Text: Sequence for Easter Sunday
Language: Latin & English
Ensemble: SATB/SATB
Accompaniment: organ and brass quintet.
Duration: 9.0 minutes
Catalog Number: NWC-186
Available from J. W. Pepper.
Victimae Paschali Laudes is for SATB double choir, organ, and brass quintet. At nine minutes in length, it is a magnificent Easter Day anthem, the text set in both Latin and in English. Conceived for Choir I with organ and Choir II with brass, it can work either antiphonally or all together. Ideal for music programs with multiple choirs. It begins with simple a cappella chant, as if a procession approaching from the distance, proceeding with the two choirs, brass, and organ each having individual moments, then in combination, until all arrive and combine together in a glorious hymn of praise, then gradually fading away as the procession recedes in the distance.
Text:
Victimae paschali laudes
immolent Christiani.
Christus innocens Patri
reconciliavit peccatores.
Mors et vita duello
conflixere mirando:
dux vitae mortuus,
regnat vivus.
Dic nobis Maria,
quid vidisti in via?
Sepulcrum Christi viventis,
et gloriam vidi resurgentis
Angelicos testes,
sudarium, et vestes.
Surrexit Christus spes mea:
praecedet vos in Galilaeam.
Scimus Christum surrexisse a mortuis vere: tu nobis, victor Rex, miserere.
Christians, to the Paschal Victim,
offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the Sheep redeems:
Christ, who only is sinless,
reconciles the sinner to the Father:
Death and Life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of Life who died, reigns immortal.
Speak Mary, declaring what you saw wayfaring.
The tomb of Christ who is living,
The glory of Jesus' resurrection:
Bright angels attesting.
Christ, my hope, is arisen:
To Galilee, He goes before you.
Christ indeed from death is arisen,
Our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor, King, ever reigning.
Alleluia, amen.