"O" Antiphons


 [O-Eric-Gill-739634.jpg]
 
Eric Gill: O

 "O" Antiphons

Read about "O" Antiphons in Wikipedia. 

Click to read Father William Saunders' article, What are 'O Antiphons'?


December 17th: O Sapientia

O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Wisdom, who came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and reaching from beginning to end, mightily and sweetly ordered all things:  Come, and teach us the way of prudence.

Click to listen to Cantuale Antonianum (Gregorian).

Click to listen to the Dominican students of Blackfriars Hall, Oxford.

Arvo Pärt, O WeisheitTheatre of VoicesPaul Hillier conducting. [listen]

Arvo Pärt's version, performed by PolyphonyStephen Layton conducting. [CML]  (info[Antiphons I-IV: YouTube]

O Weisheit,
hervorgegangen aus dem Munde des Höchsten,
die Welt umspannst du von einem Ende zu andern,
in Kraft und Milde ordnest du alles:
O komm und offenbare uns
des Weg des Weisheit und der Einsicht, O Weisheit.

December 18th: O Adonai


O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.

O Lord and Ruler of the house of Isrel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush, and on mount Sinai gave him the Law:  Come, and with outstretched arm redeem us!

Click to listen to Cantuale Antonianum (Gregorian).

Click to listen to the Dominican students of Blackfriars, Oxford.

Arvo Pärt, O AdonaiTheatre of VoicesPaul Hillier conducting. [listen]

Click to hear Arvo Pärt, O Adonai, performed by Lumen Valo.

Arvo Pärt's version, performed by PolyphonyStephen Layton conducting. [CML (info)  [Antiphons I-IV: YouTube]

O Adonai,
der Herr und Führer des Hauses Israel,
im flammender Dornbusch
bist du dem Moses erschienen,
und hast ihm auf dem Berg das Gesetz gegeben.
O komm und befreie uns mit deinem starken Arm.



 December 19: O Radix Jesse


O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.

O Root of Jesse, standing fast an ensign before the peoples, before whom all kings are mute, to whom the nations will do homage: Come quickly to deliver us.

Click to listen to Cantuale Antonianum (Gregorian).

Click to listen to the Dominican students of Blackfriars, Oxford.

Arvo Pärt, O sproß aus Isais Wurzel, Theatre of VoicesPaul Hillier conducting. [listen]

Arvo Pärt's version, performed by PolyphonyStephen Layton conducting..  [CML (info)   [Antiphons I-IV: YouTube]

O sproß aus Isais Wurzel,
gesetzt zum Zeichen für die Völker,
vor dir verstummen die Herrscher der Erde,
dich flehen an die Völker:
o komm und errette uns, erhebe dich, säume night länger.




 December 20th:  O Clavis David

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel:  who opens and no one closes, who closes and no one opens:  Come, and deliver from the chains of prison whoever sits in the darkness and the shadow of death.

Click to listen to Cantuale Antonianum (Gregorian).

Click to listen to the Dominican students of Blackfriars, Oxford.

Arvo Pärt, O Schlüssel Davids, Theatre of VoicesPaul Hillier conducting. [listen]

Arvo Pärt's version, performed by PolyphonyStephen Layton conducting.  [CML] (info)   [Antiphons I-IV: YouTube]

O Schlüssel Davids,
Zepter des Hauses Israel,
du öffnest, und niemand kann schließen,
du schließt, und keine Macht vermag zu öffnen:
o komm und öffne de
n Kerker der Finsternis
und die Fessel des Todes.
 

 December 21st:  O Oriens

O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Day-Spring, splendour of light everlasting: Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.

Click to listen to Cantuale Antonianum (Gregorian).

Click to listen to the Dominican students of Blackfriars, Oxford.

Arvo Pärt, O MorgensternTheatre of VoicesPaul Hillier conducting. [listen]

Arvo Pärt's version, performed by PolyphonyStephen Layton conducting.  [CML] (info) [Antiphons V-VII: YouTube]

O Morgenstern,
Glanz des unversehrten Lichtes:
der Gerechtigkeit strahlende Sonne:
o komm und erleuchte, die da sitzen in Finsternis,
und im Schatten des Todes.


December 22nd: O Rex Gentium


O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O King of the nations, the ruler they long for, the cornerstone uniting all people: Come, and save us all, whom you formed out of clay.

Click to listen to Cantuale Antonianum (Gregorian).

Click to listen to the Dominican students of Blackfriars, Oxford.

Arvo Pärt, O König aller Völker, Theatre of VoicesPaul Hillier conducting. [listen]

Click to hear Arvo Pärt, O King of all nations, sung by the BBC SingersBo Holton conducting.

Arvo Pärt's version, performed by PolyphonyStephen Layton conducting..  [CML] (info)   [Antiphons V-VII: YouTube]

O König aller Völker,
ihre Erwartung und Sehnsucht,
Schlußstein, der den Bau zusammenhält,
o komm und errette den Menschen,
den du aus Erde gebildet!


December 23rd:  O Emmanuel

  
O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.

O Emmanuel, our King and our Lawgiver, the anointed of the nations, and their Saviour: Come and save us O Lord, our God.

Click to listen to Cantuale Antonianum (Gregorian).

Click to listen to the Dominican students of Blackfriars, Oxford.

Arvo Pärt, O Immanuel, Theatre of VoicesPaul Hillier conducting. [listen]

Click to hear Arvo Pärt, O Emmanuelsung by the BBC SingersBo Holton conducting.

Arvo Pärt's version, performed by PolyphonyStephen Layton conducting.  [CML] (info)   [Antiphons V-VII: YouTube]

O Immanuel,
unser König und Lehrer,
du Hoffnung und Heiland der Völker:
o komm, eile und schaffe uns Hilfe,
du unser Herr und unser Gott


______________

All of Arvo Pärt's Seven Antiphons, performed by PolyphonyStephen Layton conducting. [CML (info)

__________________

An English medieval practice arose of moving all of the antiphons forward by one day (commencing therefore on 16 December) and adding an additional (eighth) antiphon on 23 December, with the acrostic thus becoming Vero cras, "truly, tomorrow". This is the antiphon O Virgo virginum (O Virgin of virgins), with the following text:

  O Virgo virginum, quomodo fiet istud? Quia nec primam similem visa es nec habere sequentem. Filiae Jerusalem, quid me admiramini? Divinum est mysterium hoc quod cernitis. 

Virgin of virgins, how shall this come to pass? For neither before you was any like you, nor shall your like appear again. Why do you look at me with wonder, O daughter of Jerusalem? This mystery that you behold is God’s own work.
Unknown performance of O Virgo virginum [YouTube]