Victimae paschali laudes

General Information

The Easter sequence, attributed to Wipo of Burgundy (died c.1048), it is sung at Mass on Easter Sunday and through its Octave as well as incorporated into medieval religious dramas performed at Easter.

The verse 4a (Credendum est magis soli) has been omitted since the publication of the 1570 Missal following the Council of Trent.

Luther's chorales Christ lag in Todesbanden and Christ ist erstanden both show melodic similarities.

View the Wikipedia article on Victimae paschali laudes.

Musical settings at CPDL

• Anonymous
  • Gregorian chant
  • Trent 91 (1470's) through-composed a 3
  • Trent 89 odd vv., a 4
  • Trent 93 i odd vv. a 3
  • Trent 93 ii through-composed a 3
• Giovanni Bassano 3a-b, a 6
• William Byrd through-composed, a 5
• Antoine Busnois through-composed, a 4
• Francisco Lopez Capillas vv3ab,4b, a 4
• Orlando di Lasso even vv. a 5
• Cristóbal de Moralesvv. 1-2b, 3b (Surrexit...), 4b; a 4
• Mogens Pedersøn vv. 1-2a, a 4
• Oscar Santos through-composed, a 4
• Orazio Tarditi through-composed, STB + bc
• Tomás Luis de Victoria vv. 3-4, 5b; a 8
• André Vierendeels through-composed, SATB

Other settings not yet at CPDL

• Josquin des Prez, through-composed, a 4

Original text and translations

Latin text 1. Victimae paschali laudes immolent Christiani 2a. Agnus redemit oves: Christus innocens Patri Reconciliavit peccatores. 2b. Mors et vita duello conflixere mirando, Dux vitae mortuus, regnat vivus. 3a. Dic nobis Maria, quid vidisti in via? Sepulcrum Christi viventis, Et gloriam vidi resurgentis: 3b. Angelicos testes, sudarium et vestes. Surrexit Christus spes mea: Praecedet vos in Galilaeam. 4a. Credendum est magis soli Mariae veraci Quam Judaeorum Turbae fallaci. 4b. Scimus Christum surrexisse a mortuis vere: Tu nobis, victor Rex, miserere. Amen. Alleluia. </poem>

German translation Dem Osterlamme Lobgesänge Bringe dar die Christenheit. Das Lamm erlöst die Schafe: Christ, unschuldig, mit dem Vater Hat versöhnet wieder alle Sünder. Tod und Leben stritten in einem Kampfe wunderlich: Des Lebens Fürst, gestorben, herrscht lebendig. Sage uns, Maria, was sahst du am Wege? Die Grabstatt Christi, der lebt, und den Glanz sah ich des Auferstandnen, die Engel dort als Zeugen, das Tuch und die Gewänder. Auferstanden Christus, meine Hoffnung, er geht euch voran nach Galiläa. Wir wissen, Christ ist auferstanden von den Toten wahrhaft, du, siegreicher König, unser dich erbarme. Amen, Halleluja.'

English translation

To the Paschal victim let Christians
Offer up their songs of praise.
The Lamb has redeemed the sheep:
Christ who is without sin
Has reconciled sinners to the Father.
Death and life have fought a huge battle,
The Prince of Life was dead, but lives and reigns.
Tell us, Mary, what did you see on your way?
'The tomb of Christ, who is alive,
And I saw the glory of his rising;
Angels standing as witnesses, the shroud and linen cloth.
Christ my hope has risen:
He has gone to Galilee before you.'
Truly, we know Christ has risen from the dead:
O King and victor, have mercy on us. Amen. Alleluia.

French translation

À la Victime pascale, les chrétiens offrent un sacrifice de louanges.
L'Agneau a racheté les brebis ; le Christ innocent a réconcilié les pécheurs avec le Père.
La mort et la vie se sont affrontées en un duel admirable ;
le guide de la vie, bien que mort, règne vivant.
Dis-nous, Marie, ce que tu as vu en chemin.
J'ai vu le tombeau du Christ vivant et la gloire de sa résurrection,
Les anges témoins, le suaire et les vêtements.
Christ, notre espérance, est ressuscité, il précèdera les siens en Galilée.
Nous savons que le Christ est vraiment ressuscité des morts.
Toi, Roi vainqueur, aie pitié de nous. Alleluia.

Italian translation

Alla Vittima pasquale offrano i cristiani
il sacrificio della lode.
L'Agnello ha redento il suo gregge:
Cristo, l'innocente, ha riconciliato
i peccatori con il Padre.
Si sono affrontate Morte e Vita
in un prodigioso duello.
Il Signore della vita era morto:
ora, vivo, trionfa.
Maria, raccontaci:
che hai visto sulla via?
Ho visto la tomba di Cristo vivente,
la gloria di lui, risorto,
gli angeli suoi testimoni,
il sudario e le vesti.
Cristo, mia speranza, è risorto!
Vi precede in Galilea.
Ora lo sappiamo:
davvero Cristo è risorto dai morti.
Tu, re vittorioso, abbi pietà di noi!

External links

• Wikipedia article