October 22, 200916 yr As a few of you may know I'm primarily a choral composer. I often find myself searching the vast reaches of the internet to find new lyrics which can naturally fit to a choral setting. I've been going through a Latin text phase recently, but I'm having trouble finding NEW texts to set (new to me, texts I've never heard of before). I want to make this thread an extensive guide to available Latin texts that can be easily set to music. I'll start with a few of the ones I know (like I mentioned before, they're all pretty common) and whenever someone else posts a link or a text (or if I find anymore) I'll add it to the list. Let me know if you would like a translation of anything, I can post that as well if requested. Update: I have organized the list by approximate length, shortest to longest. The Latin Wikisource (posted by: golgicomplex) Christus Factus Est: Christus factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis Propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum et dedit illi nomen, quod est super omne nomen. (posted by: J.T.Hanrahan) Confutatis: Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis, voca me cum benedictus. Oro supplex et acclinis, cor contritum quasi cinis, gere curam mei finis. (Posted by: JmAY) O Magnum Mysterium: O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum, ut animalia viderent Dominum natum, jacentem in pr
October 22, 200916 yr I've perused a lot of Latin Texts. I'd be more than happy to add some! Here is the first: Dies Irae 1 Dies ir
October 22, 200916 yr Here's one that my ensemble did not too long ago adapted by Bruckner. The text may be short but it was all recycled in various forms. "Christus Factus Est" Christus factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis Propter quod et Deus exaltavit illum et dedit illi nomen, quod est super omne nomen.
October 22, 200916 yr The Latin Wikisource (Vicifons) is a fabulous source of all varieties of Latin texts... hope you paid attention in high school Latin! Also often set by choral composers include: Te Deum, Quam Pulchra Es, Puer Natus, O Nata Lux, Stabat Mater, Salve Regina, Gloria, Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis... ordo per saeculas ambulat (that is, the list trots on.)
October 22, 200916 yr Here's the link: Wikisource I suggest you try Caesar's Gallic Wars or the Metamorphoses. If they have some of Cicero's speeches, they could be useful.
October 22, 200916 yr Good one, but already posted from Mozart's Requiem: Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis, voca me cum benedictus. Oro supplex et acclinis, cor contritum quasi cinis, gere curam mei finis. THUS When the accused are confounded, and doomed to flames of woe, call me among the blessed. I kneel with submissive heart, my contrition is like ashes, help me in my final condition.
October 22, 200916 yr And so begins the poor latin translations. Don't play in sandboxes that you don't know which sides are loose and where the ant lion is.
October 22, 200916 yr 6 years of Latin for nothing...hmmm. Well my real issue is with the Oro supplex et acclinis, cor contritum quasi cinis, Now my vocab is shot to hell at this point, but I think it woul dbe best to keep the clauses together (though latin poetry is well known for breaking up clauses across lines), but I'd assume that supplex is nominative with acclinis and oro going together, while the 2nd line is more like "[My] heart of contrition is like ash." But I could be wrong; I'm a few years out of any Latin, which is why I stick to English. (except my dada pieces, which the meaninglessness of the german to me only made it stronger)
October 22, 200916 yr Cor is nueter and remains "cor" in the accusative ( 3rd declension ) making contritum Accusative, singular, neuter...= submissive heart
October 22, 200916 yr Well fair enough, as I said, my vocab is mad weak. I only ever focused on grammar.
October 22, 200916 yr It's all good. I'm surprised I still remember it...but it was probably the only class I really paid attention to in high school.
November 24, 200916 yr <3 this topic! Thanks... I already knew Ave Verum and Ave Maria (Being that they're the two most popular Latin texts to write solos and pieces to..) But the others are nice...I'll see if our director likes pieces in latin text =)
November 28, 200916 yr Great topic! Two resources I really like are Latin Vulgate and Thesaurus Precum Latinum (a more specifically catholic and liturgical resource) -DeLesslin
November 29, 200916 yr Hey, the psalms are here in parallel Latin and English: http://www.medievalist.net/psalmstxt/home.htm I copy and pasted them into a word doc for printing (and searching) which is here: http://www.box.net/shared/fz1ykp1s5a I'm sure you choral composers know this site already but this search is pretty handy, it lists all the latin sheet music on the site: http://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Category:Works_in_Latin They've been having problems recently so you might need to create an account to access it - think they've fixed that though. I find this quite useful too: http://www.latinvulgate.com/ . If you sign up (it's free) you can search the Vulgate Bible in Latin or English (Douay-Rheims or King James/Authorized) Also, the words and translations of all of Tallis's choral music is this CD booklet http://www.scribd.com/doc/15970199/Thomas-Tallis-the-Complete-Works (I highly recommend the CD's too!) I made a rough summary of the sources of Tallis's Motet texts on another forum, maybe it's of use here? I don't know. It's kind of useful to know: Psalm Motets Beati immaculati - Psalm 119 Domine quis habitabit - Psalm 15 Laudate Dominum - Psalm 117 (also set by Byrd in English in Songs of Sundrie Natures) Respond Motets Salvator mundi I and II - Antiphon, proper to Matins of Exaltation of the Cross O sacrum convivium - Magnificat Antiphon of the Second Verspers at the feast of Corpus Christi In manus tuas - Respond from Compline In jeiunio et fletu - Tridentine Matins on the first Sunday of Lent Derelinquat impius - Tridentine Matins on the first Sunday of Lent Spem in Alium - Respond from Sunday Matins during the reading of the history of Judith Other Liturgical Texts Mihi autem nimis - Opening of the Intrioit text for the Mass on the feast of the Apostles O nata lux - First two verses of the Hymn at Lauds on feast of the Transfiguration O salutaris hostia Non-Liturgical Texts Absterge Domine Miserere Domine Suscipe quaeso And this on this website: http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/MMDB/index.htm you get all the Latin liturgical texts that Tallis (and contemporaries) could draw on. For example, to get to Salvator Mundi, click "By Liturgical Feast" then "The Sanctoral Cycle" then "Exaltatio S. Crucis Exaltation of the Cros" and hey presto, it's, the second antiphon of "In secundo nocturno".
November 29, 200916 yr Momento Mori Vita brevis breviter in brevi finietur, Mors venit velociter quae neminem veretur, Omnia mors perimit et nulli miseretur. Ad mortem festinamus peccare desistamus. Ni conversus fueris et sicut puer factus Et vitam mutaveris in meliores actus, Intrare non poteris regnum Dei beatus. Ad mortem festinamus peccare desistamus. Life is short, and shortly it will end; Death comes quickly and respects no one, Death destroys everything and takes pity on no one. To death we are hastening, let us refrain from sinning. If you do not turn back and become like a child, And change your life for the better, You will not be able to enter, blessed, the Kingdom of God. To death we are hastening, let us refrain from sinning.
