Cantantibus organis

Cantantibus organis is commonly found in two versions. The shorter appears in the Solesmes editions as the first antiphon at Vespers of the Feast of St. Cecilia (November 22). It is set by Liszt but also in very old chant sources as both antiphon and responsory; Cima replaces the last three words with 'alleluia'. The longer version is found in many renaissance settings (both Lassos, Manchicourt, Marenzio).

Settings

Giovanni Paolo Cima A & bc Jacopo Antonio Cardillo SATTB Jean de Castro 1571 (with pendant) SATTB or ATTTB 1588 (with pendant) SSATB or AATTB Pierre Certon SATB or ATTB Jean de Chaynée) SATB and AATB Thomas Crequillon a 4 Jan Le Febure SSAATTTBB Giraud SAT Alessandro Kirschner SATB Ferdinand di Lasso SSATB Orlando di Lasso SSATB, SATTB or AATTB Franz Liszt (S. 7) at IMSLP alto solo with chorus and Orchestra or harmonium Jean Maillard (with pendant) SATB or ATTB

Pierre de Manchicourt a 4 (variant, with 2. pars Caecilia virgo gloriosa) Luca Marenzio SAAT Tiburtio Massaino (with pendant) SSAAATTTB Bernardino Morelli SSAAT or SATTB Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (with pendant) SATTB or ATTTB Peter Philips a 5 Costanza Porta (with pendant) SSATTB or AATTBB Oreste Ravanello a 3 SSA a 5 TTBarBB Philippe Rogier (with pendant) SSSATB Cipriano de Rore a 5 Franz Sales (with pendant) SSATB or AATBB Julije Skjavetić SAATB Daniel Torquet SSAATTBB

See also Misa Cantantibus Organis (Angel Viro)

Other settings possibly not included in the manual list above

• Peter Tranchell — Cantantibus organis

Text and translations

Latin text Cantantibus organis Cecilia virgo [gloriosa] [in corde suo soli Domino] decantabat dicens: Fiat Domine cor meum [et corpus meum] immaculatum ut non confundar. [Frequent pendant:] Biduanis ac triduanis jejuniis orans, commendabat Domino quod timebat: Fiat Domine cor meum et corpus meum immaculatum ut non confundar.

English translation While the musicians played, Cecilia the [glorious] virgin sang [in her heart only to the Lord], saying: 'Lord, let my heart [and body] remain without stain, that I be not put to shame.' Translation by Mick Swithinbank Supplicating by two or three days of fasting, she gave herself unto the Lord whom she feared: Let my Lord make my heart and my body unspotted, that I may not be confounded.