In the catholic liturgy, the singing of the Agnus Dei accompanies the breaking of the bread during the serving of the eucharist. It appears to have entered the mass in the late 7th century. The text is derived from John 1:29 and originally it was repeated until the rite of the Eucharist had completed. By the 12th century, however, the iterations were limited to three, with “grant us peace” substituted for “have mercy upon us” for the third iteration. During the 16th century, composers, if they did not set all three iterations, set one or two and repetition, or substitution of Gregorian chant melodies, was employed.
The introduction to the Agnus Dei of the Jubilation mass is set in a sound-silence-sound-silence style that I learned during my two years of private study with 20th century composer Morton Feldman. The beauty of sounds, set off by silence was perhaps first introduced by Hector Berlioz in his dramatic symphony of 1839, Romeo and Juliet.
I have set the text for Iterations 1 and 3 of the Agnus Dei text, and then substituted two texts for the middle iteration. The first text is in French, the other in German. I love these two languages and how they represent two polarities: German the masculine, and French the feminine. The French text, from a French translation of Song of Songs 1:3 and 4 in the old testament (used by permission), is sung by the female section of the choir while the ancient text attributed to the German mystic monk Meister Ekhart is sung by the male choir. This language/culture dichotomy reflects back on the Gloria, inspired by the music of Bach, and the Sanctus, inspired by the great French romantic composers. The male/female polarities, of course, are the basis of all nature and are known as yin and yang in the orient.
The opening Agnus Dei is sung a cappella, reminiscent of the singing of Gregorian psalms that took place in European cathedrals and monestaries for so many centuries.
Latin
Parts 1 and 4
French
Part 2
German Part 3
English Translation
Agnus Dei
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
Miserere nobis
Lamb of God,
who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Tu es séduisant
Comme un parfum raffiné;
Il n’est pas étonnant
Que toutes les filles
Soient amoureuses de toi!
Prends-moi par la main,
Entraîne-moi et courons.
You are as seductive
As a refined perfume;
It is not astonishing
That all of the young ladies
Are amorous of you!
Take me by the hand,
Sweep me away and let us run.
In dem begin
Hô uber sin
Ist ie daz wort.
Ô rîcher hort,
Dâ ie begin begin gebâr!
Ô vader brust,
Ûz der mit lust,
Daz wort ie vlôz!
Doch hat der schôz
Daz wort behalden, daz ist wâr.
Sung in translation from middle-high German:
Im Beginn
Hoch uber Verstehen
Ist je das Wort.
O reicher Hort,
Da je Beginn Beginn gebar!
O Vaterbrust,
Aus der mit Lust
Das Wort je floss!
Doch hat der Schoss
Das Wort behält, das is wahrlich so.
In the beginning,
High above all understanding
Is ever the word.
O rich treasure,
There from beginning, beginning is continually born!
O Father-breast
Out of which with feeling
The word ever flows!
Still had your bosom
The word retained, that is truly so.
Agnus Dei
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
Dona nobis pacem
Lamb of God,
who takes away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.
The middle-high German text is from Granum sinapis, a sequence from the early 13th century attributed to the German monk Meister Eckhart. Translated into German by Don Robertson.
