Attende Domine (The Lent Prose), 2009

I'm starting to get quite a few of the usual seasonal hits for this wonderful Lenten responsory that I first heard sung in procession at St. Thomas Fifth Avenue; according to TPL, it's a Mozarabic hymn from the 10th century.

Here's the English language version of the original Attende Domine, "Hear Us O Lord"; it's led by George Curnow, Senior Cantor at the Church of St. Martin in Roath:



EDIT: The St. David's Compline Choir of Austin, TX offers this mp3 of "Hear Us, O Lord" (the English translation of Attende Domine), with harmonized fauxbourdons refrain. Quite beautiful!

Here's the text, which comes from the translation in the English Hymnal of 1906:

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

To thee, Redeemer, on thy throne of glory:
lift we our weeping eyes in holy pleadings:
listen, O Jesu, to our supplications.

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

O thou chief cornerstone, right hand of the Father:
way of salvation, gate of life celestial:
cleanse thou our sinful souls from all defilement.

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

God, we implore thee, in thy glory seated:
bow down and hearken to thy weeping children:
pity and pardon all our grievous trespasses.

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

Sins oft committed, now we lay before thee:
with true contrition, now no more we veil them:
grant us, Redeemer, loving absolution.

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

Innocent captive, taken unresisting:
falsely accused, and for us sinners sentenced,
save us, we pray thee, Jesu, our Redeemer.

Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.

Also, from a "First Sunday in Lent" mass, offered by St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Church in Edinburgh:



And then here's something pretty nice, too: an arranged version of Attende Domine, presented by singers from St. Bartholomew's Catholic Church, "a group of volunteering musicians in the Chicago area" who have "done several concerts over the past few years mostly for benefits in local churches as well as performances at The Cultural Center of Chicago." A nice job, and actually a nice arrangement, I think, too:



Here's the original Latin version of the responsory:

Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi.
Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi.

Ad te Rex summe,
omnium Redemptor,
oculos nostros
sublevamus flentes:
exaudi, Christe,
supplicantum preces.

Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi.

Dextera Patris,
lapis angularis,
via salutis,
ianua caelestis,
ablue nostri
maculas delicti.

Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi.

Rogamus, Deus,
tuam maiestatem:
auribus sacris
gemitus exaudi:
crimina nostra
placidus indulge.

Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi.

Tibi fatemur
crimina admissa:
contrito corde
pandimus occulta:
tua, Redemptor,
pietas ignoscat.

Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi.

Innocens captus,
nec repugnans ductus;
testibus falsis
pro impiis damnatus
quos redemisti,
tu conserva, Christe.

Attende Domine, et miserere, quia peccavimus tibi.