Norman Psalter, Mary and Child, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague, c. 1180Beata Viscera (Blessed Offspring) is a Marian piece intended for the Communion section of the Mass. It comes from Psalm 45. The text is used at all times in the Roman rite (except during Advent) as the Communion motet of the Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin. This setting is a single-voice conductus attributed to the medieval French composer Perotin (fl. c.1200), who is also known as Perotinus, which means “Little Peter.” The conductus was a musical form that gained in popularity during Perotin’s lifetime. It could be either polyphonic or monophonic, but
its distinguishing characteristic was that the melody was newly composed rather than being linked to a piece of chant. Perotin was one of the most famed composers of organum; this is his only attributed monophonic work. The words of this setting are by Philippe the Chancellor (d. 1236), the most highly regarded writer of Latin lyric poetry of the time.
Beata viscera Marie virginis
cuius ad ubera rex magni nominis;
veste sub altera vim celans numinis
dictavit federa Dei et hominis
O mira novitas et novum gaudium,
matris integrita post puerperium.
Solem, quem librere, Dum purus otitur
In aura cernere visus non patitur,
cernat a latere dum repercutitur,
alvus puerpere, qua totus clauditur.
O mira novitas et novum gaudium,
matris integrita post puerperium.
Blessed flesh of the Virgin Mary,
at whose breast the king of eminent name,
concealing, under altered guise,
the force of divine nature,
has sealed a pact of God and Man.
O astonishing novelty and unaccustomed joy
of a mother still pure after childbirth.
Vision does not endure to behold in its radiance
the sun, unconcealed, as he rises forth, pure.
Let the wholly enclosed womb of the mother
behold from the side as it is reflected.
O astonishing novelty and unaccustomed joy
of a mother still pure after childbirth.
Thanks to www.avemarisstella.com for the note and text.
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