing here); the YouTube blurb is below each video, and the complete Lamentations in English at the end of the post.

Incipit : Aleph : Beth (Maundy Thursday, Lesson 1)

Incipit lamentatio Ieremiae prophetae.

ALEPH Quomodo sedet sola civitas plena populo: Facta est quasi vidua domina Gentium: Princeps provinciarum facta est sub tributo.

BETH Plorans ploravit in nocte, et lacrimae eius in maxillis eius: Non est qui consoletur eam ex omnibus caris eius: Omnes amici eius spreverunt eam, et facti sunt ei inimici.

Ierusalem, Ierusalem, convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum.

Heth : Teth : Iod (Good Friday, Lesson 1)

HETH Cogitavit Dominus dissipare murum filiae Sion: tetendit funiculum suum, et non avertit manum suam a perdtione: Iuxitque antemuraele, et murus pariter dissipatus est.

TETH Defixae sunt in terra portae eius: perdidit, et contrivit vectes eius: Regem eius et principes eius in gentibus: non est lex, et prophetae eius non invenerunt visionem a Domino.

IOD Sederunt in terra, conticuerunt senes filiae Sion: consperserunt cinere capita sua, accincti sunt ciliciis, abiecerunt in terram capita sua virgines Iuda.

Ierusalem, Ierusalem, convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum.

Lamed : Mem : Nun (Good Friday, Lesson 2)

LAMED Matribus suis dixerunt: Ubi est triticum et vinum? Cum deficerent quasi vulnerati in plateis civitatis: cum exhalarent animas suas in sinu matrum suarum.

MEM Cu comparabo te? Vel cui assimilabo te, filia Ierusalem? Cui exaequabo te, et consolabor te, virgo filia Sion? Magna est enim velut mare contritio tua: quis medebitur tui?

NUN Prophetae tui viderunt tibi falsa et stulta, nec aperiebant iniquitatem tuam, ut te ad paenitentiam provocarent: viderunt autem tibi assumptiones falsas, et eiectiones.

Ierusalem, Ierusalem, convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum.

 Here are the Lamentations in English (taken from the St. Thomas leaflet).  The initial words (Aleph, Beth, Ghimel, etc.), are letters of the Hebrew alphabet; Lamentations make up another Biblical acrostic.

LESSON 1 Lamentations of Jeremiah 1:1-14

Aleph. How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! She that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

Beth. She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

Ghimel. Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.

Daleth. The ways of Sion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

He. Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return unto the Lord thy God!


LESSON 2

Vau. From the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

Zain. Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries, all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hands of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.

Heth. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

Teth. Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down  wonderfully: she had no comforter: O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return unto the Lord thy God!


LESSON 3

Jod. The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things; for she hath seen that  the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.

Caph. All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to  relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile.

Lamed. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto  my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce  anger.

Mem. From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread  a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

Nun. The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon  my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return unto the Lord thy God!

From Saint Thomas Church: The Office of Tenebrae

Saint Thomas Church will webcast the Office of Tenebrae this evening at 5:30; this is always a stunningly beautiful service.  [EDIT:  That link is from last year, but you can now listen to St. Thomas' 2013 Tenebrae, sung on March 27.]

This service anticipates the monastic offices for the last three days of Holy Week. Tenebrae means "shadows" and refers to the gradual extinguishing of candles and lights as the service proceeds, until only one candle remains.

As the people enter the church before the service begins, they see in the chancel seven candles glowing brightly. The altar candles, too, are lit, though the candles are made of non-bleached beeswax, just as we use at funerals.

The Order of Service proceeds as follows:

The ministers enter in silence and proceed to their places. Three acolytes, who at almost all other services would be carrying a cross and two torches, walk ahead of the ministers, empty-handed.


The choir and cantors then progress through a series of antiphons and Psalms. At the end of Psalm 69, the first candle is extinguished. At the end of Psalm 70, the second. At the end of the Psalm 74, the third. As each candle is snuffed out, the lights high above the congregation are dimmed a bit more.

Then comes a period where the lights remain as they are: the Lord's Prayer is said, and a series of three lessons and three responsories are sung.

This is followed by the Lauds, another series of antiphons and Psalms during which three more candles are extinguished (after Psalm 63, after the Song of Moses, and after Psalm 150). Now, the nave of the church is very near dark, as the lights have been dimmed even further.

Near the end of the canticle, acolytes emerge to extinguish the altar candles, leaving only the seventh candle lit.

During the repetition of the antiphon after the canticle, the Verger climbs a ladder, removes the candle, and as the choir sings the motet, she takes it toward the High Altar, through the Sanctuary gate, and then hides it in a small room hidden behind the door to the north side of the High Altar.

The congregation says the Lord's Prayer and the choir sings the Miserere.

The Officiant says a prayer and adds (whispering to himself under his breath): "...who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

A loud sound fills the church. Christ is dead. The organ is outraged; the choristers beat their books against their stalls.

Then, in complete silence, the candle emerges from its hiding place. It is returned to its place high above the chancel. By its light all leave in silence.

Officiant:	Fr Mead
Sung by:	The Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys
Psalms for Tenebrae:	Plainsong
The Lamentations of Jeremiah:	Plainsong
Christus factus est:	Felice Anerio, (c. 1560-1614)
Miserere mei, Deus:	Gregorio Allegri (1582-1652)

Here's the service leaflet, in PDF.

Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder (Bach Cantata BWV 135)

Heard this premiered last night at Bach Vespers. The Cantata was written for the Third Sunday after Trinity, but works well for Palm Sunday; the final movement is the tune used for the Holy Week hymn "O Sacred Head, Sore Wounded."  And let me again say how great the singing is at Holy Trinity; Lutherans can really rock the joint!



Here's the text and translation from Bach-Cantatas.com:

1. Chorus [Verse 1] (S, A, T, B)

Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder
Straf nicht in deinem Zorn,
Dein' ernsten Grimm doch linder,
Sonst ist's mit mir verlorn.
Ach Herr, wollst mir vergeben
Mein Sünd und gnädig sein,
Dass ich mag ewig leben,
Entfliehn der Höllenpein.

2. Recit. (T)

Ach heile mich, du Arzt der Seelen,
Ich bin sehr krank und schwach;
Man möchte die Gebeine zählen,
So jämmerlich hat mich mein Ungemach,
Mein Kreuz und Leiden zugericht;
Das Angesicht Ist ganz von Tränen aufgeschwollen,
Die, schnellen Fluten gleich, von Wangen abwärts rollen.
Der Seele ist von Schrecken angst und bange;
Ach, du Herr, wie so lange?

3. Aria (T)

Tröste mir, Jesu, mein Gemüte,
Sonst versink ich in den Tod,
Hilf mir, hilf mir durch deine Güte
Aus der großen Seelennot!
Denn im Tod ist alles stille,
Da gedenkt man deiner nicht.
Liebster Jesu, ist's dein Wille,
So erfreu mein Angesicht!

4. Recit. (A)

Ich bin von Seufzen müde,
Mein Geist hat weder Kraft noch Macht,
Weil ich die ganze Nacht
Oft ohne Seelenruh und Friede
In großem Schweiß und Tränen liege.
Ich gräme mich fast tot und bin vor Trauern alt,
Denn meine Angst ist mannigfalt.

5. Aria (B)

Weicht, all ihr Übeltäter,
Mein Jesus tröstet mich!
    Er lässt nach Tränen und nach Weinen
    Die Freudensonne wieder scheinen;
    Das Trübsalswetter ändert sich,
    Die Feinde müssen plötzlich fallen
    Und ihre Pfeile rückwärts prallen.

6. Chorale [Verse 6] (S, A, T, B)

Ehr sei ins Himmels Throne
Mit hohem Ruhm und Preis
Dem Vater und dem Sohne
Und auch zu gleicher Weis
Dem Heilgen Geist mit Ehren
In alle Ewigkeit,
Der woll uns all'n bescheren
Die ewge Seligkeit.

1. Chorus [Verse 1] (S, A, T, B)

Ah Lord, me a poor sinner
Blame not within thy wrath;
Thy solemn rage yet soften,
Else is my hope forlorn.
Ah Lord, may'st thou forgive me
My sin and mercy send,
That I have life eternal
And flee the pain of hell.

2. Recit. (T)

Ah, heal me now, thou soul's physician,
I am so ill and weak;
One could in truth my bones all number,
So grievously have this my toil and woe,
My cross and sorrow dealt with me;
My countenance
Is full of tears and now all swollen;
Like rapid streams they are, which down my cheeks are rolling.
My soul is now with terror torn and anxious;
Ah, thou Lord, why this waiting?

3. Aria (T)

Comfort me, Jesus, in my spirit,
Or I'll sink now into death;
Lift me, lift me through thy dear kindness
From my spirit's great distress.
For in death is nought but stillness,
Where for thee no thought is given.
Dearest Jesus, if it please thee,
Fill with joy my countenance!

4. Recit. (A)

I am from sighing weary,
My soul hath neither strength nor might,
For I the whole night through,
Oft lacking peace of mind and calmness,
In copious sweat and tears am lying.
I fear nigh unto death and am with mourning old,
For my great fear is manifold.

5. Aria (B)

Yield, all ye evildoers,
My Jesus comforts me!

He brings, when past are tears and weeping,
The sun of joy once more its radiance;
The storms of sadness are transformed,
The enemy must sudden perish
And their own darts recoil against them.

6. Chorale [Verse 6] (S, A, T, B)

In heaven's throne be glory
With lofty fame and praise
To Son and to the Father
As well in equal wise
To Holy Ghost with honor
For all eternity,
Who shall us all let share in
Eternal blessedness. 

Palm Sunday and sung Passion, from Trinity Wall Street

This starts with the Procession coming into the church - certainly a good public witness in Manhattan. (Perhaps they begin at St. Paul's Chapel? Not sure.)

And , with procession music and a sung Passion they've composed themselves, it looks like. It's really worth seeing, even though I personally prefer the simple plainchant version of the passion we sang at St. Mary's (the congregation sings the part of Jesus, so we learn to sing that tone, and now I know all the various tones as well). In this video, the Passion narrative is a kind of alternatim, with the choir singing the composed part, and (I think) the whole congregation singing verses, in refrain, of "Ah, Holy Jesus." Here's what the blurb at the site says:

The traditional scripture text from the Gospel of Mark will be used in the reading of the Passion, which will be chanted in an improvisational style by members of the Trinity Choir, with participation by the congregation in a sung refrain.

The Passion starts at around 17:00, right after the singing of another composed version of Christus Factus Est (called here "A song of Christ's humility"). Very interesting, really.



TWS is doing some really interesting things in terms of music these days. For instance, a few years ago they sang a composed (and choral!) version of the Exsultet at Easter Vigil. Again, I prefer the simpler stuff, just because the tunes stick in my head and become part of my psychic world; composed stuff is often too difficult to do this with - but it is dramatic and can be very lovely. It seems to veer off into a kind of interesting "Orthodox chant" style, which I do really like. This passion is very long, because they start it from the story of the woman anointing Jesus' feet; a nice touch, I think. Here's the service bulletin, in PDF.

TWS has some priests with really excellent singing voices!