Other occasions for singing Jesu Rex Admirabilis?
  • nun_34nun_34
    Posts: 67
    Our young schola (started last year) learned and sang Palestrina's Jesu Rex for the (obvious) Feast of Christ the King. The other week one of the members asked me if we'd sing it again before next November. I said, "Sure!"

    Would any of you have particular suggestions for when else it would be appropriate - or should I just pick a random feast or Sunday in Ordinary Time? (Or a daily mass; this being a monastery, none of us is going anywhere.) But I'd prefer to have some "reason" for programming it.
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,311
    Holy Cross would be appropriate. That’s kinda close to the next time you might sing it. I think it is appropriate in July, which is the month of the Precious Blood.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    Christ is king all year long, when you think about it. If you are OF, there will be occasions when it will reinforce what is in the readings.
    Thanked by 2CCooze canadash
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,092
    Well, the major celebrations of Christ's kingship also include the earliest one - Palm Sunday - as well as Ascension, Sacred Heart, Epiphany, et cet.
    Thanked by 3CharlesW CCooze canadash
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    We will be singing it on Palm Sunday
    Thanked by 1canadash
  • CCoozeCCooze
    Posts: 1,259
    Christ is king all year long, when you think about it.


    Yes! And for that reason, I don't mind programming it at any time of the year.
    Also, since He is our Saviour, and we are always in need of His assistance, I think that Jesu, Salvator Mundi can also be used at any time of year (they're usually one after the other in my music, and both are extremely beautiful, which is why it popped into my head) - though, admittedly, I prefer the arrangement by Montani in The St. Gregory Hymnal (#301).

    This recording got me hooked on it a good while back. It's just so beautiful.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDJW8jQ-1Zo
    Thanked by 1JulieColl
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,782
    The text is also used by the Office Hymns for the Feast of the Holy Name, First verse of the Matins hymn and the 4th verse of the Lauds Hymn. All 3 Office Hymns uses various verses of the Jesu Dulcis Memoria... This has many verses, and is best described by Connelly in his book on the Hymns of the Roman Breviary.

    Anyway this Hymn is found in various processionals with doxology verses for various seasons of the year, I see no reason why it could not be sung on any Sunday.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,215
    A few weeks ago, I used it on the feast of St Stephen, in allusion to his vision of Christ triumphant; but it might be suitable for martyrs' feasts in general.
  • nun_34nun_34
    Posts: 67
    Thank you all! I appreciate all your suggestions. We're already working on a piece for Palm Sunday this year.... I think I'll put it down for Ascension Thursday, and perhaps again on a Sunday towards the end of summer.
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,100
    'Jesu Rex Admirabilis' -
    we use it at Christ the King, but also on Palm Sunday
    and I also like to use it toward the end of Eastertide, when we hear our Lord beginning to tell His disciples that He will be going away soon.
    This is the very first Palestrina piece that our little choir learned, and it is exquisite.
  • JMoellman
    Posts: 30
    I like the reference to the Emmaus story.
    I used it recently as a choral meditation during Exposition, too.
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