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Sunday 14 October 2007

Happy Accidents

Because we were rehearsing across the street rather than in the loft this week, I didn't want to lug folders and books, not just the distance but up and down 4 flights of stairs, and planned accordingly. (We were also intending to be noshing, and I wished to avoid greasy thumbprints. or rings from glasses of red wine on permanent music.)
So, the Palestrina on the back of the Slovak Precious Blood hymn, the psalm arrangement I'd done of the Hunstiger on the back of an old (but new to them,) Ecce Panis Angelorum.... but I made a mistake.
Somehow I made copies of something called "O Jesu, Ege Te Amo."
Oh, well, no matter, might as well make use of them to hone our sight-reading skills.
Well, wonder of wonder, it practically reads itself, and it's really quite lovely, AND -- they all love it. (Yes, I KNOW... shocking, no, being furrin, and in Latin, and all.)
I'm kind of sorry, because we're not really in need of a new devotional anthem for choir, but WTH....
But in getting ready to do final copies, w/ a translation for them, what do I find out?
There's really an error, it ought to be O Deus, Ego Te Amo, there are some excellent English renderings of the poem/prayer (with very respectable histories,) which is originally probably the work of St Francis Xavier, the principal patron of the CPPS!
Which we are celebrating next week! (Well, all things Precious Blood, as it is Gaspar's Feast Day!)
And which we are now MORE than aptly prepared for.
That is Grace.
Unlooked-for, undeserved gifts...

2 comments:

Brian Michael Page said...

"O Deus, Ego Te Amo"

Possibly "O Deus, Ego Amo Te"? St. Gregory Hymnal #316.

Peace,
BMP

Anonymous said...

You are right, of course, "Amo Te," not "Te Amo.
(Some accidents are happy, some are just typos.:-P)
Not the arrangement from the St Gregory, and a very similar but not identical melody.
By Rossini rather than Montani, whom I think of as the Deiss and Gelineau, or the Joncas and Manolo of their day ;-P, but to whom we owe quite a debt of gratitude, for all the derision they may inspire from some nowadays.

(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)