Saturday, December 20, 2008

O Clavis David

On December the 20th, Holy Mother Church with joys sings at Vespers:



O clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel, qui aperis et nemo claudit, claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris et umbrâ mortis.

O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, Who openest and none closeth, closest, and none openeth: come, and lead out the captive from the house of incarceration, the one sitting in darkness and the shade of death.

My researches turned up these sources in Holy Writ:
  • Non sicut hæc, pars Jacob, quia qui fecit omnia ipse est: et Israël sceptrum hæreditatis ejus: Dominus exercituum nomen ejus. (Jer 51:19)
  • Non auferetur sceptrum de Juda, et dux de femore ejus… (Gen 49:10a)
  • …domus Israël… (used 87 times in Vulg.)
  • Et dabo clavem domus David… et aperiet, et non erit qui claudat; et claudet, et non erit qui aperiat. (Is 22:22a,c-d)
  • …Hæc dicit Sanctus et Verus, qui habet clavem David: qui aperit, et nemo claudit: claudit, et nemo aperit... (Apoc 3:7b)
  • …et educeres de conclusione vinctum, de domo carceris sedentes in tenebris. (Is 42:7b-c)
  • Sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis; vinctos in mendicitate et ferro. (Ps 106(107):10)
  • Et eduxit eos de tenebris et umbra mortis, et vincula eorum dirupit. (Ps 106(107):14)
  • ...illuminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent… (Lc 1:79a)

Why not pair this with another Baroque setting of the Magnificat, this time for four voices, by the great Charpentier?

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