Latin Words to Soul of my Savior
  • The pastor at my parish has requested that we sing "Anima Christi" for the Feast of the Most Precious Blood. I knew of only one tune with the Latin words and sang part of it for him, but he said it wasn't right. A short while later, a young girl started singing William Maher's Soul of my Savior and Father said "That's the tune! They'd sing the Latin words though." He said that he thinks that a version like that is probably available online, but so far I've been unsuccessful in locating one.

    Does anyone have a copy with the Latin words that they could share or know where I could find it? I still have time to put it together on my own, but figured it didn't hurt to check here first.

    -Catherine
  • CGM
    Posts: 699
    Well, since "Soul of my savior" has a regular metrical structure (10 10 10 10), but the "Anima Christi" text in Latin is not in a regular meter (10 7 9 10 9 8 11...), it would take some potentially awkward stretching and shoehorning to fit the Latin text to Maher's melody. His tune wasn't meant for that text, and I wouldn't recommend pairing them, FWIW.
    Thanked by 1SingingCat
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Why not use a chant setting of it using the original latin text? The Parish Book of Chant has one, and there are others too (like this one)
    Thanked by 1SingingCat
  • Thank you for pointing that out, CGM. And thank you Ben and Liam, for the links. I'll speak with my pastor about it, since he said it had been done in Latin at a parish where he used to be.
    God bless!
  • Steve CollinsSteve Collins
    Posts: 1,022
    We have used this one here at Stella Maris, but not with the congregation, just the choir or cantors.

    http://www.ccwatershed.org/blog/2013/oct/24/organ-accompaniments-simple-gregorian-chants/
    Thanked by 1SingingCat
  • Thank you, Steve! Father's commented before on how he likes Ostrowski's work, so that might work. (We'll be singing it during communion, so I'm not concerned about the congregation having trouble singing it.)
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    This coming Sunday we will be singing the Anima Christi by Marco Frisina. It's lovely.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNRwfhGvRvs

    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,100

    SingingCat,
    There's a free-downloadable 'Anima Christi' by Cherion which our little choir does - SATB - available at http://www.musique-liturgique.com
    Thanked by 1Viola
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    This is an excellent site, thank you!
  • Maureen
    Posts: 678
    "Anima Christi" fits okay to "Soul of My Savior," if you are willing to elide a few syllables or spin out others. The only difficulty is the "in saecula saeculorum, Amen" bit. I don't know if that is best practice, but it is reasonable.
  • Thank you for your advice and suggestions, everyone!