Tuesday 19 December 2017

The Great Antiphons: O Radix Jesse

Today's in the series of Great Antiphons is O Radix Jesse.

As usual, here is the chant, as sung at Vespers before the Magnificat:



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 as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

And here is Arvo Pärt's setting:


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 nicht länger.

O Scion of Isaiah's Line, predestined to be a sign for the nations,
the rulers of the earth fall silent before thee,
the nations cry unto thee:
O come and save us, bestir thyself, delay no longer.

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