William Blake, By the Waters of Babylon,
Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1806
Super flumina Babylonis are the opening words of psalm 136 (137) which speaks of the conditions of the Hebrews taken into captivity in Babylon (586 BCE) who, out of sadness, no longer want to sing of their homeland but are requested to do so by their captors.
1 Super flumina Babylonis illic sedimus et flevimus, dum recordaremur Sion.
By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered thee, O Sion.
2 In salicibus in medio ejus suspendimus organa nostra:
As for our harps, we hanged them up upon the trees that are therein.
3 quia illic interrogaverunt nos, qui captivos duxerunt nos,
verba cantionum; et qui abduxerunt nos: Hymnum cantate nobis de canticis Sion.
For they that led us away captive required of us then a song, and melody, in our heaviness: Sing us one of the songs of Sion.
4 Quomodo cantabimus canticum Domini in terra aliena?
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?
5 Si oblitus fuero tui, Jerusalem, oblivioni detur dextera mea.
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
6 Adhæreat lingua mea faucibus meis, si non meminero tui;
si non proposuero Jerusalem in principio lætitiæ meæ.
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; yea if I prefer not Jerusalem in my mirth.
7 Memor esto, Domine, filiorum Edom, in die Jerusalem: qui dicunt: Exinanite, exinanite usque ad fundamentum in ea. Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Jerusalem how they said, Down with it, down with it, even to the ground.
8 Filia Babylonis misera ! beatus qui retribuet tibi retributionem tuam quam retribuisti nobis.
O daughter of Babylon, wasted with misery yea, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us.
9 Beatus qui tenebit, et allidet parvulos tuos ad petram.
Blessed shall he be that taketh thy children and throweth them against the stones.
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In the traditional Latin Mass of the Roman Catholic Church, Super flumina Babylonis (v. 1) is the offertory (preparation of the gifts) antiphon for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost.
Schola Pacifica [Grooveshark]
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A number of Renaissance composers created motets.
Orlande de Lassus, performed by Mešoviti hor Gimnazije "Jovan Jovanović Zmaj," Jasmina Neskovic conducting. [YouTube]
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, for 4 voices, verses 1 and 2, performed by the San Petronio Cappella Musicale Soloists [Grooveshark]
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, performed by the Voices of Ascension, Dennis Keene conducting. [NML] (info)
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, performed the Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge, Sarah MacDonald conducting [we7] (info)
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, verses 1 and 2, performed by the Virtual Byrd Choir (One Japanese male voice singing all parts on a multi-track recording device. [listen]
Luca Marenzio, verse 1 to mid-7: In die Jerusalem, performed by the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, Christopher Jackson conducting. [NML] (info) [Poste d'écoute]
Tomás Luis de Victoria, performed by The Sixteen, Harry Christophers conducting. [CML] (info)
Salamone Rossi, Al naharot bavel (Super flumina Babylonis), performed by the Sydney University Madrigal society. [YouTube]
Henry Du Mont, Super flumina Babylonis, verse 1 to mid-7: In die Jerusalem; performed by the Ensemble Pierre Robert, Frédéric Desenclos conducting. [NML] (info)
Joseph Valette De Montigny, Super flumina babylonis à 2 voix & continuo, performed by La Compagnie Baroque: Michel Vershaeve, Elodie Mourot, Elodie Nadaud, Jonathan Dunford, Jérôme Lefèbvre, Francis Roudier, Ariane Dellebach, Céline Désier, Fabrice Conan [we7] (info)
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Philippe de Monte was born in Mechelen in Flanders in 1521. His family name was most certainly a more Flemish version of the Italianate one he adopted during his several stays in Italy. In his thirties, de Monte joined the chapel of Prince Philip of Spain and accompanied the royal retinue to England for the marriage of Philip to Mary Tudor. There he met the Byrds, young William in the company of his father. Although de Monte left England after only a year, he apparently kept in contact with William.
De Monte's concern over the persecution of his fellow Catholics in England under Elizabeth, who had succeeded Mary on the throne, caused him eventually to send to William Byrd a motet, Super flumina Babylonis, really an encrypted message, wondering how his Catholic friend could serve under such oppression.
De Monte, in his motet for 8 voices, rearranged the order of the verses of psalm 136 (137), thus lamenting more sharply the fate of Catholics, including his friend, Byrd, and even challenging resistance.
1 Super flumina Babylonis illic sedimus et flevimus, dum recordaremur Sion.
By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered thee, O Sion.
3 quia illic interrogaverunt nos, qui captivos duxerunt nos,
verba cantionum; et qui abduxerunt nos: Hymnum cantate nobis de canticis Sion.
For they that led us away captive required of us then a song, and melody, in our heaviness: Sing us one of the songs of Sion.
4 Quomodo cantabimus canticum Domini in terra aliena?
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?
2 In salicibus in medio ejus suspendimus organa nostra:
As for our harps, we hanged them up upon the trees that are therein.
William Byrd responded to De Monte, starting with Psalm 136 (137),
v. 4, and continuing to mid-v. 7, Quomodo cantabimus, affirming how it was possible for him to sing in an "alien" land and yet be true to his faith.
4 Quomodo cantabimus canticum Domini in terra aliena?
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?
5 Si oblitus fuero tui, Jerusalem, oblivioni detur dextera mea.
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
6 Adhæreat lingua mea faucibus meis, si non meminero tui;
si non proposuero Jerusalem in principio lætitiæ meæ.
If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; yea if I prefer not Jerusalem in my mirth.
7 Memor esto, Domine, filiorum Edom, in die Jerusalem. Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Jerusalem.
Byrd, beginning with a three-part canon (one in inverse), in a polyphony, likewise for 8 voices, that is strong and dense, made it clear that his Catholic faith was indeed firm and unwavering.
Philippe de Monte, Super flumina Babylonis, performed by The Sixteen, Harry Christophers conducting. [YouTube] [Grooveshark]
William Byrd , Quomodo cantabimus, performed by The Sixteen, Harry Christophers conducting. [YouTube] [Grooveshark]
Philippe de Monte, Super flumina Babylonis, performed by I Fagiolini, Robert Hollingworth conducting. [NML] (info)
William Byrd, Quomodo cantabimus, performed by
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Charles-Valentin Alkan, Super flumina Babylonis, a paraphrase of Psalm 137 for piano, performed by the composer. [CML] (info)
