Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)

Subject: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 02 May 02 - 03:37 PM

Not strictly folk, but has been (is?) sung on May morning by Magdalen Choir, Oxford. Google search only came up with the title in a discography. Any advance, please? Oh, and as you may have guessed, it's in Latin. It's on a 'Music for a May morning' tape I keep in the car and only listen to during the month of May. Strangely enough. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 May 02 - 04:38 PM

So is it in Latin?

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 02 May 02 - 08:39 PM

It's the music to See, Father, Thy Beloved Son (words & midi).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 02 May 02 - 08:41 PM

The link above should have been THIS.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 02 May 02 - 09:04 PM

The music is also used as the first tune of "O Love of God, how strong and true" (H. Bonar) in Songs of Praise (Oxford, no. 607 [p. 726]).

Subject: Lyr Add: THE HYMNUS EUCHARISTICUS
From: masato sakurai
Date: 02 May 02 - 11:21 PM

Lyrics in Latin are:

THE HYMNUS EUCHARISTICUS

Te Deum Patrem colimus,
Te Laudibus prosequimus,
qui corpus cibo reficis,
coelesti mentem gratia.

Te adoramus, O Jesu,
Te, Fili unigenite,
Te, qui non dedignatus es
subire clautra Virginis.

Actus in crucem, factus est
irato Deo victima
per te, Salvator unice
vitae spes nobis rediit.

Tibi, aeterne Spiritus
cuius afflatu peperit
infantem Deum Maria,
aeternum benedicimus.

Triune Deus, hominum
salutis auctor optime,
immensum hoc mysterium
orante lingua canimus.

(Source: HERE, with sound clip sung by the Magdalen choir). The composer is:

ROGERS, Benjamin (1614-98). English composer and organist. Son of lay-clerk of St. George's Chapel, Windsor. 162u-162u: Chorister at St. George's Chapel, Windsor under Nathaniel Giles (1558-1634). 1639-41: Organist of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. 164u-6u: Returned to Windsor. 1660 (5th July): 'Hymnus Eucharisticus' for Guildhall Banquet for Charles II. 1661-64: Organist of Eton College. 1662-uu: Lay-clerk at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. 1664-85: Organist of Magdalen College (Oxford).
(Info from HERE)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 May 02 - 01:33 AM

Lovely job, Masato. Great research and citing of sources, too. *G* I was beginning to think you had all this in your head! *G*

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: GUEST,Adolfo
Date: 03 May 02 - 04:43 AM

Though very briefly, it is possible to listen to some of it in Anthony Hopkins's film portraying professor C.S. Lewis at Oxford.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 03 May 02 - 10:18 AM

Two quotations concerning the hymn.

(1) "You have to get up early if you want to enjoy one of Oxford's most attractive old customs, the May Morning ceremony at Magdalen College.
"People gather very early on the morning of May Day on Magdalen Bridge. At 6:00 a.m., from high above on top of the tower of Magdalen College, the strains of a hymn in Latin float down, sung by the college choir. The hymn is followed by a madrigal and then the morris dancers dance in Radcliffe Square and Broad Street. How this custom started is not known, but it was going strong by about 1650 when the choir sang at 4:00 a.m. Later, musical instruments played and the whole concert went on for two hours, to be drastically reduced one very wet May morning late in the eighteenth century!
"A lot of pubs have a special licence and open for this event. Many also serve breakfast although booking ahead is often a necessity." (From HERE)

(2) "On May 1st of 1915, VB [Vera Brittain] describes the Oxford May Morning ceremony. 'I was up at 3:45 this morning for the famous Oxford May Morning ceremony. Magdalen Bridge was quickly crowded with townspeople, women students, the remaining undergraduates, and bicycles, while the river below was covered with punts and sculling boats. When the clock struck five everyone became suddenly silent, and then, just as the sun was rising, the Magdalen choir from the top of Magdalen tower sang the May Morning hymn. As they sang the sun gradually rose higher and threw a golden glow over the slender grey tower. The voices of the singers sounded very pure and sweet in the clear morning air. I had a choked feeling in my throat...'" (From HERE)

Thus, it is subtitled "The Magdalen Tower Hymn" in Songs of Praise.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 03 May 02 - 01:40 PM

Thank you, that is wonderful. My web-searching skills are obviously still in their infancy. I haven't seen 'Shadowlands' yet - perhaps I should make the effort. I've already added Oxford to my May morning list, after Padstow, and Minehead, and...

Thanks again.

Subject: Lyr Add: HYMNUS EUCHARISTICUS
From: masato sakurai
Date: 03 May 02 - 02:09 PM

The reason for not finding the lyrics & info is obvious: misspelling. I myself made a mistake too, so I've added the right tilte here.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: olddude
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 09:51 AM

absolutely beautiful song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hymnus Eucharistus (May morn)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 10:40 AM

Thanks to all who brought this music to my attention. The gang will like this fine example of early music.