Te lucis ante terminum

  • 3:00
  • 2009
  • SATB a cappella
Published by Monica Houghton Music Company - Request performance materials.

Performances

World Premiere peerformances:  San Francisco Choral Artists, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Palo Alto, California, December 10, 2016; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Oakland, California, December 11, 2016; St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, San Francisco, California, December 18, 2016.

      Te-lucis-ante-terminum

The recording here is from a reading by the American Creators Chorus (with the composer participating in the alto section), Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium, Eugene, Oregon, July 2014

Text

Te lucis ante terminum,
Rerum Creator poscimus
Ut pro tua clementia
Sis praesul et custodia.
Procul recedant somnia
Et noctium phantasmata;
Hostemque nostrum comprime,
Ne polluantur corpora.
Praesta, Pater piissime,
Patrique compar Unice,
Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans
per omne saeculum.
An Ambrosian hymn from the 7th century for the close of day at Compline, from the Roman Breviary.
Before the ending of the day
Creator of the world, we pray
That with Thy wonted favor,
Thou Wouldst be our Guard and Keeper now.
From all ill dreams defend our eyes,
From nightly fears and fantasies:
Tread under foot our ghostly foe,
That no pollution we may know.
O Father, that we ask be done
Through Jesus Christ Thine only Son,
Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee,
Doth live and reign eternally.
English translation by J. M. Neale (1818-1866)

Program Note