penelope turner

It’s been a long time coming, but part 2 of o jerusalem – city of gold is now ready!

I posted part 1 of this chant on May 25th (#34 (2a)). Here is part 2.

o jerusalem – city of gold part 2

#hildegardvonbingen #chantrevisited #ilovemycello

The Holy Spirit makes music in you, who belong to the chorus of angels, since in the son of God you are made beautiful, having no flaw. What a glorious vessel you are, o Rupert, you who in your childhood and youth gasped for God, in fear of God, in the embrace of love, and in the sweetest fragrance of good works. O jerusalem, your foundations are set with burning stones, that is, publicans and sinners: they are lost sheep, unless found through the Son of God, they run towards you and are placed in you. Thus your walls flash with living stones which, through an utmost study of good will, flew like clouds in the heavens. And so your towers, o jerusalem, glow red and shine through the glow and brilliance of the saints and all that God made beautiful, you lack nothing, o jerusalem. As you, adorned and beautiful, who live in Jerusalem, and you, o Rupert, who are their companion in this place, help us, the family that labours in exile.

This project is now on SoundCloud

As I continue to work on Part 2 of o jerusalem – city of gold, I repost a chant that I revisited in honour of Saint Maximin’s feast day (which is today) a year ago (#8 (2)). Such a pretty sequence. I thought of it this morning as I saw two pigeons (sorry, doves) up to their Spring business 🙂

#hildegardvonbingen #chantrevisited #ilovemycello

columba aspexit – the dove looked in

The dove looked in through the lattices of the windows, where, before it, a balm exuded from the bright Maximinus. The heat of the sun burned, dazzling in the gloom, whence a jewel sprang forth in the building of the temple of the purest loving heart. This high tower, of Lebanese wood and cypress, has been adorned with jacinth and diamonds, a city excelling the crafts of other builders. The swift deer ran to the fountain of clearest water flowing from the most powerful stone, irrigating sweet perfume.

O you, who deal in paints and unguents, in the sweetest greenness of the gardens of the King, ascending on high when the holy sacrifice of the rams is complete. This artist shines among you, the wall of the temple, who longed for the wings of an eagle, kissing the wisdom that nourished him in the glorious fecundity of the Church.

O Maximinus, you are the mountain and the valley and in both a high building appears where the goat went with the elephant and wisdom was in rapture. You are strong and beautiful in ceremony, and in the shining of the altar, mounting like the smoke of perfumes to the column of praise. Where you intercede for the people who stretch towards the mirror of light to whom there is praise on high.

This project is now on SoundCloud

Today is St. Rupert’s feast day, but sadly, despite my best efforts, my revisiting of o jerusalem is not yet ready. I shall be working on it this weekend, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, I re-post another chant for St. Rupert that I revisited for voice with cello accompaniment about a year ago: o felix apparitio – with harmonics. Please forgive the rather basic recording quality. Listening back to it now, I realize that I have learnt quite a lot about the technological side of things during this project 🙂

#hildegardvonbingen #chantrevisited #ilovemycello