The Origin of Fire

Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen

Since almost every bit of sacred music from before 1300 is anonymous, those few works that survive with
attributions draw our special notice. We ask not only “who?” but also how and why these works came to be
identified with a creator. Even as J.S. Bach signed all his works with “Soli Deo Gloria,” the prevailing attitude
among medieval church musicians was that it would constitute pride (if not the “deadly sin” variety then at least
the simple human failing) to own music created to adorn the sacred liturgy. And even if not a matter of humility,
pieces that were composed for local use did not need an attribution, since it was generally known who had
written them.

But here we have a major repertoire—76 pieces of liturgical plainchant and the music-drama Ordo Virtutum—
attributed not only to an actual composer, but to a woman neither trained nor working as a musician. How
could this be?

Hildegard of Bingen was born into a prominent Rhineland family in 1098. Her parents dedicated her to the
church at the age of eight as a “tithe”—she was child number ten—and entrusted her to Jutta, a noblewoman
who was seeking a life of holy reclusion. Jutta took Hildegard with her to the Benedictine monastery of
Disibodenberg as a prospective nun and, unlike many children who were “assigned” for family reasons to a
monastic life, young Hildegard took up the veil and never looked back.

Although she kept them almost entirely to herself, Hildegard had been experiencing prophetic or mysterious
light-filled visions from the age of five. Not until she was 43, nine years after she had succeeded Jutta as
abbess at Disibodenberg, did she submit to an increasing inner urge to put these visions into writing, along
with her own theological interpretations of them. Like Joan of Arc, Hildegard heard “voices”—indeed she
insisted that her musical works were received whole from God—but her mystical experiences were
overwhelmingly visual: she describes active, complex, colorful scenes of fantastic elements and beings in
marvelous settings.

Like a fledgling mid-life writer who miraculously stumbles upon an agent, a publisher, and fame, Hildegard
quickly became a spiritual celebrity when her first collection of mystical visions received the support of Pope
Eugenius III, who was most likely introduced to her work in 1147 by the French monastic reformer Bernard of
Clairvaux (1090–1153). A year earlier, Hildegard had sent a “cold call” letter to Bernard, one of the spiritual
giants of his age, who was impressed enough with it to override his normally ultra-conservative nature (he had
condemned the flamboyant Peter Abelard and other radical spiritual thinkers) and pledge his support to the
strangely gifted German nun.

Hildegard recorded her visions in a series of books dictated to, and no doubt edited by, her scribe and
confidant, the monk Volmar. The first, Scivias (“Know the Ways,” 1151) consists of visions with lengthy
explanatory commentary, as well as the texts of fourteen of her liturgical songs. This was followed by two
sequels: Liber Vite Meritorum (“The Book of Life’s Merits,” 1163) and De operatione dei (“On the activity of
God,” 1173). In addition to her visionary-theological works, on which her wider fame was based, Hildegard also
produced an encyclopedic collection of writings on medicine and the natural world. There are even two
volumes concerning a secret Lingua Ignota (unknown language), perhaps used by Hildegard and her nuns.

Hildegard’s correspondence was vast and ranged wide—her advice was sought by Pope Eugenius III,
Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and King Henry II of England, as well as bishops, abbots, abbesses, monks,
nuns, and laypeople both noble and common. At the age of 60 she began to travel extensively in Germany,
preaching and advising, interpreting dreams and signs—unheard of for a woman, let alone a cloistered
Benedictine nun. Such far-reaching influence with kings and prelates (as well as with lesser folk) increased her
celebrity and assured her place in the larger world. Thus her musical works, along with her writings on
medicine and the natural world, were copied and collected with care, both during and immediately after her
lifetime, at least partly owing to the fame of her visionary writings and the value of her spiritual guidance.

By the 1140s Hildegard had begun composing a number of chants for the liturgy, eventually collected under the
title Symphonia armonie celestium revelationum (“Symphony of the harmony of celestial revelations”). Aside
from some isolated fragments, the Symphonia survives in two manuscripts. The first, known as Dendermonde
or simply D, was copied around 1175, along with the Liber vite meritorum, and sent as a gift to the monks of a
Belgian monastery. Some leaves of the musical portion are missing. The second, called Riesenkodex (Giant
Manuscript) or R, was prepared in the decade after Hildegard’s death in 1179. It contains all of her visionary
works, and ends with the Symphonia and the Ordo Virtutum. We have used the earlier Dendermonde
(probably prepared under Hildegard’s supervision) as our primary source, except for the two pieces (O quam
mirabilis and O felix anima) found only in the Riesenkodex.

Hildegard was not a trained musician or composer, and never claimed to be. Whatever the real case may have
been, she stated that she received her musical compositions whole—words and music together—in the same
way that she received her visions. In today’s terms, she would have been “channeling” them and having them
written down by someone literate in music. There is really no way to compare her style, unique and
unforgettable, to any other music of her time. Her texts are a rhapsodic chain of images echoing the Psalms
and the Song of Songs. Her melodies are certainly formulaic, yet they sound remarkably free and are wedded
perfectly to their texts. The vocal range of her melodies and the length of the pieces themselves far exceed
those of the standard liturgical chants that she and her sisters would have sung every day. Hildegard’s
compositions would almost certainly not have been sung consecutively in any service; they would have
occurred occasionally, and must have seemed like exotic creatures alongside the everyday monastic chant.

The program

Since Hildegard’s visions assured her fame, and since her fame assured that we would know of her music, we
wanted to include both in this program. The images in her visions are brilliant and varied, drawing primarily on
extreme expressions of the natural elements—air, water, earth and fire. Among these, visions with fire and light
seem the most frequent and intense.* In her visions and in her songs, fire is related to the holy spirit, described
as descending upon Jesus’ disciples as tongues of flame on Pentecost, fifty days after Easter (Acts 2: 1-11).

Four themes associated with the holy spirit provide the framework for the main portion of this program. For
each theme—the fire of creation, wisdom (sapientia), the life-giving spirit, and love (caritas)—we have selected
one of Hildegard’s works and have introduced it with an excerpt from a related vision. (Although the visions are
written in prose, they fall into phrases much like those in her musical works.) We have set these vision
excerpts to two types of recitation tones from medieval German sources: invitatory tones (special psalm tones
for the service of Matins) for the introductory part of each vision and, for the main part, festive lection tones
(polyphonic settings of readings from the Mass and Divine Office). Although such lection tones were composed
from the 12th through the 16th centuries, they all share an “archaic” medieval style, with recitation tones on
parallel fifths, in the style of primitive polyphony.

To open and close the program we chose two Pentecost hymns, Veni creator spiritus and Beata nobis
gaudia. Veni creator (traditionally attributed to the 9th-century German scholar and priest Rabanus Maurus of
Mainz) is still sung today, its seven verses symbolizing the traditional seven gifts of the holy spirit (Wisdom,
Understanding, Counsel, Knowledge, Fortitude, Piety, Fear of the Lord). Both hymns have been transcribed
from a 12th-century manuscript originating in a German-speaking area of Switzerland. Although hymns are
now used as a regular part of the Christian Mass or Eucharist services, they were originally a part of the
various “hours” of the daily round of monastic psalms and prayers known as the “Divine Office.”

In the same manuscript there is an unusual sequence, a chant for the Mass characterized by a structure of
relatively brief paired versicles (melodic scheme: aa bb cc . . . with possible variations, especially before the
13th century). Veni spiritus eternorum alme opens with the same melody as the standard Pentecost
sequence, Sancti spiritus adsit, composed by the Carolingian monk Notker in the 9th century; it then goes on
to quote and comment on the text of the hymn Veni creator spiritus. We added a vocal drone to this
monophonic composition.

An antiphon is a (usually) short plainchant meant to be used with a psalm or canticle as part of the Divine
Office. Hildegard would have composed antiphons to replace the standard liturgical items on special feast days
(although which feast is not always clear in the manuscript sources exactly which feast). Neither O quam
mirabilis est nor O eterne deus is connected with a specific feast. Caritas abundat appears in the original
sources among chants in honor of the holy spirit. Although Hildegard’s antiphons are the shortest of her
musical compositions, they are quite a bit longer and more complex than the standard Gregorian type.

The responsory —an element of the nighttime services of Vespers and Matins— is a long and ornate chant,
meant to be sung with soloist(s) and chorus in alternation. O felix anima is a responsory in honor of St.
Disibod, revered patron of Hildegard’s first convent at Disibodenberg. We have added a drone to the “verse”
and “gloria patri” sections of the elaborately decorated melody.

Hildegard composed two major works in honor of the holy spirit, and they are among her most impressive,
impassioned pieces. O ignis spiritus paracliti is designated as a sequence; but this sequence, which follows
the normal paired-versicle structure fairly closely for the first eight verses (verses 9 and 10 are independent
melodies), so greatly expands the length of the typical sequence verse that the usual effect of the verse
pairings (as in Veni spiritus eternorum alme) is much less immediately obvious to the ear. The hymn O ignee
spiritus only resembles the normal strophic hymn in that it has multiple verses. This is really a monumental
through-composed piece with a close relationship between the text, in praise of the fiery spirit, and its intense
melodic expression.

– Susan Hellauer

A note on pronunciation
The pronunciation of German Latin that we are using in this recording is based on linguistic research
published by Harold Copeman and Vera U.G. Scherr in Singing Early Music: The Pronunciation of European
Languages in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Edited by Timothy J. McGee with A.G. Rigg and David
N. Klausner, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996.

– Marsha Genensky
_____________________________________________________
* Some scientists have proposed that Hildegard suffered from migraine and the “heavenly light” could have
been related to pre-migraine aura. See e.g. Oliver Sacks, Migraine: Understanding a Common Disorder
(Berkeley, 1985).
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Translations by Susan Hellauer unless otherwise noted

1 Hymn: Veni creator spiritus

Veni creator spiritus Come, creator spirit,

mentes tuorum visita visit the hearts of your people.
imple superna gratia Fill with supernal grace
que tu creasti pectora. the hearts you have made.

Qui paraclitus diceris You who are the comforter,

donum dei altissimi gift of the highest God,
fons vivus ignis caritas living fount, fire, love,
et spiritalis unctio: and balm for the spirit:

tu septiformis munere bestow the sevenfold gifts,

dextre dei tu digitus you finger of the hand of God;
tu rite promisso patris fulfill the father’s promise,
sermone ditans guttura. enriching us with holy speech.

Accende lumen sensibus Kindle light in our senses,

infunde amorem cordibus pour love into our hearts,
infirma nostri corporis strengthen our weak bodies
virtute firmans perpeti. with abiding courage.

Hostem repellas longius You drive the foe far off,

pacemque dones protinus and grant lasting peace;
ductore sic te previo thus with you leading us,
vitemus omne noxium. may we avoid all harm.

Per te sciamus da patrem Through you may we know

noscamus atque filium the father, and the son as well,
te utriusque spiritum and in you, the spirit, with them both,
credamus omni tempore. may we have faith forever.

Presta pater piissime Show us, father, most loving,

patrique compar unice him who is one with you,
cum spiritu paraclito reigning with the spirit comforter
regnans per omne seculum. through every age.
Translation: Susan Hellauer
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2 Sequence: Veni spiritus eternorum alme

Veni spiritus eternorum alme Come, kind spirit of the ages,

mentes tuorum visita visit the hearts of your people,

iacentes egris moribus, casting out ill conduct;
imple superna gratia fill with supernal grace
terrigenarum pectora. each earth-born heart.

Qui altissimi donum You who are the gift

dei diceris, of the most high God,
fons perpetuus, perpetual fount,
spiritalis unctio, balm for the spirit,

tu promissum omnipotentis promised gift of the almighty,

munus esse crederis. you merit our faith.
Apostolos tu linguis Upon the holy apostles
fundavisti sanctos igneis. you poured forth fiery tongues.

Lumen da te cordibus Give light to hearts,

virtute perenni strengthening the wretched
firmans miseris. with abiding courage.
Verum affer amorem Impart true love
muneraque caritatis plurima. and the manifold gifts of charity.

Hostem depelle invidum, Drive away the envious foe,

da fruere pace supera. grant the joy of heavenly peace.
Sic duce tecum previo Thus lead, going before us,
valeamus scandere that we may have the strength to climb up

etheria convexa. to the vault of heaven.

Translation: Susan Hellauer

3 Antiphon: O quam mirabilis est

O quam mirabilis est O how marvelous is

prescientia divini pectoris the foreknowing in the divinity’s heart,
que prescrivit omnem creaturam. that foreknew every created thing.
Nam cum deus inspexit For when God looked
faciem hominis quem formavit upon the face of the human he had formed
omnia opera sua he saw the fullness
in eadem forma hominis of all his works
integra aspexit. in that same human form.
O quam mirabilis est inspiratio O how marvelous is the breath
que hominem sic suscitavit. that brought humankind to life!
Translation: Susan Hellauer
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4 Vision 1: The fire of creation

Et ego homo non calens And I, a human being, neither ablaze

in forma fortium leonum with the strength of strong lions
nec docta exspiratione illorum nor learned in their exhalations,
sed manens in mollitie fragilis coste remaining in the fragility of the weaker rib,
imbuta mystico spiramine, but filled with mystical inspiration,
vidi quasi lucidissimum ignem saw: a shining fire,
incomprehensibilem, inexstinguibilem, unfathomable, inextinguishable,
totum viventem, totum vitam exsistentem, fully alive and existing full of life
in se autem flammam aerii coloris habentem. with a flame the color of air.

Et audivi ex prefato vivente igne And I heard a voice speaking to me

vocem dicentem mihi: from the living fire I have mentioned:
O que es misera terra Insignificant earthly creature!
et in nomine femineo Though as a woman
indocta de ulla doctrina you are uneducated in any doctrine
carnalium magistrorum, of fleshly teachers
scilicet legere litteras in order to read writings
per intellegentiam philosophorum with the understanding of the philosophers,
sed tantum tacta lumine meo nevertheless you are touched by my light,
quod tangit te interius which touches your inner being
cum incendio ut ardens sol. with fire like the burning sun.
Clama et enarra ac scribe Shout and tell! And write down
hec mysteria mea these mysteries
que vides et audis in mystica visione. which you see and hear in the mystical vision!
Scivias, Part II, Vision 1 Trans. Mark Atherton
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5 Sequence: O ignis spiritus paracliti

O ignis spiritus paracliti, O spirit of fire, bringer of comfort,

vita vite omnis creature, life of the life of every creature,
sanctus es vivificando formas. you are holy, giving life to forms.

Sanctus es unguendo You are holy,

periculose fractos, anointing those perilously broken;
sanctus es tergendo you are holy,
fetida vulnera. cleansing festering wounds.

O spiraculum sanctitatis, O breath of holiness,

o ignis caritatis, o fire of love,
o dulcis gustus in pectoribus, o sweet savor in our breasts,
et infusio cordium in bono odore virtutum. infusing hearts with the scent of virtue.

O fons purissime, O clearest fountain,

in quo consideratur in which we see
quod deus alienos colligit how God gathers the alienated
et perditos requirit. and finds the lost.

O lorica vite O breastplate of life

et spes compaginis membrorum omnium and hope of the whole human body,
et o cingulum honestatis, o belt of honor:
salva beatos. save the fortunate.

Custodi eos qui carcerati sunt ab inimico Guard those imprisoned by the enemy
et solve ligatos and free those who are bound
quos divina vis salvare vult. whom the divine power wishes to save.

O iter fortissimum O mightiest course

quod penetravit omnia that has penetrated all things,
in altissimis et in terrenis in the heavens and on earth
et in omnibus abyssis, and in every abyss –
tu omnes componis et colligis. you reconcile and draw all humanity together.

De te nubes fluunt, ether volat, From you clouds flow, wind flies,
lapides humorem habent, stones produce moisture,
aque rivulos educunt water flows in streams,
et terra viriditatem sudat. and the earth exudes living greenness.

Tu etiam semper educis doctos You are always teaching the learned,
per inspirationem who, through wisdom’s inspiration,
sapientie letificatos. are made joyful.

Unde laus tibit sit Whence praise be to you,

qui es sonus laudis who are the sound of praise,
et gaudium vite the joy of life,
spes et honor fortissimus the hope and greatest honor,
dans premia lucis. granting the prize of light.
Translation: Susan Hellauer
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6 Vision 2: Wisdom and her sisters

Vidi etiam quasi in medio prefate And I saw in the midst of that
australis plage tres imagines, southern region three forms,
duas vidilicet in quodam purissimo fonte stantes two of them standing in a most clear fountain
circumsepto et ornato superius rotundo encircled and crowned above by a round,
et perforato lapide, porous stone.
altera quidem purpureo, One was in gleaming purple,
altera autem candido fulgore ita circumdata. and the other in dazzling white.
Tercia autem extra eundem fontem The third stood outside that fountain
supra prefatum lapidem illius stabat and beneath the stone,
candida veste induta. clothed in glowing white.

Prima autem imago dicebat: And the first figure said:

Ego caritas viventis dei claritas sum “I am love, the brightness of the living God,
et sapientia mecum opus suum operata est. and wisdom has done her work along with me.
In umbra quoque hac sapientia In the shadow, wisdom portions out
equali mensura omnia metiebatur, all things in equal measure
ne aliud pondere suo aliud excederet so that one thing may not outweigh another
et ne etiam aliud ab alio and so that nothing may be moved by another
in contrarium moveri posset, into its opposite.
quoniam ipsa superat et constringit For wisdom conquers and constrains
omnem diabolice artis maliciam. every sort of devilish malice.
Et in seipsa et per seipsam In and through herself alone
consituit omnia pie et leniter she arranged all things lovingly and gently.
que etiam a nullo inimico destrui potuerunt, They can be destroyed by no enemy,
quoniam inceptionem et finem because she sees perfectly
operum suorum excellenter vidit, the beginning and ending of her works –
que omnia pleniter composuit, she who fully composed all things,
ita ut etiam omnia per ipsam regantur. that all things might be ruled by her.”
De operatione dei, Part III, Vision 3 Translation: Susan Hellauer

7 Responsory: O felix anima

O felix anima cuius corpus

de terra ortum est, O happy soul, you whose body
quod tu cum peregrinatione came from the earth,
huius mundi conculcasti, and which you, in your pilgrimage
in this world, trampled underfoot:
unde de divina rationalitate,
que te speculum suum fecit coronata es. you are thus crowned by divine rationality,
which made you its mirror.
V. Spiritus sanctus etiam te
ut habitaculum suum intuebatur. V. And the holy spirit saw you
as its own habitation.
Unde de divina . . .
You are thus crowned . . .
Gloria patri et filio
et spiritui sancto. Glory to the father and the son
and the holy spirit.
Unde de divina . . .
You are thus crowned . . .
Translation: Susan Hellauer
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8 Vision 3: The fiery spirit

Iterumque vocem de celo And again I heard a voice from heaven

me sic docentem audivi, et dixit: instructing me thus. And it said:
scribe ergo secundum me in modum hunc. Write therefore what I tell you in this manner.

Et vidi velut in medio australis aeris And I saw as amid the airs of the South
pulcram mirificamque in misterio dei in the mystery of God a beautiful and marvelous
imaginem quasi hominis formam, image of a human figure;
cuius facies tante pulcritudinis et claritatis erat, her face was of such beauty and brightness
ut facilius solem quam ipsam inspicere possem. that I could more easily have stared at the sun.
Et circulus amplus aureique coloris On her head she had
caput eiusdam faciei circumdederat. a broad band of gold.

Et imago hec dicebat: The figure spoke:

ego summa et ignea vis I am the supreme fire and energy.
que omnes viventes scintillas accendi I have kindled all the sparks of the living,
et nulla mortalia efflavi and I have breathed out no mortal things,
sed illa diiudico ut sunt. for I judge them as they are.
Circueuntem circulum I have properly ordained the cosmos,
cum superioribus pennis meis, flying about the circling circle
id est cum sapientia, with my upper wings,
circumvolans recte ipsum ordinavi. that is with wisdom.
Sed et ego ignea vita substantie divinitatis I am the fiery life of divine substance,
super pulcritudinem agrorum flammo I blaze above the beauty of the fields,
et in aquis luceo I shine in the waters,
atque in sole, luna et stellis ardeo. I burn in the sun, moon and stars.
De operatione dei, Part I, Vision 1 Trans. Mark Atherton
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9 Hymn: O ignee spiritus

O ignee spiritus laus tibi sit O fiery spirit, praise be to you
qui in timpanis et citharis operaris. who play on the timbrel and lyre.

Mentes hominum de te flagrant The minds of men take fire from you,
et tabernacula animarum eorum and the tabernacles of their souls
vires ipsarum continent. restrain their powers,

Unde voluntas ascendit whence the will rises up

et gustum anime tribuit and gives savor to the soul;
et eius lucerna est desiderium. and its lamp is desire.

Intellectus te in dulcissimo sono With sweetest sound the intellect

advocat ac edificia tibi calls upon you and makes a place
cum rationalitate parat for you with reason,
qui in aureis operibus sudat. which brings forth works of gold.

Tu autem semper gladium But you always hold a sword

habes illud abscidere to cut off
quod noxiale pomum what the poisoned apple
per nigerrimum homicidium profert. produces through blackest murder.

Quando nebula voluntatem When clouds darken the will

et desideria tegit, and its desires,
in quibus anima volat then the soul flies about
et undique circuit. and circles everywhere.

Sed mens est ligatura voluntatis et desiderii. But the mind is the bond of the will and of desire.

Cum vero animus se ita erigit And when the soul rises up
quod requirit pupillam mali videre to look into the eye of evil
et maxillam nequicie and the jaws of wickedness,
tu eum citius in igne you quickly consume it
comburis cum volueris. with fire as you will.

Sed et cum rationalitas But when reason

se per mala opera ad prona declinat, falls prostrate through evil,
tu eam cum vis stringis you restrain it through your power
et confringis et reducis and strangle and smash it
per infusionem experimentorum. through a flood of experiences.

Quando autem malum ad te gladium suum educit And when evil draws its sword upon you,
tu illud in cor illius refringis you shatter it in its own heart,
sicut in primo perdito angelo fecisti as in the beginning you did to the lost angel,
ubi turrim superbie illius hurling the tower of his pride
in infernum deiecisti. down into hell.

Et ibi aliam turrim And there you raised another tower

in publicanis et peccatoribus elevasti in publicans and sinners
qui tibi peccata sua cum operibus suis confitentur. who confess to you the sinfulness of their works.

Unde omnes creature Whence all creatures

que de te vivunt te laudant who have life from you praise you,
quia tu preciosissimum unguentum es because you are the most precious ointment
fractis et fetidis vulneribus for broken and fetid wounds,
ubi illa in preciosissimas gemmas convertis. which you change into most precious jewels.

Nunc dignare nos omnes ad te colligere Now deign to gather us all to you
et ad recta itinera dirigere. Amen. and guide us on the right path. Amen.
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10 Vision 4: Love

In vera visione spiritus vigilans corpore, In a true vision of the spirit in a waking state,
vidi quasi pulcherrimam puellam I saw the likeness of a beautiful girl
in tanto fulgore splendide faciei fulgentem shining with a splendour so bright
quod eam perfecte intueri non poteram. that I could not look upon her properly.
Et pallium candidius nive She had a cloak whiter than snow
et clarius stellis habebat. and brighter than a star.
Solem autem et lunam in manu dextera tenebat And she had in her right hand the sun and the moon,
ac eos suaviter amplectebatur. gently embracing them.

Et audivi vocem mihi dicentem: And I heard a voice saying these things to me.
puella hec quam vides caritas est The girl you see is Love,
que in eternitate habitaculum habet. who has her dwelling in eternity.
Nam cum deus voluit mundum creare For when God wanted to create the world,
declinavit se in suavissimo amore he inclined himself in the sweetest affection,
et omnia necessaria previdit and foresaw all things necessary,
quemadmodum pater filio suo hereditatem preparat. just as a father provides an inheritance for his son;
Ac sic in magno ardore and in this way he ordered all his works
omnia opera sua disposuit. in a great burning fire of love.
Tunc creatura in his speciebus Then every creature in every species
ac in formis suis creatorem suum agnovit, and form acknowledged its creator,
quoniam caritas in principio materia for in the beginning Love was the base matter
eiusdem creature sic fuit. from which all creatures came.
Ubi deus dixit: fiat, et facta est, And God said ‘Let it be done’, and it was done,
quia omnis creatura quasi in ictu oculi for every creature was made through Love
per illam formata est. in the twinkling of an eye.
Letter to Abbot Adam of Erbrach, c. 1166 Trans. Mark Atherton

11 Antiphon: Caritas habundat in omnia

Caritas habundat in omnia Love flows down to all things,

de imis excellentissima super sidera most exalted from the depths up to the stars,
atque amantissima in omnia and most loving toward all,
quia summo regi osculum pacis dedit. for she gave the highest king the kiss of peace.

12 Antiphon: O eterne deus

O eterne deus nunc tibi placeat O eternal God, now may it please you
ut in amore illo ardeas ut membra illa simus to burn so with love, that we may become the limbs
que fecisti in eodem amore that you made in that same love
cum filium tuum genuisti with which you begot your son
in prima aurora ante omnem creaturam in the first dawn, before every other creature.
et inspice necessitatem hanc que super nos cadit Consider the need that falls to our lot:
et abstrahe eam a nobis propter filium tuum take it from us for your son’s sake,
et perduc nos in leticiam salutis. and lead us into the joy of salvation.
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13 Hymn: Beata nobis gaudia

Beata nobis gaudia The year’s circle brings

anni reduxit orbita blessed joys to us again,
cum spiritus paraclitus when the comforting spirit
effulsit in discipulos. shone forth among the disciples.

Ignis vibrante lumine It brought a fire of shimmering light

lingue figuram detulit in the shape of a tongue upon them,
verbis ut essent proflui that they might be fluent
et caritate fervidi. with words and fervent charity.

Dudum sacrata pectora You once filled devoted hearts

tua replesti gratia. with your grace:
Dimitte nunc peccamina forgive our sins,
et da quieta tempora. grant us peaceful times.

Sit laus patri cum filio Praise be to the father, with the son,
sancto simul paraclito and likewise to the holy comforter,
nobisque mittat filius And may the son send us
charisma sancti spiritus. the balm of the holy spirit.

Amen. Amen.
Translation: Susan Hellauer

A note on pronunciation

Perhaps because it was a second language for everyone who used it, medieval Latin took on many elements of
pronunciation of the vernacular dialect or language of each region or country. In Germany, the pronunciation of
Latin was very much influenced by the sounds of German as it was spoken in the Middle Ages.

The pronunciation of German Latin that we are using in this recording is based on linguistic research published by
Harold Copeman and Vera U. G. Scherr in Singing Early Music: The Pronunciation of European Languages in the
Late Middle Ages and Renaissance. Edited by Timothy J. McGee with A.G. Rigg and David N. Klausner,
Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996.

Acknowledgments

For their generous help and advice, Anonymous 4 would like to thank Prof. Rebecca Baltzer (University of Texas at
Austin), Prof. Ruth Steiner (Catholic University of America and the CANTUS chant database), Prof. Anne
Robertson and Mr. Ray Gadke (University of Chicago), Prof. Elizabeth Davis (Columbia University), Prof. Susan
Boynton (Columbia University), Prof. Margot Fassler (Yale University) and Douglas Freundlich (Harvard
University).