O Magnum Mysterium

SKU: CF.CM9698

ISBN 9781491159996. UPC: 680160918591. Key: Ab major. Latin. Traditional Latin.

O Magnum Mysterium is a setting of a Latin sacred text written for Christmas. The text depicts the extraordinary occurring among the ordinary: God coming to earth as a tiny baby, and animals in a lowly stable being the first to witness his arrival. Adding dynamic contrast (crescendo/decrescendo) on every phrase and singing legato (smoothly) with a gentle choral tone will reflect the wonder and awe the original text and this setting attempt to communicate. Original Latin Text: English Translation: O magnum mysterium, O great mystery, Et admirabile sacramentum, And wonderful sacrament, Ut animalia viderunt That animals should see Dominum natum the newborn Lord jacentem in praesepio. Lying in a manger. O magnum mysterium. Amen. O great mystery. Amen. General Latin Pronunciation Guidelines: 1. There are only five pure vowel sounds in Latin: A = AH E=EH I = EE O = AW U = OO 2. Strive to flip all R's as if singing in Italian. Latin Pronunciation (accented syllables are UPPER CASE): aw MAH-nyoom mee-STEHR-yoom,* eht ahd-mee-RAH-bee-leh sah-krah-MEHN-toom, oot ah-nee-MAH-lee-ah vee-DEHR-oont DAW-mee-noom NAH-toom, yah-CHEHN-tehm een preh-SEH-pee-aw. aw MAH-nyoom mee-STEHR-yoom. AH-mehn. *The word mysterium in this piece is a three-syllable rather than a four-syllable word. This can be accomplished by pronouncing the last syllable ium as yoom rather than ee-oom.
O Magnum Mysterium is a setting of a Latin sacred text written for Christmas. The text depicts the extraordinary occurring among the ordinary: God coming to earth as a tiny baby, and animals in a lowly stable being the first to witness his arrival. Adding dynamic contrast (crescendo/decrescendo) on every phrase and singing legato (smoothly) with a gentle choral tone will reflect the wonder and awe the original text and this setting attempt to communicate.Original Latin Text: English Translation:O magnum mysterium, O great mystery,Et admirabile sacramentum, And wonderful sacrament,Ut animalia viderunt That animals should seeDominum natum the newborn Lordjacentem in praesepio. Lying in a manger.O magnum mysterium. Amen. O great mystery. Amen.General Latin Pronunciation Guidelines:1. There are only five pure vowel sounds in Latin:A = AH E=EH I = EE O = AW U = OO2. Strive to flip all R’s as if singing in Italian.Latin Pronunciation (accented syllables are UPPER CASE):aw MAH-nyoom mee-STEHR-yoom,*eht ahd-mee-RAH-bee-leh sah-krah-MEHN-toom,oot ah-nee-MAH-lee-ah vee-DEHR-oontDAW-mee-noom NAH-toom,yah-CHEHN-tehm een preh-SEH-pee-aw.aw MAH-nyoom mee-STEHR-yoom. AH-mehn.*The word “mysterium” in this piece is a three-syllable rather than a four-syllable word. This can be accomplished by pronouncing the last syllable “ium” as “yoom” rather than “ee-oom”.

SKU: CY.CC2372

Tomas Luis de Victoria was the most famous composer of the 16th century in Spain, and one of the most important composers of the Counter-Reformation, along with Palestrina and Orlando di Lasso. Victoria was not only a composer, but also an accomplished organist and singer. However, he preferred the life of a composer to that of a performer. He is sometimes known as the Spanish Palestrina because he may have been taught by Palestrina.

O Magnum Mysterium is a 4 part a cappella motet written in Latin for the Catholic Church service and is performed mostly around the Christmas period as the text refers to the great mystery of the Virgin birth, animals and baby Jesus in the manger. This work was written during the composer's stay in Rome and has some of Palestrina's influence.

Dr. Converse has done a beautiful job of transcribing one of the most beautiful sacred choral works of the Renaissance period.

SKU: CA.966800

ISBN 9790007172190. Language: Latin.

The text of the Responsorium O magnum mysterium, to be sung liturgically in the midnight darkness, describes the mystery of Christ's incarnation, from darkness into light. In three sections, the music increases from a piano sound to the concluding Halleluja. In ever-new harmonies, the lyrical-Gregorian motifs emerge in sequences of sixths within the dense, four-part writing. The musical language is modal-harmonic with constantly surprising turns. This highly atmospheric piece is good to sing, but requires a reasonably-sized choir because the work doesn't give the voices any opportunity to rest.