Rising – Buxtehude, Ad Latus

Dieterich Buxtehude – Membra Jesu nostri
IV. Ad latus

Sunrise, Tuesday May 5

Speaking of missing….

Arise, my love,

Another detour – maybe a homecoming – to Seven Responses. It was a formative and transformative project, an excellent place to return to when we are thinking about the Future, remembering Purpose, missing Us. 

Seven Responses was four years ago. 
Seems like it’s been an eternity. 
Seems like March was a forever ago. 
Listening to Us recalls what was…and is…and also will be.

With reverent countenance
freely I come to You
to behold Your wounds

The detour, then, is a look at historic music. We figure two trips to the 17th century in eight weeks of Rising w/ is O.K., though completely disproportionate to Real Life @ The Crossing. In fifteen seasons, we’ve sung about fourteen works written prior to 1990: seven by Samuel Barber, one with The Rolling Stones, some from the beloved Herbert Howells, and this: Membra Jesu nostri, the inspiration and origin of Seven Responses.

in which the power of love is exposed.

Ad latus, the fourth of seven cantatas of Dieterich Buxtehude’s 1680 oratorio Membra Jesu nostri, begins and ends with a familiar verse from Song of Songs sung by the whole group…

Arise…
and come…
my dove..

We love to sing Ad latus. In fact, we loved singing Buxtehude because we learned so much about ourselves – about the style with which we approach new music, about leanness of sound, clarity, transparency, reservation, release. And, about collaboration – because our friends at Quicksilver play this stuff in their sleep (and at every other moment); they lead through listening, they fall forward effortlessly, they laugh and cry through their instruments; together, we feel as if we’re spontaneously creating the music. It doesn’t feel ancient. It makes us young(er). 

may my soul…
…go into you…
Lest the cruel lion seize
But let it dwell with You

Be well. 
Let it dwell with you.

In your 
d+
well
+ing
place.

- The Whole Team @ The Crossing

Membra Jesu nostri
IV. Ad latus (To the Sides)

music by Dieterich Buxtehude

text from Song of Songs and the Rhythmica Oratio of Arnulf of Louvain

recorded at Seven Responses
June 24, 2016 at the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral

with Quicksilver

audio by Paul Vazquez of Digital Mission Audio Services

quintet: Kelly Ann Bixby, Rebecca Myers, Elisa Sutherland, James Reese, Dimitri German

video art by Paul du Coudray

* * *

1. Sonata

2. Concerto
Surge, amica mea,
speciosa mea, et veni,
columba mea in foraminibus petrae,
in caverna maceriae

Arise, my love,
my beautiful one, and come,
my dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the hollow of the cliff
(Song of Songs 2:13–14)

3. Aria: soprano
Salve latus salvatoris,
in quo latet mel dulcoris,
in quo patet vis amoris,
ex quo scatet fons cruoris,
qui corda lavat sordida

Hail, side of the Saviour,
in which the honey of sweetness is hidden,
in which the power of love is exposed,
from which gushes the spring of blood
that cleans the dirty hearts

4. Aria: alto, tenor, and bass
Ecce tibi appropinquo,
parce, Jesu, si delinquo,
verecunda quidem fronte,
ad te tamen veni sponte
scrutari tua vulnera

Lo I approach You,
Pardon, Jesus, if I sin,
With reverent countenance
freely I come to You
to behold Your wounds

5. Aria: soprano
Hora mortis meus flatus
intret Jesu, tuum latus,
hinc expirans in te vadat,
ne hunc leo trux invadat,
sed apud te permaneat

In the hour of death, may my soul
Enter, Jesus, Your side
Hence dying may it go into You,
Lest the cruel lion seize it,
But let it dwell with You

6. Concerto (da capo: Surge amica mea)