Creator Alme Siderum [a cappella, with lyrics]

Advent hymn.

In the 1630s Pope Urban VIII rewrote many hymns, including the 7th-century "Conditor Alme Siderum," to better fit models of classical Latin poetry. In this case the poem was rewritten to such an extent that only one line remained the same between the two pieces. This is Pope Urban's version, "Creator Alme Siderum," known in English as "Creator of the Stars of Night."

Repost from last night's video of the same - thanks to Paweł Imiołek for catching a typo in the Latin. If you ever hear or see a typo or mispronunciation (I am using Ecclesiastical pronunciation) please do let me know!

CREATOR alme siderum,
aeterna lux credentium,
Iesu, Redemptor omnium,
intende votis supplicum.

Qui daemonis ne fraudibus
periret orbis, impetu
amoris actus, languidi,
mundi medela factus es,

Commune qui mundi nefas
ut expiares, ad crucem
e Virginis sacrario
intacta prodis victima.

Cuius potestas gloriae,
Nomenque cum primum sonat,
et caelites et inferi
tremente curvantur genu.

Te, deprecamur ultimae
magnum diei Iudicem,
armis supernae gratiae
defende nos ab hostibus.

Virtus, honor, laus, gloria
Deo Patri cum Filio,
Sancto simul Paraclito,
in saeculorum saecula.

English version by J. M. Neale:
Creator of the stars of night,
Thy people’s everlasting light,
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear Thy servants when they call.

Thou, grieving that the ancient curse
Should doom to death a universe,
Hast found the medicine, full of grace,
To save and heal a ruined race.

Thou cam’st, the Bridegroom of the bride,
As drew the world to evening-tide;
Proceeding from a virgin shrine,
The spotless victim all divine.

At whose dread name, majestic now,
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
And things celestial Thee shall own,
And things terrestrial, Lord alone.

O Thou whose coming is with dread
To judge and doom the quick and dead,
Preserve us, while we dwell below,
From every insult of the foe.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Laud, honor, might, and glory be
From age to age eternally.

Photo credit: Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

[elvinsessionslive]

Very nice voice . This is perfect for the wonderful song Rebecca.

[Baltie]

Wow! You are an enormously hard-working person! Thank you for that recording which shows us how important is the word of God in Gregorian chant for you that you decided to record it one time another. You didn't need to of course ;) Yes, the problem was in the source you used as you've written. Wikipedia is sometimes wrong in Latin texts but mistakes can be multiplied in other sources so the best thing is to buy Liber Usualis.