2On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ 4And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ 5His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ 6Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. 8He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. 9When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ 11Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there for a few days. (NRSV)
O frondens virga, sung by soprano Diane Severson, is recorded on track 5 of "Magdalene and the other Mary. "
Voices Found # 3
Verbum bonum
another ancient song in praise of the Virgin
1a. Verbum bonum et suave personemus illud Ave
per quod Christi fit conclave virgo, mater, filia.
1b. Per quod Ave salutata mox concepit fecundata
virgo David, stirpenata interspinas lilia.
2a. Ave veri Salomonis, mater, vellus Gedeonis
cuius magi tribus donis laudant puerperium
2b. Ave solem genuisti, ave, prolem protulisti
mundo lapso contulisti vitam et imperium
3a. Ave, sponsa Verbisummi, maris portus,
signum dumi, aromatum virga fumi, angelorum domina
3b. Supplicamus, nos emenda, emendatos nos commenda tuo nato ad habenda
sempiterna gaudia.
Amen
Words: Codex Las Heulgas, 14th c. tr Mary H. Stewart
Music: The Las Heulgas Manuscript, 14th c. ed. Gordon A. Anderson, American Institute of Musicology, arr. Robert A.M. Ross
Translation:
Let us sound out the word pure and sweet,
that Ave, through which the virgin, a mother's daughter,
became the chamber of Christ.
that Ave, mother of the true Solomon, fleece of Gideon,
whose childbirth the magi praised with three gifts.
Ave, you who bore Daylight;
Ave, you brought forth an offspring into a fallen world
you brought life and order.
Ave, bride of the highest Word,
safe harbor from the sea
sign in the thorn bush
source of fragrant incense, mistress of angels,
amend us we plea
and amended, commend us to your son
that we might have eternal joy.
Verbum bonum is a sequence sung after an Alleluia before the Gospel. This piece, written in conductus style makes a grand procession or entrance hymn. You can listen to it on this Lady Chapel Singer album.
Listening:
A sequence song offers commentary or reflection on the Gospel of the day. As you listen to the ancient voices of praise ponder the imagery and symbolism offered in the Las Heulgas text. Do you envision Mary as mother, daughter, bearer of Daylight, or a sign in the thorn bush? One of the other signs? Just as Hildegard finishes her song to Mary we hearth same plea in Verbum Bonum: Mistress of Angels, amend us, and amended pray for us to your Son that we might have eternal joy.
Mother Creator, thank you for the gift of Mary and her Son, our Daylight!
Verbum bonum is track 1 on the album "Echoes of St. Hildegard."
The score is #3 in Voices Found. More information about the Las Huelgas Codex and performance suggestions are in The Leader's Guide to Voices Found
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