Benedicite, omnia opera Domini: A Lauds Canticle (for Pentecost)

Benedicite, omnia opera Domini is the Lauds Canticle for Sundays and Feast Days.  This version uses the Pentecost antiphon, Fontes, et omnia.  It's sung by the Schola Liturgiczna, Wyższego Seminarium Duchownego Zakonu Paulinów (The Liturgical Schola Of the Major Seminary of the Pauline Order), based in Krakow, Poland.  Their website is linked below the video, as is their Facebook page.



From the YouTube page, some information and the words to the canticle:

"Ant. 2 Fontes, et omnia. Benedicite, omnia opera Domini. Canticum Dn 3, 57 – 88. 56" w wykonaniu kleryckiej paulińskiej scholi liturgicznej. Gregorian chant - Ant. 2 Fontes, et omnia. Benedicite, omnia opera Domini. Canticum Dn 3, 57 – 88. 56.

http://www.seminarium.paulini.pl/15,Schola-liturgiczna
https://www.facebook.com/schola.wsd.osppe

Chorał gregoriański o Duchu Świętym. Gregorian Chant for the Solemnity of Pentecost. Jutrznia i Msza św. z Uroczystości Zesłania Ducha Świętego w wykonaniu Scholi Gregoriańskiej kleryków Wyższego Seminarium Duchownego Zakonu Paulinów w Krakowie.

Ant. 2 − Canticum Dn 3, 57 – 88. 56 Fontes, et omnia quae moventur in aquis, hymnum dicite Deo, alleluia.

1. Benedicite, omnia opera Domini, Domino; laudate et superexaltate eum in saecula.
2. Benedicite, angeli Domini, Domino; benedicite, caeli, Domino.
3. Benedicite, aquae omnes quae super caelos sunt, Domino; benedicite, omnes virtutes Domini, Domino.
4. Benedicite, sol et luna, Domino; benedicite, stellae caeli, Domino.
5. Benedicite, omnis imber et ros, Domino; benedicite, omnes spiritus Dei, Domino.
6. Benedicite, ignis et aestus, Domino; benedicite, frigus et aestus, Domino.
7. Benedicite, rores et pruina, Domino; benedicite, gelu et frigus, Domino.
8. Benedicite, glacies et nives, Domino; benedicite, noctes et dies, Domino.
9. Benedicite, lux et tenebrae, Domino; benedicite, fulgura et nubes, Domino.
10. Benedicite, terra Dominum; laudet et superexaltet eum in saecula.
11. Benedicite, montes et colles, Domino; benedicite, universa germinantia in terra, Domino.
12. Benedicite, fontes, Domino; benedicite, maria et flumina, Domino.
13. Benedicite, cete et omnia quae moventur in aquis, Domino; benedicite, omnes volucres caeli, Domino.
14. Benedicite, omnes bestiae et pecora, Domino; benedicite, filii hominum, Domino.
15. Benedicat Israel Domino; laudet et superexaltet eum in saecula.
16. Benedicite, sacerdotes Domini, Domino; benedicite, servi Domini, Domino.
17. Benedicite, spiritus et animae iustorum, Domino; benedicite, sancti et humiles corde, Domino.
18. Benedicite, Anania, Azaria, Misael, Domino; laudate et superexaltate eum in saecula.
19. Benedicamus Patrem et Filium cum Sancto Spiritu; laudemus et superexultemus eum in saecula.
20. Benedictus es, Domine, in firmamento caeli; et laudabilis et gloriosus et superexaltatus in saecula.

Here are the words in English, from the Book of Common Prayer (1662):

O all ye Works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord :
      praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : praise him &c.
O ye Heavens, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Waters that be above the Firmament, bless ye the Lord :
O all ye Powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Sun and Moon, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Stars of Heaven, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Showers and Dew, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Winds of God, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Fire and Heat, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Winter and Summer, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Dews and Frosts, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Frost and Cold, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Ice and Snow, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Nights and Days, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Light and Darkness, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Lightnings and Clouds, bless ye the Lord :
O let the Earth bless the Lord:
     yea, let it praise him, and magnify him for ever.
O ye Mountains and Hills, bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify…
O all ye Green Things upon the Earth, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Wells, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Seas and Floods, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Whales, and all that move in the Waters, bless ye the Lord :
O all ye Fowls of the Air, bless ye the Lord :
O all ye Beasts and Cattle, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Children of Men, bless ye the Lord :
O let Israel bless the Lord :
O ye Priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord :
O ye Spirits and Souls of the Righteous, bless ye the Lord :
O ye holy and humble Men of heart, bless ye the Lord :
O Ananias, Azarias and Misael, bless ye the Lord :

The Pentecost antiphon, sung before and after the Canticle, is this one:

Fontes, et ómnia quæ movéntur in aquis, hymnum dícite Deo, allelúja.

In English, it's:

See ye fountains, * and all that move in the waters, ascribe ye praise to God, alleluia.

More about the Benedicite, from the St. Bede Blog (in re: the Episcopal Church's 1979 Book of Common Prayer):

The Benedicite comes from one of the additions to the book of Daniel that is found in the Greek Old Testament, but not in the Hebrew version. It’s best understood as an expansion of the content and theme of Psalm 148 where all creation is called upon to worship and give glory to God. In the narrative, this is a song put into the mouth of Daniel’s three companions which they sang in the midst of the fiery furnace. As a result, sometimes this will be referred to as “the song of the three young men.” In the former prayer books, this canticle was used as the first canticle during penitential seasons when the Te Deum was suppressed. That’s not because there’s anything penitential about it—it’s one of the most joyful canticles around! Rather it’s because this was the second canticle found in the pre-Reformation prymers and Books of Hours; if the Te Deum—which was the first canticle in them—was dropped, this one was next in line. Hence, the tradition grew that the Benedicite should replace the Te Deum, and it subsequently entered and formed the prayer book tradition.

It's Daniel  3:57-88, which you can find here, in the NRSVCE.


Here's a beauty of a polyphonic composition! Herbert Sumsion's setting of the Benedicte, in B flat - written for Choral Mattins, no doubt. I like Sumsion, and I like this piece.



An interesting piece of information about the Sumsion, from the YouTube page:

From an edition of John Betjeman’s BBC radio series “Britain’s Cathedrals and their Music”, broadcast on 11 February 1966. This is the only recording in the Archive of Herbert Sumsion conducting one of his own works.

Here's Henry Purcell's gorgeous setting, also in B flat:




Ralph Vaughan Williams set this Canticle, too as have quite a number of other composers. I don't believe I've ever heard it used, but that is because Choral Mattins is becoming a rare service.

Here's Vaughan Williams' setting; it's clearly not liturgical. It's prefaced with another text, and written for orchestra and choir; it's also quite long.







 

Sebastián de Vivanco: Magnificat Quarti toni

Here's a beautiful Magnificat; the chant verses are sung to Gregorian Tone 4.  Beginning sometime in the 15th Century, composers began writing this kind of chant/polyphony alternatim, in which all the odd verses are sung to either chant or polyphony - and then the even verses take the other style.   These were often based on the ordinary of the mass, but here, obviously, the text comes from the Vespers Canticle (part of the Ordinary of the Divine Office).

Sebastián de Vivanco was born in Avila, Spain, in 1551, and died in Salamanca in 1622. The performance is by the Orchestra of the Renaissance led by Richard Cheetham.  

Magnificat anima mea Dominum.
Et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo.
Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae:
ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.

Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est: et sanctum nomen eius.
Et misericordia eius a progenie in progenies, timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in bracchio suo: dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles.

Esurientes implevit bonis: et divites dimissit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae.
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in saecula.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.

Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.


My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden;
for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arms: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek.

He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remebering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel.
As he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
Glory be to the father, and to the son, and to the holy spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Introit for the Second Sunday after Epiphany: Omnis terra

This is a video labeled "Dominica II post Epiphaniam 3," from the Institute St. Philipp Neri in Berlin, and includes the singing of this introit.  (They are singing the beautiful Missa de Angelis at this mass, and the Kyrie is also included here.)



Here's a translation of this Introit, with the chant score below.

Let all the earth adore Thee, O God, and sing to Thee: let it sing a psalmto Thy name, O most High. * Shout with joy to God, all the earth, sing ye a psalm to His name: give glory to His praise.

The text comes from Psalm (65/)66, verse 4 and then verses 1-2.

(I'm not sure exactly what's going on here, I confess - why the Introit doesn't show up until the 3rd video!  It appears as if they may do the sprinkling rite, Asperges Me, before singing the introit - or else the videos are out of order - but I'll have to go through the clips to see.

Interestingly, in this video of the Asperges Me, it sounds like the whole congregation is singing; I hope that's true!




I'd like to learn more about the Philipp Neri Institute, and will post what I find.)

Over the years, I've realized with more and more clarity that a central theme - if not the central theme - of Epiphany and its season is exactly summed up by the incipit of this Introit: Omnis terra adóret te - "let the whole earth adore you."

This "universal" theme runs through everything during Epiphany season, from the themes of the Epiphany itself (especially that of the Magi, who come from afar - far outside Israel - to worship the new King); to the Epiphany propers (i.e., Reges Tharsis - "Kings of Tarshish and Saba" come to worship from the ends of the earth); to the Epiphany Collect (which begins "O God, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the peoples of the earth...."); and in propers throughout the season (i.e., the Offertory for today is Iubilate Deo, universa terra).

The New Testament reading on Epiphany is from Ephesians 3, and starts out "This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...."   The Old Testament is this supremely beautiful passage from Isaiah 60:

1 Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.

3 And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.

4 Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.

5 Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and exult,[a]
because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.

6 A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.

And now each week we sing Canticle 11, Surge, illuminare ("The Third Song of Isaiah") - taken from the first few verses in the passage above, along with these:

11 Your gates shall be open continually;
day and night they shall not be shut,
that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
with their kings led in procession.

18 Violence shall no more be heard in your land,
devastation or destruction within your borders;
you shall call your walls Salvation,
and your gates Praise.

19 The sun shall be no more
your light by day,
nor for brightness shall the moon
give you light;[b]
but the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.[c]

And there you have the other Epiphany theme:  light.   What a beautiful, mystical season this is!

Here's Palestrina's Surge, illuminare, sung by the Tallis Singers:

Stanford Magnificat in G - the Salisbury Cathedral Choir

I really like this choir - and love that treble solo!



From the YouTube page:

Salisbury Cathedral Choir sing Charles Villiers Stanford's wonderful Magnificat in G. Apologies for the start and for the proud Mum of the soloist during the Gloria at the end. The clip was taken from a documentary.

And here's the wonderful text of the Evening Canticle:

My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.
He hath showed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost
As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be
World without end
Amen.

"The Canticles at Evensong, Together with the Office Responses and a Table of Psalm-Tones"

A nice find at Google Books tonight: "THE CANTICLES AT EVENSONG, TOGETHER WITH THE OFFICE RESPONSES AND A TABLE OF PSALM-TONES: EDITED BY THE REVEREND CHARLES WINFRED DOUGLAS BACHELOR OF MUSIC CANON OF FOND DU LAC." - (The Saint Dunstan Edition)

Here's the link to the book itself, which was published in 1915 (and cost 50 cents).

Below is an iFrame that contains the first page of the Psalm Tone chart; you can scroll through it from this post.



From the Intro:

The following Table of Psalm-tones has been compiled with the purpose of providing greater melodic wealth than is afforded by the Sarum Tonale, while retaining the greater part of the latter in its accustomed order as a basis. To this end, traditional Continental mediations have been added in the forms presented by the Vatican Antiphoner; together with supplementary endings, among which all save the third ending of the fourth Tone are of ancient use, either in England or on the Continent. This exception is a slight modification (made by the Benedictines of Solesmes) of an ancient ending. The additional mediations are distinguished in the Table by the letters B and C; and the solemn mediations for Magnificat by the letter S. Wherever more than a single mediation is given for a Tone, the Sarum form is marked by the letter A. As the numbering of the Sarum endings adopted in recent English Psalters has become widely familiar, it is retained: the additional endings either being substituted for certain of the Sarum set that are practically never used; or else assigned further numbers after the complete enumeration of the Sarum group.

There are more notes at the link. Winfred Douglas is well-known in the Anglican world for his efforts at renewing the chant tradition; here's a bit about him at Cyberhymnal.

While at Syr­a­cuse Un­i­ver­si­ty, Doug­las sang at St. Paul’s Epis­co­pal Ca­thed­ral. He earned his Ba­che­lor of Mu­sic de­gree from Sy­ra­cuse in 1891, then took Ho­ly Or­ders. He moved to Ev­er­green, Col­o­ra­do, for health rea­sons, and be­came an Epis­co­pal priest in 1899. He ed­it­ed the Epis­co­pal New Hymn­al in 1918, and helped de­vel­op the 1940 Epis­co­pal hymn­al as well.

The monastic orders began to revive in England only during the mid-19th Century, fully 300 years after the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII. Winfed Douglas was instrumental in renewing the chant tradition. Here's something about him from the website of the Community of St. Mary East, an Episcopal monastic order from New York:

When the Rev. Canon C. Winfred Douglas became the choirmaster for the Community in 1906, he introduced a new edition of A Manual of Plain Song(4) to the choir, and later his own St. Dunstan Psalter(5). Prior to assuming his new position, he spent time in England, France, and Germany studying early church music. What he always valued most was the course in plainsong given by the Benedictine monks, who, exiled from their home monastery at Solesmes, had taken up residence at Quarr Abbey in the Isle of Wight. In an article for The Catholic Choirmaster published in March 1926, Canon Douglas explained his reasoning for welcoming the opportunity to be choirmaster for the Community of St. Mary.

"Parish Churches are too subject to changing policies with changing rectors for much hope of permanent stability in a musical tradition. It seemed to the writer that seminaries and schools, with their comparatively fixed policies, and above all, religious orders, offered the best field for constructive work... St. Mary's Convent and the group of institutions clustered around it seemed an admirable field for the establishment of a Plainsong tradition."(6)

The transition from modern notation, measured rhythm and polyphonic settings tothe Solesmes method of unison, equi-measured square notation chant presented quite an adjustment for the Sisters. Canon Douglas' patience and skill had them singing

Compline in ten days and the other simple offices over the next weeks. The school girls also learned the chant with the Sisters. Over the years many alumnae returned to Peekskill to sing at major liturgical feasts in St. Mary's Chapel.

The Night Office was first recited in May 1874 from the Neale edition of the Sarum Office(7). On March 12, 1916, a shortened form of the Benedictine Night Hours was introduced(8), and a revision of this came into use Pentecost, June 13, 1943. At Tenebrae and on great feasts such as Christmas, Purification, and Easter, the Night Office was sung in full, adapted from monastic melodies in use in the Latin with local variances since at least the tenth century.

For Lo, I raise up - Stanford

Love this! Never heard it before today; it's from - of all things - Habbakuk 1.

HT Postulant.

Magnificat

The Magnificat is the Evening Canticle, sung each day at the end of the Vespers Office; the text comes from the Gospel of Luke (1:41-55).

Here's a video of the Canticle, sung by the Monk's Choir of the Liguge Abbey:



The words in Latin are:

Magnificat anima mea Dominum,
et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salvatore meo,
quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae.
Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes,
quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est,
et sanctum nomen eius,
et misericordia eius in progenies et progenies
timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo,
dispersit superbos mente cordis sui;
deposuit potentes de sede
et exaltavit humiles;
esurientes implevit bonis
et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum,
recordatus misericordiae,
sicut locutus est ad patres nostros,
Abraham et semini eius in saecula.

And the English, from the Book of Common Prayer:

My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for e

Here's Arvo Pärt's lovely Magnificat; I'm not sure what the video footage is about, but actually I like it a lot:



And Sandro Botticelli's Annunciation (not the source of the Magnificat, but something like its subject):

Canticle: "The Song of the Sea" Part I

Kishnevi, who sometimes comments on another of my blogs, has left a really interesting description of the way the Deuteronomy version of "The Song of the Sea" (also called "The Song of Moses") was traditionally written out on the Torah scroll. I hope he won't mind if I reproduce the whole comment in a new post (to which I'm adding a couple of line breaks):

For purpose of context and comparison, the only one of the OT canticles which became part of the Jewish daily prayers is what we call the Song of the Sea (iow, the First Song of Moses). It's the Psalms and selected verses from the prophets (most importantly, the passage from Isaiah you know as the Sanctus and we call the Kedushah (same meaning as Sanctus)

The two songs of Moses are of course read as part of the regular cycle which allows the entire Torah to be read each year as part of the Sabbath services; the Song of Jonah is read on Yom Kippur afternoon, but only because the entire Book of Jonah is read at that time; the opening chapters of 1 Samuel are read as the prophetic portion on Rosh Hashanah, and that of course includes the Song of Hannah.

The two Songs of Moses receive special treatment in the traditional scribal writing of the Torah scroll. The Deuteronomy song is written as two columns of half verses, with a space running down the middle between them. The Song of the Sea is written in a pattern that results in a series of diagonals across the parchment/page. Verse 1, up to the word 'v'amru' (and spoke) occupies a full ine. The next word, v'omer (saying) is written by itself, then a space follows, then the middle phrase of the verse, then a space, then the single word sus (horse)at the left margin, then on the next line the remainder of the verse ('and his rider he has thrown into the sea'--which in Hebrew requires only three words), then a space, then the first part of verse 2 ("the Lord is my strength and my song and He has become to me"--five words in Hebrew), then on the next line, the single word "l'yeshua" (salvation), a space, then a three word phrase, a space, then a single word at the end of the line with the last two words of the verse at the start of the next line. The spatial pattern repeats every two lines, and every verse after verse 1 is spread over three lines in an interlocking pattern (the last half line of line a, the full line b, the first half line of lince c). The number of words in the phrases, other than the one-word phrases at the start and end of the alternate lines, vary as needed between two and six. The very last line manages to have the word "hayam" (the sea) as the solo word both at its start and end
and the Lord brought back on them the waters of/
the sea--but the Children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of--the sea./

[The dashes are the spaces.] It's a neat visual trick that most printings of the Biblical text don't even come close to.

How great, eh? While trying to find an image of this on the web (no luck so far, but I'll post it if I do), I came across this, in an article called "Sofrut: Scribal arts and sacred texts":

The scribe prepares the parchment by scratching 43 horizontal lines on it and two vertical ones at each end. This allows for a standard 42 lines of writing. Each sheet of parchment contains three to eight columns of writing. Certain letters might be stretched within a column to justify the left margin.

There are some places in the Torah where certain letters are larger or smaller than standard, or where the text is written in a different type of column. Each deviation from the norm carries a special meaning. For example, the "Song of the Sea" (Exodus 15:1-19), which describes the parting of the Sea of Reeds, consists of three interlocking columns. The two outer columns symbolize the sea parted on either side, with the middle column representing the children of Israel marching on dry ground. Visually, this sets the section apart from the surrounding columns. Such changes were instituted by the Masoretes--scribes of the 7-9th centuries who standardized the biblical text--to highlight the importance of certain passages. All of the writing and layout must be done exactly to specification in order for the scroll to be kosher.

More later about "The Song of the Sea," which is a really interesting Canticle - and, it's thought by some, one of the oldest of all things in the entire Bible. Meantime, here's an mp3 of the Exodus "Song of the Sea" from the Lutheran Liturgical Prayer Brotherhood.

Here is the BCP version of the words to this Canticle:

8    The Song of Moses    Cantemus Domino
       Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18
Especially suitable for use in Easter Season
I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; *
    the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my refuge; *
    the Lord has become my Savior.
This is my God and I will praise him, *
    the God of my people and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a mighty warrior; *
    Yahweh is his Name.
The chariots of Pharoah and his army has he hurled into the sea; *
    the finest of those who bear armor have been
                               drowned in the Red Sea.
The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; *
    they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; *
    your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy.
Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? *
    who is like you, glorious in holiness,
    awesome in renown, and worker of wonders?
You stretched forth your right hand; *
    the earth swallowed them up.
With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; *
    with your might you brought them in safety to
                          your holy dwelling.
You will bring them in and plant them *
    on the mount of your possession,
The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord, *
    the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established.
The Lord shall reign *
    for ever and for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
    as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

EDIT: I believe the image below (from this page at Wikipedia) is an example of what kishnevi is talking about. I'm not sure whether it's the Deuteronomy or Exodus version, between which (according to what's been said so far) there are differences; this seems to be three columns, but I may be wrong about that:

The Morning Canticle

Canticles are simply defined as "liturgical songs not Psalms taken from Scripture." The Canticles for Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline are all "Gospel Canticles"; all are taken from that section of the Bible - and in fact, all are taken from the Gospel of Luke. The most well-known Canticle, the Magnificat (or "The Song of Mary"), is sung in monastic communities each day at Vespers, or Evening Prayer. Another very famous Evening Canticle is the Nunc Dimittis (or "The Song of Simeon"), sung every night at Compline.

Less well-known is the Morning Canticle, Benedictus Dominus Deus (also called "The Song of Zechariah"), sung every morning at Lauds (or Morning Prayer) just after the Verse/Response following the hymn on the day.  Here's a video of the canticle sung in Latin; it's sung with Hodie Christus natus est as its antiphon - which is a bit strange, since Hodie is normally the antiphon upon Magnificat for Christmas Day, usually sung, that is, at Vespers and not at Lauds.  The video says the singers here are Vienna's "Cistercian monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz"; perhaps they do use Hodie at Lauds.  I'll check it out and will post what I find.  At any rate, you can hear Benedictus Dominus Deus sung to Canticle Tone 1, and that's a great thing!  The Canticle itself starts at about :55 seconds in; the words are all there, so you can see this for yourself anyway.




Here are the Latin and English words; the Latin words come from the Vulgate, and the English from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer:

Benedictus [Dominus] Deus Israhel quia visitavit et fecit redemptionem plebi suae
et erexit cornu salutis nobis in domo David pueri sui
sicut locutus est per os sanctorum qui a saeculo sunt prophetarum eius
salutem ex inimicis nostris et de manu omnium qui oderunt nos
ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris et memorari testamenti sui sancti
iusiurandum quod iuravit ad Abraham patrem nostrum daturum se nobis
ut sine timore de manu inimicorum nostrorum liberati serviamus illi
in sanctitate et iustitia coram ipso omnibus diebus nostris
et tu puer propheta Altissimi vocaberis praeibis enim ante faciem Domini parare vias eius
ad dandam scientiam salutis plebi eius in remissionem peccatorum eorum
per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri in quibus visitavit nos oriens ex alto
illuminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis
puer autem crescebat et confortabatur spiritu et erat in deserto usque in diem ostensionis suae ad Israhel

BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel : for he hath visited and redeemed his people;
And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us : in the house of his servant David;
As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets : which have been since the world began;
That we should be saved from our enemies : and from the hand of all that hate us.
To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers : and to remember his holy Covenant;
To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham : that he would give us;
That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies : might serve him without fear;
In holiness and righteousness before him : all the days of our life.
And thou, Child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest : for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people : for the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God : whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us;
To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death : and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.

There is a Taize version of this Canticle also; this one's in Latin, French, and English - quite nice, too!



The Roman Breviary does something interesting; in addition to singing the "The Song of Zechariah," it appoints a different Canticle for Morning Prayer every day, to take the place of a fourth Psalm. (Most of these Canticles can also be found in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer - but not in any earlier version.) Here's that list:

• On Sundays and Festivals, the "Canticle of the Three Children" (Dan., iii, 57).
• On Mondays, the "Canticle of Isaias the Prophet" (Isaiah 12).
• On Tuesdays, the "Canticle of Ezechias" (Isaiah 38:10-20).
• On Wednesdays, the "Canticle of Anna" (1 Samuel 2:1-10).
• On Thursdays, the "Canticle of Moses" (Exodus 15:1-19).
• on Fridays the "Canticle of Habacuc" (Hab., iii 2-19).
• On Saturdays, the "Canticle of Moses" (Deuteronomy 32:1-43).

That Wikipedia entry also says that:

In the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches there are nine Biblical Canticles (or Odes) that are chanted at Matins These form the basis of the Canon, a major component of Matins.
The nine Canticles are as follows:

• Canticle One — The (First) Song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-19)
• Canticle Two — The (Second) Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:1-43)^[2]
• Canticle Three — The Prayer of Hannah (I Kings 2:1-10) KJV: 1+Samuel 2:1-10
• Canticle Four — The Prayer of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:1-19)
• Canticle Five — The Prayer of Isaiah (Isaiah 26:9-20)
• Canticle Six — The Prayer of Jonah (Jonah 2:2-9)
• Canticle Seven — The Prayer of the Three Holy Children (Daniel 3:26-56)^[3]
• Canticle Eight — The Song of the Three Holy Children (Daniel 3:57-88)^[4]
• Canticle Nine — The Song of the Theotokos (the Magnificat: Luke 1:46-55); the Song of Zacharias (the Benedictus Luke 1:68-79)

Originally, these Canticles were chanted in their entirety every day, with a short refrain inserted between each verse. Eventually, short verses (troparia) were composed to replace these refrains, a process traditionally inaugurated by Saint Andrew of Crete.^[5] Gradually over the centuries, the verses of the Biblical Canticles were omitted (except for the Magnificat) and only the composed troparia were read, linked to the original canticles by an Irmos. During Great Lent however, the original Biblical Canticles are still read.
Another Biblical Canticle, the Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2:29-32), is either read or sung at Vespers.

Something else that's interesting: Roman Canticle replacing the 4th song for Tuesday, above, is "Hezekiah's Canticle." It's from Isaiah 38:

    10 I said, "In the middle of my life
         I am to enter the gates of Sheol;
         I am to be deprived of the rest of my years."
    11 I said, "I will not see the LORD,
         The LORD in the land of the living;
         I will look on man no more among the inhabitants of the world.
    12 "Like a shepherd's tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me;
         As a weaver I rolled up my life
         He cuts me off from the loom;
         From day until night You make an end of me.
    13 "I composed my soul until morning.
         Like a lion--so He breaks all my bones,
         From day until night You make an end of me.
    14 "Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter;
         I moan like a dove;
         My eyes look wistfully to the heights;
         O Lord, I am oppressed, be my security.

Below is a public domain image at Wikipedia Commons, of "Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Folio 103v - Hezekiah's Canticle the Musée Condé, Chantilly."






If I can find a complete mp3 of a choral Benedictus Dominus Deus - or a recording of Hezekiah's Canticle! - I will come back and post it.

[EDIT: Wow, it looks like Orlando Gibbons wrote a "Prayer of Hezekiah"! I'm not sure if it's the same text, but you can listen to it here.]

Here is a Russian ikon of Zechariah: