8th December, 2023
Prelude to Te Deum H146
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643 - 1704)
arranged for harp by Danielle Perrett
Why this piece? The Te Deum, a Latin Christian hymn was performed at the end of matins on major festival days in the Church and when the Gloria is said at Mass. This date was commemorated for the Feast of the Conception of the Mother of God.
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the belief that the birth of Mary herself was miraculous, not just that of Jesus. Exactly nine months after today is celebrated the feast of the Nativity of Mary on September 8. Marian worship has had a strong tradition within the Roman Catholic Church and at the time of this setting would have called for a special work on the feast day. These days the date is also Mothers’ Day, in Spain in recognition of Mary the model for all other mothers.
The Prelude is an instrumental piece but is followed by movements which set the text of the Te Deum itself, given here in both Latin and English. The English version given here though published by a committee of religious scholars in The Liturgy of the Hours 1975, originates from a manuscript version dating as far back as 909.
This Prelude is in a Rondeau form (in other words with a recurring refrain like a musical sandwich) and is entitled Marche en Rondeau. It is probable that most people will recognise it as a sort of fanfare theme for the European Broadcasting Union and the Eurovision Network today but Charpentier would probably be puzzled by such a use or context today! This is probably the music for which the composer is most widely known now. It was written between 1688 and 1698 when Charpentier was Director of Music at the church of St Louis in Paris, run by the Jesuits.
Te deum laudamus te dominum confitemur
Te aeternum patrem omnis terra veneratur
Tibi omnes angeli Tibi caeli et universae
Potestates
Tibi cherubim et seraphim incessabili voce
Proclamant
Sanctus sanctus sanctus dominus deus sabaoth
Pleni sunt celi et terra maiestatis gloriae tuae
Te gloriosus apostolorum chorus
Te prophetarum laudabilis numerus
Te martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus
Te per orbem terrarum sancta confitetur
Ecclesia
Patrem inmense maiestatis
Venerandum tuum verum unicum filium
Sanctum quoque paraclytum spiritum
Tu rex gloriae christe
Tu patris sempiternus es filius
Tu ad liberandum suscepisti hominem non
Horruisti virginis uterum
Tu devicto mortis aculeo aperuisti credentibus
Regna caelorum
Tu ad dexteram dei sedes in gloria patris
Iudex crederis esse venturus
Te ergo quaesumus tuis famulis subveni quos
Pretioso sanguine redemisti
Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria munerari
Salvum fac populum tuum domine et benedic
Hereditati tuae
Et rege eos et extolle illos usque in aeternum
Per singulos dies benedicimus te
Et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum et in
Saeculum saeculi
Dignare domine die isto, sine peccato nos
Custodire
Miserere nostri domine miserere nostri
Fiat misericordia tua domine super nos
Quemadmodum speravimus in te
In te domine speravi non confundar in
Aeternum
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of
Power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church
Acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
Your true and only Son, worthy
Of all worship,
And the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
The eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
You did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
And opened the kingdom of heaven
To all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and
Be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
Bought with the price of your own blood,
And bring us with your saints
To glory everlasting.
Save your people, Lord, and bless
Your inheritance.
Govern and uphold them now and always.
Day by day we bless you.
We praise your name for ever.
Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
Lord, show us your love and mercy;
For we put our trust in you.
In you, Lord, is our hope:
And we shall never hope in vain.