O nata lux | UK Choral Composers

Composer:

Gabriel Jackson

Publisher:

Contemporary Voices (British Music Information Centre)

Year Written:

1990

Year Published:

1990

Commissioned/Written for

Written for John Scott and the choir of St. Paul's Cathedral

Text:

O nata lux

Length:

00:08:00

Scoring: Voices:

ATTBB

Difficulty:

Commentary

From score: "O NATA LUX was written for John Scott and the choir of St. Paul's Cathedral and was first performed by St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, directed by John Scott, on February 28th 1992. It is recorded by the Vicars Choral of Wells Cathedral, directed by Rupert Gough, on Priory PRCD573"

The piece was published by Contemporary Voices which was a publishing arm administered by the British Music Information Centre until the physical collection of scores was moved out of London to the University of Huddersfield and their archive centre at Heritage Quay. At the time, the Contemporary Voices was instituted to promote and "provide access to the works of young, unpublished composers." (from cover of score)

Text and translation published in score:
O nata lux de lumine,	O light of light, by love inclined,
Jesu redemptor saeculi,	Jesu, redeemer of mankind,
Dignare clemens supplicum,	With loving-kindness deign to hear
Laudes precesque sumere.	From suppliant voices praise and prayer.

Qui carne quondam contegi	Thou who to raise our souls from hell
Dignatus est pro perditis:	Didst deign in fleshly form to dwell
Nos membra confer effici	Vouchsafe us, when our race is run,
Tui beati corporis.	In thy fair body to be one.

Prae sole vultu flammeus,	More bright than day thy face did show,
Ut nix amictu candibus,	Thy raiment whiter than the snow,
In monte dignis testibus,	When on the mount to mortals blest
Apparuisti conditor.	Man's maker thou wast manifest.

Vates alumnis additos	Two prophets, that had faith to see,
Tuis alumnis confereus,	With thine elect found company,
Utrisque te divinitus	Where unto each, divinely shown,
Deum dedisti credere.	The Godhead veiled in form was known.

Te vox paterna caelitus,	The heavens above his glory named,
Suum vocavit filium:	The Father's voice the Son proclaimed,
Quem nos fideli pectore	To whom, the King of Glory now,
Regem fatemur gloriae.	All faithful hearts adoring bow.

Concede nobis, quaesumus,	May all who seek thy praise aright
Almis micare moribus,	Through purer lives show forth thy light,
Ut ad polorum gaudia	So to the brightness of the skies
Bonis vehamur actibus.	By holy deeds our hearts shall rise.

Laudes tibi nos dangimus,	Eternal God, to thee we raise,
Aeternae regum Rex Deus,	The King of Kings, our hymn of praise,
Qui trinus et unus Deus,	Who three in one and one in three
Per cuncta regnas saecula. Amen.	Doth live and reign eternally. Amen.

Office Hymn for Lauds, Feast of the Transfiguration