Christ Died But Soon Revived Again

Painting by Paolo Veronese (1528-1588) - Courtesy of Wikipedia

In the Divine Office (1974), Christ Died But Soon Revived Again is sung on the Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalen (July 22). It is an adaptation of Bring All Ye Dear Bought Nations, Bring by Sir Walter Kirkham Blount (d.1717). It is set to the tune: Lasst Uns Er­freu­en, first published in the Jesuit hymnal: Ausserlesene Catlwlische Geistliche Kirchengesänge, and later adapted by Pe­ter von Brach­el, Cologne, 1623.
 

Tune: Lasst uns Erfreuen (Begins @ 1:00 min.)

Bring All Ye Dear Bought Nations, Bring / Victimae Paschali Laudes

Bring Your Richest Praises to the King

Bring All Ye Dear Bought Nations Bring is a translation of the 11th century Latin Easter sequence: Victimae Paschali Laudes, attributed to Wipo of Burgundy (c.995-1048). A priest and writer, he was the Chaplain to the Holy Roman Emperor, Conrad II (c.990 –1039). Victimae Paschali Laudes is one of four remaining medieval sequences that continued to be used in the Catholic Church after 1570 as a result of liturgical reforms by Pius V (1504-1572). In 1670 it was translated into English by Sir Walter Kirkham Blount (d.1717) and published in his book, The Office of the Holy Week: According to the Missal and Roman Breviary. His translation, Bring All Ye Dear Bought Nations Bring is set to the tune: Lasst ins Erfreun, adapted by Pe­ter von Brach­el in 1623. In the Divine Office it is sung on Easter Sunday.

Tune: Lasst Uns Erfreuen

BRING, ALL YE DEAR BOUGHT NATIONS BRING by Walter Blount 1670 (Public Domain)

1. Bring, all ye dear-bought nations,
bring your richest praises to the king,
Alleluia, Alleluia,
That spotless Lamb, who more than due,
paid for his sheep, and those sheep you,
Alleluia.

2. The guiltless Son, who bought your peace,
and made his father’s anger cease,
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Then, life and death together fought,
each to a strange extreme were brought.
Alleluia.

3. Life died, but soon revived again,
and even death by it was slain.
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Say, happy Magdalen, oh say,
what didst thou see there by the way?
Alleluia.

4. ‘I saw the tomb of my dear lord,
I saw himself and him adored,
Alleluia, Alleluia,
I saw the napkin and the sheet,
that bound his head and wrapped his feet.’
Alleluia.

5. ‘I heard the angels witness bear,
Jesus is ris’n; he is not here;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Go, tell his followers they shall see,
thine and their hope in Galilee.’
Alleluia.

6. We, Lord, with faithful hearts and voice,
on this thy rising day rejoice.
Alleluia, Alleluia,
O thou, who power o’came the grave,
by grace and love us sinners save.
Alleluia.
 
Gregorian Chant

VICTIMAE PASCHALI LAUDES

Victimae paschali laudes
immolent Christiani.

Agnus redemit oves:
Christus innocens Patri
reconciliavit peccatores.

Mors et vita duello
conflixere mirando:
dux vitae mortuus,
regnat vivus.

Dic nobis Maria,
quid vidisti in via?

Sepulcrum Christi viventis,
et gloriam vidi resurgentis:

Angelicos testes,
sudarium, et vestes.

Surrexit Christus spes mea:
praecedet suos in Galilaeam.

Scimus Christum surrexisse
a mortuis vere:
tu nobis, victor Rex, miserere.
Amen. Alleluia.

From All That Dwell Below the Skies (with Alleluia)

Till suns shall rise and set no more.

From All That Dwell Below the Skies was written in 1719 by the "Father of English Hymnody," Isaac Watts. There are a number of versions of this hymn including Hymn #20 of the Office which is sung to a different tune. This setting uses Erschienen Ist Der Herrlich Tag by the Bohemian composer, organist, and chiormaster Nikolaus Hermann (c1480-1561). An early supporter of the Reformation, he was a friend of Martin Luther. JS Bach's own Erschienen ist der herrliche Tag, (Chorale-Prelude) is based upon the Herman original. A popular alternative tune is Lasst uns erfreuen, as featured in the video below. In the Liturgy of the Hours,  From All That Dwell Below the Skies is used during Ordinary Time for Morning and Daytime Midmorning Prayer.


Tune: Lasst uns Erfreuen (Begins @ 1:00 min.)

FROM ALL THAT DWELL BELOW THE SKIES by Isaac Watts, 1719; 3rd stanza by Ro­bert Spence, 1780 (Public Domain)

From all that dwell below the skies,
Let the Creator’s praise arise;
Let the Redeemer’s Name be sung,
Through every land, by every tongue.

Eternal are Thy mercies, Lord;
Eternal truth attends Thy Word.
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,
Till suns rise and set no more.

In every land begin the song;
To every land the strains belong;
In cheerful sounds all voices raise,
And fill the world with loudest praise.