Hymns in honour of Saint John the Baptist
  • aldrich
    Posts: 230
    Since the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist is also referred to as the Summer Christmas, here's a re-wording of "What child is this?"
    Thanked by 1PurpleSquirrel
  • aldrich
    Posts: 230
    Here's the central chunk of the celebrated hymn "Ut queant laxis." The second cento is called "Antra deserti," pp. 15-16 (pp. 41-42 in the file).
  • "...whose tougue the Word is blaring."

    Love. It.
  • aldrich
    Posts: 230
    We were blessed to have sung all hymns above on Sunday, the Feast of the Precursor.
  • brahms8
    Posts: 24
    aldrich, where did that PDF come from? I was curious to find the rest of that sequence (no. 3 "Sancti Baptistae."
  • aldrich
    Posts: 230
    That PDF is from a personal collection of mine. "Sancti Baptistae", however, can be found in Cantus selecti, which CMAA has digitised already.
  • Vladimir
    Posts: 2
    I will be playing Praecursor Altus Luminis on melody of On Jordan’s bank the Baptist cry.

    Had difficulties to find anything suitable for the faithful to sing but this one seems to work.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,503
    Antra deserti
    June 24th, Office of Readings

    Antra deserti teneris

    You sought the solitude of caves,
    The desert, from an early age.
    You fled your kin, and disavowed
    The risks of life among the crowd.

    Rough clothing made of camel hair
    Was all your sacred limbs would wear.
    And water, and wild honey sweet,
    And locusts were your only meat.

    The prophets sang, in mystic sight,
    The coming of the future light,
    But you, their last, could point to Him:
    The Lamb who takes away our sin.

    Of woman born, through all the earth,
    Was never known a holier birth.
    You washed with water Him who cleans
    The world from all its world of sins.

    The citizens of heaven sing
    Your praise, O One and Triune King.
    And we pray too, that we may live:
    Lord, those You have redeemed, forgive.

    Translation 2013 Kathleen Pluth
    Thanked by 2Carol CHGiffen
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,503
    Nativity of Saint John the Baptist [June 24]
    Herald of the joyful tidings

    1. Herald of the joyful tidings,
    Stand upon the mountain high.
    Lift your voice, O be not frightened,
    Bravely raise the Gospel cry:
    God himself will come to save us
    From our grave iniquities.
    Soon our longing eyes will see Him:
    Jesus, Savior, Prince of peace.

    Mighty God from the beginning
    Lowly soon will come to lie
    Humbly, in a manger cradle;
    Humble, yet the Lord most high.
    Humbler still will be His dying
    On the cross in torture’s shame.
    Greater yet will be His vict’ry.
    Greater yet will be His Name!

    Herald of the joyful tidings,
    Cry out to the God who saves.
    Lift your voice, O be not frightened
    Of the Master of the grave.
    In His presence, peace and justice,
    Hope and healing for the poor.
    Wait throughout this night of promise
    For the coming of the Lord!

    Copyright © 2005 CanticaNOVA Publications. Duplication restricted.
    Meter: 8.7.8.7 D Suggested tune: Hyfrydol, or others:
    Abbot’s Leigh Geneva Nettleton
    Au sang qu’un Dieu Heavenly Hosts Omne die (Alle Tage sing und sage)
    Austria Holy Anthem Pleading Savior
    Domhnach Trionode Hymn to Joy Rustington
    Ebenezer In Babilone
    Thanked by 2Carol CHGiffen
  • This is a transcription into modern notation with chords of the hymn "Ut queant laxis". For this I used the 1924 Solesmes Liber Usualis in modern notation and the NOH.
  • PLTT
    Posts: 150
    Are there any good newer translations of "Ut queant laxis" (Thank you @Kathy for the rendition of Antra deserti)?
    Thanked by 1Kathy
  • PhilipPowell
    Posts: 115
    I used the hymn "The Great Forerunner of the Morn" to the tune Winchester New as the recessional.
    Thanked by 1MarkS