Friday, December 23, 2016

Advent Music - Dec 23: O Emmanuel (O God With Us)

Advent Season Novena - Dec 23:  O Emmanuel (God With Us)

Gregorian Style
The Great Antiphons. Gregorian chant notation from the Liber Usualis (1961), p. 341. Latin lyrics sung by the Cantarte Regensburg.

Great Advent - O Emmanuel by Gloriae Dei Cantores

"O Key of David and Sceptre of the house of Israel, Who dost open and no man doth shut, Who dost shut and no man doth open, come and bring forth from his prison house the captive that sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death."

The "O Antiphons" refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil.

The importance of "O Antiphons" is twofold: Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David),
O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel.


Also, each one refers to the prophecy from Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.