Hail Thou Star That Guidest
Ave maris stella lucens miseris
For Christmas
Latin
words and melody from
Piæ
Cantiones, 1582.
English
translation by the Rev. Ronald Knox
See:
Ave
maris stella lucens miseris
Source: Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #164, pp. 10-11.
|
1.
Hail! Thou star that guidest
Wave-tossed misery;
Gate of
victory;
Alleluia. |
1.
Ave maris stella
Lucens
miseris,
Porta
principis,
Alleluia. |
|
2.
Crown of royal history,
Robe
that Aaron wore;
Sling
that David bore;
Alleluia. |
2.
Regis diadema,
Stola
praesidis,
Funda
Dauidis,
Alleluia. |
|
3.
Mother of Compassion,
Our
felicity,
White
as lilies be;
Alleluia. |
3.
Mater pietatis,
Spes
fidelium
Candens
lilium.
Alleluia. |
Sheet Music from Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #164, pp. 10-11.
Sheet Music from Richard R. Terry, Old Christmas Carols. Part One. (London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., n.d., ca. 1923), Carol #30, pp. 40-41.
Note from Rev. Terry:
This carol in an abridged form, and with Neale's words (“Earth Today Rejoices”) has achieved almost universal popularity in England. But Neale's beautiful verses (which I find are popularly supposed to be a translation) are not a translation in any sense, hence the present English version, which follows the original Latin throughout. The melismatic passages of the music – here set to Alleluia – have no words under them in Piæ Cantiones. They ere obviously intended to be sung to the last syllable of the verbal line, after the manner of a Plainsong Jubilus. Long melismas on a single vowel sound effective (and natural) in a Plainsong composition, but they are foreign to our conception of part-music. In applying the word Alleluia to the melismas of this carol, Neale was only following a practice which obtained even in the palmy days of Plainsong. Applied to this carol it is especially convenient and is therefore retained.
Note:
Compare: Ave maris stella lucens miseris; Source: G. E. Klemming, ed., Piæ Cantiones. S. Trinitas. Iesus Christus. S. Spiritus. S Maria. (1886), pp. 15-6.
A single copy of Piæ Cantiones found its way into the hands of Rev. John Mason Neale and Rev. Thomas Helmore in 1853, and from this exceptionally rare volume an immense amount of music was saved from oblivion. For more information, see Piæ Cantiones.
Melismatic passages are those which is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referred to as melismatic, as opposed to syllabic, in which each syllable of text is matched to a single note. Source: Melisma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
If you would like to help support Hymns and Carols of Christmas, please click on the button below and make a donation.
Related Hymns and Carols