Common of Saints: On Feasts of Apostles & Evangelists

 From Hymn melodies for the whole year from the Sarum service-books:

On Feasts of Apostles & Evangelists throughout the year, except in Paschal-tide:

1st Ev. & Matt.  Annue Christe (with its special verses)
   
    On Double Feasts (1st Ev. & Matt). ........46
    On Simple Feasts (1st Ev. only) ..........46
    On Simple Feasts & within Octaves (M.) ...47

    [Matt. (York) Eterna Christi munera, Apostolorum ......61]

L. & 2nd Ev.  Exultet celum laudibus

    At Lauds (except in Christmas-tide) ....48
    At 2nd Ev. (& L. when no 2nd Ev.) ......49
    During Xmas-tide (L. & 2nd Ev.) until Candelmas ....27
    Within the Octaves of SS Peter & Paul (L.) &
             of S. Andrew (L. & Ev.) .....50

   
On the Feasts of Apostles & Evangelists in Paschal-tide,  (i.e. between Low Sunday  & Pentecost):

     1st Ev.      Tristes erant         In Eastertide ......39
     Matt.                                     In Ascension-tide .....41
       
      Lauds      Claro paschali      In Easter-tide .....39
      2nd. Ev.                                In Ascension-tide ....41

Follow along with the Offices for the Common of Saints at Breviary Offices, from Lauds to Compline Inclusive (Society of St. Margaret, Boston) (published in 1885).   That link is to the page containing feasts during Eastertide; here's the page for feasts that occur during the rest of the year.  I'll link-in via iFrame at the bottom of the post to the Eastertide page; scroll through to page 265 to reach the other one.

Below is a video of Annue Christe, the prescribed hymn for Mattins and 1st Evensong (except during Eastertide) as above, sung to melody #46.   Annue Christe is not listed as a hymn for the Common of Apostles and Evangelists at LiberHymnarius.org, and seems in general to be rather obscure. 



There are, it appears, special verses for use on the particular days of particular Apostles and Evangelists.  For instance, this is the hymn Áurea luce, from Giovanni Vianini, sung to melody #46 above for the Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul (June 29); it's a beautiful melody and a terrific text:





Here's the chant score by itself:

CPDL provides the Latin words for Annue Christe; these are used on a medieval composed version of it, and the first verse, anyway, matches what's on the recording above:

Annue Christe sæculorum Domine,
Nobis per hujus tibi cari(a) merita,
Ut qui te coram graviter deliquimus
Hujus solvamur gloriosis precibus.

Salva Redemptor plasma tuum nobile,
Signatum sancto vultus tui lumine;
Nec lacerari sinas fraude dæmonum
Propter quos mortis exsolvisti pretium.

Noli captivos esse tuos servulos,
Absolve reos, compeditos erige,
Et quos cruore redemisti proprio
Rex bone tecum fac gaudere perpetim.

Sit tibi Jesu benedicte Domine
Gloria, virtus, honor, et imperium,
Una cum Patre, sanctoque Paraclito
Cum quibus regnas Deus ante sæcula.

This English translation is from Cyberhymnal's entry on Annue, Christe; the general sense of the words seems to match the Latin above:

"Words: Un­known au­thor, be­fore the 11th Cen­tu­ry (An­nue Chris­te sae­cu­lor­um Do­mi­ne); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Thom­as A. La­cey in The Eng­lish Hymn­al (Lon­don: Ox­ford Un­i­ver­si­ty Press, 1906), num­ber 174."

Lord of creation, bow Thine ear, O Christ, to hear
The intercession of Thy servant true and dear,
That we unworthy, who have trespassed in Thy sight,
May live before Thee where he dwells in glorious light.

O God our Savior, look on Thine inheritance,
Sealed by the favor shining from Thy countenance;
That no false spirit bring to naught the souls of price
Bought by the merit of Thy perfect sacrifice.

We bear the burden of our guilt and enmity,
Until Thy pardon lift the heart from slavery;
Then through the spending of Thy life blood, King of grace,
Grant us unending triumph in Thy holy place.

To Thee the glorious Christ, our Savior manifest,
All wreaths victorious, praise and worship be addressed,
Whom with the living Father humbly we adore,
And the life giving Spirit, God forevermore.

This, with a bit more information about an obscure hymn, comes from Hymnary.org:

Annue Christe saeculorum Domine. [Common of Apostles.] This hymn is of unknown authorship, its full form consists of four general stanzas, and nine stanzas proper of saints.

Translations in common use:—
1. 0 Christ, Thou Lord of worlds, Thine ear. By J. M. Neale. Published in the enlarged edition of the Hymnal Noted, 1854, No. 75, in 4 stanzas of 8 lines, from whence it has passed into a few collections. In the St. Raphael's Collection, 1860, special stanzas were introduced after the Sarum manner (these added stanzas are all original) for SS. Andrew, Thomas, John and James, Matthias, Peter, Bartholomew, Matthew, and Simon and Jude, and some of these were repeated in Skinner's Daily Service Hymnal, 1864, with additional verses for St. Barnabas and for SS. Philip and James, the latter altered from Bp. Wordsworth's hymn on that festival in his Holy Year, "Blest be, 0 Lord, the grace of Love." It is altered in the Hymnary, 1872, to "0 Christ, Thou Lord of all."

-- Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

 And here's the chant score used at Community of St. John Baptist (Anglican); it's melody #46 but with a different set of words:



If I find an mp3 of the whole hymn I'll certainly come back and post it.  I don't have audio for melody #47, either; still working on that, too.  Here's the chant score, though:

Aeterna Christi Munera ("The Eternal Gifts of Christ the King" (mp3), though, is the York hymn for Mattins for A&E; that mp3 again comes from LLPB.    Here's the chant score:

The words used on this mp3 are in the 1982 Hymnal at #233, and originally come from the 1940 hymnal, it says; here's a translation by J.M. Neale of the original words from Ambrose, although not exactly the version used on the audio file.

The eternal gifts of Christ the King,
the apostles' glory, let us sing,
and all, with hearts of gladness, raise
due hymns of thankful love and praise.

For they the Church's princes are,
triumphant leaders in the war,
in heavenly courts a warrior band,
true lights to lighten every land.

Theirs is the steadfast faith of saints,
and hope that never yields nor faints;
and love of Christ in perfect glow
that lays the prince of this world low.

In them the Father's glory shone,
in them the will of God the Son,
in them exults the Holy Ghost,
through them rejoice the heavenly host.

To thee, Redeemer, now we cry,
that thou wouldst join to them on high
thy servants, who this grace implore,
for ever and for evermore.

St. David's Compline Choir sings this one, too, although to a different tune; here's that audio file (mp3).

Exultet celum laudibus is the hymn prescribed throughout the year for Lauds and 2nd Evensong for Feasts of Apostles & Evangelists - but melody #27 is only used during Christmastide (which means it's only used on the Feast of St. John Evangelist, since that's the only A&E feast day in Christmastide!).

This is the same tune used for A solis ortus cardine, sung at Lauds & 2nd Evensong on Christmas Day.  Here's LLPB's mp3 of that song; just sing the English words  below (from Oremus - "Words: Latin, tenth century; trans. Richard Mant, as alt. in The English Hymnal, 1906") instead of the words on the audio file and you're in business.

Let the round world with songs rejoice;
let heaven return the joyful voice;
all mindful of the Apostles' fame,
let heaven and earth their praise proclaim.

Ye servants who once bore the light
of Gospel truth o'er heathen night,
still may your work that light impart,
to glad our eyes and cheer our heart.

O God, by whom to them was given
the key that shuts and opens heaven,
our chains unbind, our loss repair,
and grant us grace to enter there;

for at thy will they preached the word
which cured disease, which health conferred:
O may that healing power once more
our souls to grace and health restore:

that when thy Son again shall come,
and speak the world's unerring doom,
he may with them pronounce us blessed,
and place us in thy endless rest.

To thee, O Father; Son, to thee;
to thee, blessed Spirit, glory be!
So was it ay for ages past,
so shall through endless ages last.

"The Lied, Art Song, and Choral Texts Archive" - a site I like more and more each time I see it - provides this set of Latin words:

Exultet celum laudibus
Resultet terra gaudiis
Apostolorum gloriam
Sacra canant solemnia

Vos secli iusti iudices
Et vera mundi lumina
Votis precamur, cordium
Audite preces supplicum

Qui celum verbo clauditis
Serrasque eius solvitis
Nos a peccatis omnibus
Solvite iussu, quesumus

Quorum precepto subditur
Salus et languor omnium
Sanate egros moribus
Nos reddentes virtutibus

Ut cum iudex advenerit
Christus in fine seculi
Nos sempiterni gaudii
Faciat esse compotes

Deo Patri sit gloria
Eiusque soli Filio
Cum Spirito paraclito
Et nunc et in perpetuum.

There's a slightly different set of words on page 153 of Britt's Hymns of the Breviary and Missal.





Melody #48 is used at Lauds for the rest of the year; here's that chant score:

No sound file for melody #48 so far; that will be forthcoming when I find a recording of it.

 

Melody #49 is used for Exultet caelum laudibus at at 2nd Evensong, and at Lauds when there is no 2nd Evensong, according to the formula above.   Here's the audio file of this one, from LLPB (mp3).


Finally, melody #50 is used according to the formula: "Within the Octaves of SS Peter & Paul (L.) & of S. Andrew (L. & Ev.)."  Here's the chant score, but I have no recording at the moment:

In Paschal- and Ascension-tides, though, two other hymns (and melodies) are used on the feast days of Apostles and Evangelists: Tristes erant apostoli  is sung at 1st Evensong and Matttins, and Claro paschali gaudio is sung at Lauds and 2nd Evensong.  Interestingly, the melodies used for these hymns are also used on the (August 7) Feast of the Most Sweet Name of Jesus.

Melody #39 is also well-known as the Easter Mattins hymn Aurora Lucis Rutilat ("The Day Draws on with Golden Light").  Here's an mp3 of an example of that hymn sung to this tune;  just use the words to Tristes erant apostoli  when singing it:

Tristes erant apostoli
de neces sui Domini
quem poena mortis crudelis
servi damnavunt impii.

Sermone blando Angelus
praedixit mulieribus
in Galilaeam Dominus
videntes est quantocius.

Illae dum pergunt concitae
apostolis hoc dicere,
videntes eum vivere,
osculant pedes Domini.

Quo agnito discipuli
in Galilaeam propere
pergunt videre faciem
desideratam Domini.

Esto perenne mentibus
paschale, Iesu, gaudium
et nos renatos gratiae
tuis triumphis aggrega.

Gloria tibi, Domine
qui surrexisti a mortuis
cum Patre et Sancto Spiritu
in sempiterna saecula.
Amen.
   

While Christ's disciples, grieving, sad,
Their Master's painful death deplore,
Whom faithless servants' cruel hands,
Had bathed in His own crimson gore;

Quick from the happy realms above,
An Angel comes on joyful wing,
And to the women tells the joy
That to His flock their Lord will bring.

As they with eager steps make haste,
Their joyous message to repeat,
Their Master's glorious form they see,
And falling clasp His sacred feet.

Cheered by this tale, His faithful flock
The Galilean mount ascend,
And there with loving awe behold
Their heart's sole wish, their truest friend.

That Thou mayst be our Paschal joy
Through happy, never-ending years,
Thine own poor children, Jesu, free
From sin's sad death with all its fears.

To God the Father, and the Son,
Who rose from death, glad praise, repeat;
Let equal praise be ever sung
To God the Holy Paraclete.

Here's the chant score for melody #41; at the moment I have no audio file for this tune, sorry to say.  (See the video below for a melody you could instead, though.)

This is one version of the Latin words:

Claro paschali gaudio
sol mundo nitet radio
Cum Christum iam Apostoli
visu cernunt corporeo.
Alleluia.

Ostensa sibi vulnera
in Christi carne fulgida
resurrexisse Dominum
voce fatentur publica.
Alleluia.

Rex Christe, clementissime,
Tu corda nostra posside
ut tibi laudes debitas
reddamus omni tempore.
Alleluia.

Ut sis perenne mentibus
Paschale Iesu gaudium,
a morte dira criminum
vitae renetos libera.
Alleluia. 

J.M. Neale translated this one, too; the fifth verse is the Doxology, not included in the Latin words above:

Joy dawned again on Easter-Day,
The sun shone out with fairer ray,
When, to their longing eyes restored,
The apostles saw their risen Lord.

His risen flesh with radiance glowed;
His wounded hands and feet he showed:
Those scars their silent witness gave
That Christ was risen from the grave.

O Jesus, King of gentleness,
Do thou our inmost hearts possess;
And we to thee will ever raise
The tribute of our grateful praise.

Jesus, who art the Lord of all,
In this our Easter festival,
From every weapon death can wield
Thine own redeemed, thy people, shield.

All praise, O risen Lord, we give
To thee, who, dead, again dost live;
To God the Father equal praise,
And God the Holy Ghost, we raise.

Amen.

Giovanni Viannini sings this hymn to another tune - no doubt a melody from the Roman Breviary.  Pretty, too:




Here's the iframe peek-in to the Offices from the SSM Breviary (see above):