VER SINCE we released eighteen free accompaniments for the “Veni Sancte Spiritus”—by composers like Max Springer, Father Andrew Green, Dr. Percy Jones, Julius Bas, Father Franz Mathias, Dr. Peter Wagner, Dr. Theodore Marier, Dr. Eugène Lapierre, Dom Desroquettes, Father Jules Van Nuffel, Achille P. Bragers, Dom Gregory Murray, Father Carlo Rossini, and more—we’ve been getting the same question over and over: Is there a version available in English? This morning was an awesome morning. I heard from some musician friends at the Vatican (regarding another matter), I heard from an important organist at a seminary in Europe, and I heard from the young lady in charge of the Chaumonot Composers Group.
She sent me a fabulous version—made possible by Mr. Andrew Hinkley—which places the PENTECOST SEQUENCE into singer’s notation, conveniently set on a double-sided sheet of paper:
* PDF Download • “Veni Sancte Spiritus” (in English)
—PENTECOST SEQUENCE • English Translation with musical notes for singers.
* PDF Download • ORGAN ACCOMPANIMENT (in English)
—PENTECOST SEQUENCE • Organ accompaniment (English).
This Sequence—Veni Sancte Spiritus—is called “The Golden Sequence.” It’s a marvelous prayer, and Father Valentine began every day of his priestly life by praying (or singing) this prayer.
We Can Do This: Something must be done to fix the musical situation in the Catholic Church. We can do this! We don’t need to be as proficient as Beethoven, who once transposed his “Concerto in C Major” into the key of B-Major because the piano was tuned a half step off. We don’t need to be as proficient as Ignaz Friedman, who once performed an unbelievable feat of memory, as related by conductor Georg Lennart Schnéevoigt. We don’t need to be as proficient as César Franck, who instantly transposed into another key the difficult piece he was required to sight-read at his final exam, causing him to win the Grand Prix d’Honneur at the Paris Conservatory. We don’t need to be as proficient as Camille Saint-Saëns, who had all the Beethoven Sonatas memorized at age ten. We don’t need to be as proficient as Josef Hofmann, who gave 21 consecutive concerts in St. Petersburg without repeating a single piece—playing 255 different works from memory! …you get the point.
Start With English: Perhaps a good way to start “fixing” the situation is the Pentecost Sequence sung in English. All Catholics can learn it—even if they can’t read music. As my colleague, Keven Smith explained , the ability to read music is sometimes overrated. After all, Jackie Gleason couldn’t read music, but he became a popular musician. Jackie Gleason’s first album (“Music for Lovers Only”) still holds the record for the longest stay on the Billboard Top Ten Charts—153 weeks—and his first 10 albums sold over a million copies each. Luciano Pavarotti couldn’t read music, yet he was the highest paid musician in the world (when he was still alive).
Recording on a Toy Organ: I got excited about this piece, and quickly recorded it on a toy organ. Sometimes Gregorian Chant doesn’t “translate” well to English. But I was blown away by this! Please pardon any errors:
Veni Sancte Spíritus,
Et emítte caélitus
Lucis tuae rádium.Veni pater páuperum,
Veni dator múnerum,
Veni lumen córdium.Consolátor óptime,
Dulcis hospes ánimae,
Dulce refrigérium.In labóre réquies,
In aestu tempéries,
In fletu solátium.O lux beatíssima,
Reple cordis íntima
Tuórum fidélium.Sine tuo númine,
Nihil est in hómine,
Nihil est innóxium.Lava quod est sórdidum,
Riga quod est áridum,
Sana quod est sáucium.Flecte quod est rígidum,
Fove quod est frígidum,
Rege quod est dévium.Da tuis fidélibus,
In te confidéntibus,
Sacrum septenárium.Da virtútis méritum,
Da salútis éxitum,
Da perénne gáudium.Amen. Allelúia.
