Jennifer Ellis Kampani & Meg Bragle, soprano
David Tayler, theorbo
Hanneke van Proosdij, organ
One of the most immediately attractive of Cozzolani's Eucharistic duets is Colligite, pueri, flores, whose floral allusions evoke both the contemporary symbolism of the sacrament and make more specific reference to the feast of Corpus Christi, which occurs around the time of the first blooming of flowers. Devotion to the Body of Christ was one of the central features of nuns' spiritual life, and the opening of this text, with its call to virgins to strike the cymbals (or harpsichords) in praise of the Host, seems to be a direct reference to some of the most typical activities of cloistered sisters (who were also renowned for their floral arrangements). Like several other motets in Cozzolani's books, this piece culminates in a hymn-like section ('Salve, panis angelorum') which recalls the opening of the motet, resolves the sudden contrasts of earlier sections, and brings tonal stability to the setting as a whole.
lyrics
Text and English Translation
Colligite pueri, flores; floribus sternite terram. Inducite, pueri, cantus; iuvenes, psallite citharis, pulsate, virgines, cimbala digitis. O quam læta dies,
O quam festiva et plena gaudiis, in qua recolitur panis ille suavissimus, de cælo præstitus solis esurientibus bonis.
Epulemur in hac mensa novi regis, impinquamur in hoc pane novæ legis, et inebriamur a torrente voluptatis, O carissimi.
Ibi sit nostra dilectio, ibi nostra refectio, ibi mansio nostra, ubi multitudo dulcedinis cum tanta deliciarum affluentia.
Iocundemur, delectemur, celebremus, et parili concentu hilari cantemus: “O quam læta dies, O quam festiva, O quantis plena gaudiis.”
Salve panis angelorum,
Factus cibus viatorum,
Panis vere, panis care,
Ave mundi salutare.
O quam dulce te laudare,
Laudes tuas decantare,
Panis vere, panis care,
Vere mundi salutare.
Ave, salve.
Servants of the Lord, collect flowers, strew the ground with flowers. Strike up your song, you servants; young people, sing psalms to the citharas; virgins, strike the lyres with your fingers. O what a happy day, O how festive and full of joy, on which that sweetest bread lent from heaven is gathered for only the virtuous hungry.
Let us be sated at this table of the new king, let us be driven to this bread of the new law, and let us get drunk from this torrent of joy, O dearest ones.
Let there be our pleasure, there our refreshment, there our resting place, where there is a multitude of delight with such abundance of delicious things.
Let us rejoice, enjoy, celebrate, and in shared harmony joyfully sing together: “O what a happy and festive day, full of so many joys.”
Hail, bread of the angels,
Made the food for travelers,
True bread, dear bread,
Hail, Salvation of the world.
O how sweet it is to praise You,
To sing Your praise,
True bread, dear bread,
True salvation of the world.
Hail, hail.
For 20 years Magnificat has explored the emotionally charged music of the 17th Century, each season bringing together an
assembly of internationally recognized musicians to present innovative programs that inspire the imagination. With dramatic flair and sensitivity to historical context, Magnificat imbues each concert with an infectious joy and a delight in musical make-believe....more
Violinist Johnny Gandelsman commissioned work from a wide variety of composers for this complex and diverse portrait of the U.S. Bandcamp New & Notable Jul 5, 2022
“Scatter My Ashes” exists at a crossroads between multiple styles, but emerges with something rich, textural, ambient, and riveting. Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 7, 2022
On "The Source," composer Ted Hearne uses bureaucratic language and poetic chat transcripts to create an electronic opera that honors its subject matter. Bandcamp Album of the Day Dec 13, 2016
There’s a quiet beauty to this remix album of compositions by Michael Vincent Waller, with contributions from JLin, Prefuse 73, & more. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 1, 2024