choosing English translation for musical settings (Anglican-style)
  • m_r_taylor
    Posts: 326
    I am using divinumofficium to look at various nice antiphons here and there to set to music. Some I will simply do as Latin. Some I would like to do in English of the highfalutin variety, and perhaps even some with both English/Latin available.

    Where would I find the preferred traditional English translation? If there is one?

    So for example, let's take the Matins invitatory for the 1st Sunday of Advent. "Regem ventúrum Dóminum * Veníte, adorémus." The website divinumofficium lists the English as "The Lord, the King who is to come * O come, let us adore Him." and that seems quite nice though I can't find an attribution for the English text on that site.
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,802
    The Sarum Breviary Noted gives the incipit as Ecce venit Rex and renders it "Behold, the King cometh. Let us go out to meet him, our Saviour." (p. 18)
    Thanked by 4ServiamScores CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn m_r_taylor
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    In general the English at Divinum Officium is taken from Lord Bute’s translation of the Breviary. It's generally said to be his work, but it's not a clean slate translation, of course. Previous translation of the Vulgate, and sometimes the BCP, are among the influences.

    The Anglican Breviary is another possible source of hieratically Englished Office texts. And you can read Rev. T J Williams’s summary (1948).

    Divinum credits our sources here.
    Thanked by 4ServiamScores CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn m_r_taylor
  • m_r_taylor
    Posts: 326
    Thanks! @Andrew_Malton, any way to set the day and time on the Anglican Breviary site? I can sort of by manipulating the URL, but it doesn't really work and keeps jumping back to today's time counter.
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    On a mobile device there is a hamburger menu (≡) with Other Dates as an option.
    Thanked by 1m_r_taylor
  • m_r_taylor
    Posts: 326
    Thanks for pointing that out - I am trying the web version of "other dates" and when I fill in a different date it will take me to the Matins of that day, well enough, but then I can't access any other prayers for that day as when I then click on, say, Terce, it will reset and take me back to today. Maybe I'll try to ask the site admin or something.
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    As it happens, if you literally change the "hour" field on Other Dates to from 0 to 23 the page will infer what office to show you. Quirky, but it works.
    Thanked by 1m_r_taylor
  • m_r_taylor
    Posts: 326
    I found something I like, but I don't love how the English is rendered in the Sarum Breviary "and can't find the equivalent spot in the online Anglican breviary".

    It's the 2nd responsory during the Saturday in the 3rd week of Advent.

    Germinaverunt campi eremi germen odoris Israel quia ecce deus noster cum virtute veniet et splendor ejus cum eo

    Sarum Breviary: "The waste places have brought forth the buds of fragrant plants for Israel: for behold, our God will come with power. And his brightness is with him."

    Bute "The waste places have brought forth sweet-smelling buds for Israel; for, behold, our God will come with power.
    * And His brightness is with Him."

    I'm trying to think of a way to render this in a way that will match the loveliness of the accompanying versicle, which in the Coverdale is "Out of Sion hath God appeared in perfect beauty."
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    So in the Roman Breviary, it's the 3rd Responsory of the (Ember} Friday of the third week of Advent that is : Germinaverunt campi eremi germen odoris Israel: quia ecce Deus noster cum virtute venie, Et splendor eius cum eo. V. Ex Sion species decoris eius: Deus noster manifeste veniet.

    In the Anglican Breviary it's given thus: [The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose:] it shall blossom abundantly with the Flower that is the sweetness of Israel, for behold the Lord God will come with strong hand, And his reward is with him. V. Out of Zion hath God appeared in perfect beauty.

    It seems the Anglican Breviary has associated the text with Is. 35:1-2, Lætabitur deserta et invia, et exsultabit solitudo, et florebit quasi lilium. Germinans germinabit, et exsultabit lætabunda et laudans : gloria Libani data est ei, decor Carmeli et Saron ; ipsi videbunt gloriam Domini, et decorem Dei nostri. The difference in tense is interesting, in the Responsory: presumably influenced by Joel 2, germinaverunt speciosa deserti: the flowering seems to be prophetic, a promise of the Coming.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • m_r_taylor
    Posts: 326
    Thank you kindly!
  • m_r_taylor
    Posts: 326
    I ended up writing a motet to the Anglican Breviary translation. Looking forward to sharing it here!
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
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