Yesterday we looked at a familiar Christmas hymn that has both deep lyrical content and rich history. Let’s continue with the same theme today.
New To Me: Ancient to the Rest of the World
It wasn’t until within just the last few years that I really started paying attention and enjoying this marvelous hymn. For whatever reason, I just hadn’t heard it. Then the college where my wife was attending and singing in Concert Choir based an entire Christmas Vespers service off of this hymn and I fell in love with it. It was new to me, but this text is even older than O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
Almost Contemporary with Jesus
Aurelius Prudentius, a Roman poet, was born in 348 A.D. – only about 300 years after Jesus’ death. Because of this, he had a wealth of inspiration to draw from including such early church leaders as Tertullian and Ambrose; the Bishop of Milan. Prudentius originally wrote nine stanzas to this hymn in Latin, Rome’s common language.
A Familiar Character
Yesterday we learned that the O Antiphon “O Come Emmanuel” was translated into English by John Mason Neale – so it really is no surprise to learn that the same man who was passionate about translating ancient hymns into English would also have translated Prudentius’ text. The beautiful melody that we are familiar with today was paired with the text by Thomas Helmore, Neale’s music editor. He chose the plainchant setting of Divinum Mysterium which reaches back to 1582. Again, this ancient text and classical musical setting still penetrates our ears and minds with truths that are eternal.
Even if you never sing this hymn corporately, or even as a solo, at least spend some time reading through the text and playing the melody – you won’t regret it.
(Source for this history comes from a well-documented wikipedia entry. You can also view all of the original stanzas there.)
