YMNS. HYMNS. HARMONIOUS HYMNS. There are so many beautiful Gregorian hymns, but I think my favorite is “Te Joseph Celebrent”—a hymn to Saint Joseph. I believe the melody itself is medieval, although the text comes from the 17th century, perhaps written by the Spanish Carmelite Juan de la Concepción. The feast of Saint Joseph (March 19th) is coming up, and the scores have been added to the Saint René Goupil Website.
Here’s the Gregorian chant score with a literal English translation:
* PDF Download • “Te Joseph Celebrent”
—With English Translation by Father Joseph Connelly • 1954 Imprimatur.
Here’s an organ accompaniment by Flor Peeters and his team:
Here’s a recording by FSSP seminarians, including Father Ulrich Theurerer, who was later ordained for the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. (I knew him as a priest, not a seminarian.)
Verse 3 :
Thou embracest thine Infant God;
thou accompaniest him in his flight
to the distant shores of Egypt;
when lost in Jerusalem,
thou didst seek him and find him,
thus mingling tears with joy.
Verse 4 :
Death alone fixes
the happy lot of other Saints,
and in glory they receive
the palm they have merited;
but thou, more blessed than they,
by a special privilege
enjoyest thy God here below.
I love this picture of Saint Joseph because the dark blue sections are truly stunning:
Te, Joseph, célebrent ágmina caélitum:
Te cuncti résonent Christiádum chori,
Qui clarus méritis, junctus es ínclytae,
Casto foédere Vírgini.
Dom Andrew Gregory Murray wrote a special melody for “Te Joseph Celebrent” with English lyrics by Father Edward Caswall:
* PDF Download • Te Joseph Celebrent (English)
—Melody and Harmonies by Dom Gregory Murray.
