William Byrd

William Byrd (1543-1623)

Studied under Thomas Tallis and organist of Lincoln Cathedral and later of Queen Elizabeth's Chapel Royal. One of the founders of the English Madrigal School, he wrote church music, music for viols and led Europe in the considered development of a true keyboard style. 

Ave verum corpus

Ave verum corpus natus
De Maria Virgine, 
Vere passum, immolatus 
In cruce pro homine:

Cuius latus perforatum 
Unda fluxit et sanguine, 
Esto nobis praegustatum 
In mortis examine.

O dulcis, O pie, 
O Jesu Fili Mariae; 
Miserere mei. Amen. 

Hail the true body, born
of the Virgin Mary:
You who truly suffered and were sacrificed
on the cross for the sake of man.

From whose pierced flank
flowed water and blood:
Be a foretaste for us
in the trial of death. 

O sweet, O merciful, 
O Jesus, Son of Mary; 
Have mercy on me. Amen. 

14th century. Gradualis, Book I, (1605)

 

Beati mundo corde

Beati mundo corde, quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt.
Beati pacifici, quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur.
Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter justitiam, quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum. 

Blessed are the clean of heart: they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’s sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Matthew 5: 8-10

 

Civitas sancti tui

Civitas sancti tui facta est deserta: 
Sion deserta facta est: 
Jerusalem desolata est. 

Your holy city has become a wilderness.
Zion has become a wilderness,
Jerusalem has been made desolate.

Isaiah 64. Cantiones Sacrae, Book 2, (1591)

 

Ego sum panis vivus

Ego sum panis vivus, qui de caelo descendi.
Si quis manducaverit ex hoc pane, vivet in aeternum,
Alleluia.

I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
Whosoever shall eat of this bread shall live forever,
Alleluia. 

 

 

Gaudeamus omnes

Gaudeamus omnes in Domino diem festum celebrantes sub honore Sanctorum omnium 
de quorum solemnitate gaudent angeli et collaudant Filium Dei.

Exultate iusti in Domino : rectos decet collaudatio.

Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto :
sicut erat in principio et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saecularum. Amen. 

Let us rejoice in the Lord and keep a festival in honor of all the saints. 
Let us join with the angels in joyful praise to the Son of God. 

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous : for it becometh well the just to be thankful. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost : 
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen 

Introit for All Saints' Day. Pslam 33, v.1

 

 

Gloria tibi, Domine

Gloria tibi, Domine, 
Qui natus es de Virgine, 
Cum Patre et Sancto Spiritu, 
In sempiterna saecula. Amen 

Glory be to thee, O Lord, 
Who wast born of a virgin, 
And to the Father and to the Holy Spirit 
For ever and ever. Amen. 

v.5 of the hymn 'Quem terra pontus'

 

Haec dies

Haec dies quam fecit Dominus; 
exultate et latemur in ea. Alleluia.

This is the day whichthe Lord hath made; 
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Easter antiphon, Psalm 118. Cantiones Sacrae, Book 2, (1591)

 

Justorum animae

Justorum animae in manu Dei sunt, 
et non tanget illos tormentumk mortis. 
Visi sunt occulis insipientium mori; 
illi autem sunt in pace. 

Antiphon, Vigil of All Saints; Wisdom 3

 

Laetentur coeli

Laetentur coeli, et exsultet terra. 
Jubilate montes laudem, quia dominus noster veniet, 
et pauperum suorum miserebitur. 
Orietur in diebus tuis justitia et abundantia pacis.  

Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice. 
Let the mountains be joyful with praise, because our Lord will come, 
and will show mercy to his poor. 
In your days, justice and abundance of peace shall arise. 

Advent responsory. Isiah 49:13, Psalm 72:7

 

Laudibus in sanctis

Laudibus in sanctis Dominum celebrate supremum:
Firmamenta sonent inclita facta Dei.
Inclita facta Dei cantate, sacraque potentis
Voce potestatem saepe sonate manus.

Magnificum Domini cantet tuba martia nomen:
Pieria Domino concelebrate lira.
Laude Dei resonent resonantia tympana summi,
Alta sacri resonent organa laude Dei.

Hunc arguta canant tenui psalteria corda,
Hunc agili laudet laeta chorea pede.
Concava divinas effundant cymbala laudes,
Cymbala dulcisona laude repleta Dei.
Omne quod aethereis in mundo vescitur auris
Halleluya canat tempus in omne Deo. 

Celebrate the Lord most high in holy praises: 
Let the firmament echo the glorious deeds of God. 
Sing ye the glorious deeds of God, and with holy voice 
Sound forth oft the power of his mighty hand. 

Let the warlike trumpet sing the great name of the Lord: 
Celebrate the Lord with Pierian lyre. 
Let resounding timbrels ring to the praise of the most-high God, 
Lofty organs peal to the praise of the holy God. 

Him let melodious psalteries sing with fine string, 
Him let joyful dance praise with nimble foot. 
Let hollow cymbals pour forth divine praises, 
Sweet-sounding cymbals filled with the praise of God. 
Let everything in the world that feeds upon the air of heaven 
Sing Halleluia to God for evermore. 

Psalm 150

 

 

Ne irascaris

Ne irascaris, Domine, satis, et ne ultra memineris iniguitatis nostrae. 
Ecce, respice, populus tuus omnes nos.  

Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: 
behold, see, we beseech the, we are all thy people 

Isiah 64:9

 

Non vos relinquam orphanos

Non vos relinquam orphanos, alleluia.
Vado, et venio ad vos, alleluia.
Et gaudebit, cor vestrum, alleluia.

I will not leave you orphans, alleluia. 
I go, and I will come to you, alleluia. 
And your heart shall rejoice, alleluia.

Gradual for Corpus Christi. Psalm 145, John 6

 

O God, which art most merciful

O God, which art most merciful, have mercy, Lord, on me, 
According to thy mercy great let me relieved be; 
And put away my wickedness which sundry ways hath been, 
According to the multitude of thy compassions seen. 

Psalm 51. from "Songs of Sundry Natures"

 

O magnum mysterium

O magnum mysterium 
et admirabile sacramentum 
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum 
jacentem in praesepio.  

O great wonder, 
miraculous sacrament: 
the beasts of the field see the Lord, new-born 
and lying in a manger. 

 

O remember not

O remember not our old sins, but have mercy upon us, and that soon :
for we are come to great misery. 

Psalm 79:8

 

Senex puerum

Senex puerum portabat, puer autem senem regebat: 
quem Virgo peperit, et post partum Virgo permansit, 
ipsum quem genuit adoravit.  

The old man carried the boy, but the boy ruled the old man. 
Whom the virgin bore, and afterwards remained a virgin, 
the very same to whom she gave birth, she worshipped. 

Antiphon of the Purification

 

Surge illuminare

Surge, illuminare Jerusalem, 
quia venit lumen tuum et gloria Domini super te orta est. 
Alleluia.  

Arise, shine, Jerusalem, 
for your light has come and the glory of God the Lord is risen upon you. 
Alleluia.  

 

Teach me, O Lord

Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes : 
  and I shall keep it unto the end.
Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law :
  yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart. 
Make me to go in the path of thy commandements :
  for therein is my desire. 
Incline my heart unto thy testimonies : 
  and not to covetousness. 
O turn away mine eyes, lest they behold vanity :
  and quicken me in thy ways. 
O stablish thy word in thy servant : 
  that I may fear thee. 
Glory be to the Father, and to the Sun, and to the Holy Ghost. 
As it was in the beginning, and is now, and ever shall be, 
  world without end. Amen.

Psalm 119:33-38

 

Viderunt omnes

Viderunt omnes fines terrae salutare Dei nostri.  

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 

Psalm 97:3 

 

Vigilate

Vigilate, nescitis enim quando Dominus domus veniat, 
sero, an media nocte, an galli cantu, an mane.
Vigilate ergo, ne, cum venerit repente, inveniat vos dormientes.
Quod autem dico vobis, omnibus dico; Vigilate.

Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, 
at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning, 
lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 
And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. 

Mark 13:35-37

 

Viri Galilei

Viri Galilei, quid admiramini, aspicientes in caelum? Alleluia.
Quemadmodum vidisitis eum ascendentum in caelum, ita veniet. Alleluia. 

Men of Galilee, why look ye up to heaven in asonishment? Alleluia. 
In like manner as ye have seen him ascending into heaven, so shall he come again. Alleluia. 

Acts 1:11