Many of us know the Lenten hymn "O sacred head surrounded," which comes the seventh part of the Latin prose "Rhythmica oratio" ascribed to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. A more "complete" version, i.e., encompassing centos from each of the seventh parts of the prose, exists under the title "Membra Jesu nostri patientis sanctissima," composed by Dieterich Buxtehude (Lutheran) in 1680. I wanted to chant the text in its wholeness so I composed individual melodies for each of the seven parts. Here is the first part of the entire piece. I know I'm being tentative here, but does it sound chant-like?
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