Easter Music to Sing and Listen To [+Free PDF to Download & Print!]
From Gregorian chant to Baroque beauty
NOTE: All the Gregorian chants Julian discusses in this post will be found in the downloadable free PDF at the end. Those who are learning them can listen to the exemplary recordings given in the article. -Dr. K
In the joyful season of Easter, singing is an obvious expression of the baptized faithful’s rejoicing. Indeed, the Easter word par excellence is deeply rooted in the concept of singing with joy: Alleluia is a Hebrew word connoting praise that the early Christians simply adopted without ever translating it. “Hallel” is an imperative, and it connotes joyous song or boasting in God. The “Jah/Yah” part of “Hallelujah” is an abbreviation of God’s name revealed to Moses, so that a decent rendering of it is “praise the Lord.” It is possible that Alleluia is also connected to ancient wordless ululations of joy that can still be found in various eastern cultures today. Consequently, the line between singing the word “Alleluia” as a shorthand for “praise the Lord” and the long, flowing melodies (known as melismas) attached to it as wordless jubilation is mystically blurred.
While not the most extreme example of the alleluia melisma or jubilus, the Easter Vigil alleluia is a quintessential sound for all lovers of Gregorian chant:
The jublius of Alleluia Pascha nostrum, for the Mass of Easter Sunday, has an incredibly full ululation:
While these Easter Alleluia verses might be best left to Schola cantors, many other easter chants and songs are easily singable at home. Below, I will delve into some of these, closing with a PDF attached to this post that will facilitate your Paschal merriment!
Victimae paschali laudes
The Sequence for the Easter Octave, the Victimae paschali is one of the most famous chants of the season we’ve just entered.
The text is often attributed to Wipo of Burgundy, chaplain to Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II, but has also been attributed to Notker Balbulus, Robert II of France, and Adam of St. Victor. For any beautiful medieval text, it seems like there are always a half-dozen plausible claimants to its authorship, an interesting statement about how authorship was viewed in an age where “copyright” was simply your ability to hand-copy something onto an animal skin and carry it on horseback or foot across the Alps.
Here is the text of the Sequence, sung after the Alleluia but before the Gospel all during Easter week:
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeemeth:
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconcileth sinners to the Father;
Death and life have contended
In that combat stupendous:
The Prince of Life, who died,
reigns immortal.
Speak Mary, declaring
What thou sawest wayfaring:
“The Tomb of Christ, who is living.
The glory of Jesu’s Resurrection;
Bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yea, Christ my hope is arisen:
To Galilee he goes before you.
Christ indeed from death is risen,
our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
This chant, rendered beautifully here, is within the reach of those who are accustomed to singing simple chant already:
But of course, a Sequence of such prominence was bound to be set to polyphonic music by composers. Here’s a stupendous early Baroque setting of it by Polish composer Marcin Mielczewski. With luscious duets between soprano and bass, and waves of full-chorus verses, the setting and its impeccable performance by a French ensemble give the glorious Easter sequence its due:
And here’s the master’s (Palestrina, I mean) setting of it: a more spare, classic polyphonic setting, but still grand.
Regina caeli, simple & solemn (with a story about St. Gregory)
A short and beloved Gregorian chant, the Regina Caeli, has an interesting legend connected with it. In the Golden Legend collated by the Dominican Blessed Jacobus de Voragine, we are told that Saint Gregory the Great heard the first three lines of the chant being sung by angels as he processed the streets of Rome during a pestilence. Shortly after, he added the fourth line “pray to God for us,” and beheld an angel sheathing a sword above the Mausoleum of Hadrian. The pestilence ceased and Hadrian’s Mausoleum was subsequently known as the Castel Sant’Angelo.
Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
The Son you merited to bear, alleluia,
Has risen as he said, alleluia.
Pray to God for us, alleluia.
You can find the simple monophonic chant in the attached PDF, which I encourage you to sing with your family during Eastertide. I also invite you to give a listen to some polyphonic settings of the text. Victoria’s lush rendition is delightful:
French Baroque composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier offers an even more exuberant version of the Regina Caeli. Here you can note the trills distinctive of this era in French music, as well as the full-sounding musical ensemble comprising some strings as well as woodwinds — a combination that would eventually develop into the modern orchestra.
And although I’m not a huge fan of Mozart (finding some of his music on the frivolous and sensationalist side of the spectrum), his setting of the Regina Caeli deserves a mention here. Here’s a beautiful performance, and the joyful bounce of the music certainly fits the festive nature of Easter:
Lapis revolutus est
This is a delightful Easter devotional piece, which can be sung at Benediction, during Offertory or Communion, or at home. It’s very easy to learn; here’s a recording to aid in singing it:
Here is the translation:
Alleluia! The stone has been rolled away, alleluia, from the entrance of the tomb alleluia, alleluia.
Alleluia! Woman, whom do you seek? Alleluia, the living among the dead, alleluia, alleluia.
Alleluia! Do not weep, Mary, alleluia. The Lord is risen. Alleluia, alleluia.
Regina caeli jubila
This is a devotional hymn of sorts. I can’t find any good recordings of the chant since there is a popular harmonization that everyone sings, but it’s a pretty straightforward mode five chant — just watch out for the changes on the seventh note of the scale (te vs. ti). A translation:
Rejoice, O Mary, heav’nly Queen, rejoice, O Mary!
Now clouds give way to sunlight’s beams,
Alleluia, rejoice, O Mary!The offspring of thy Virgin womb, rejoice, O Mary!
Is risen from the virgin tomb,
Alleluia, rejoice, O Mary!Death’s arrows keen are snapp’d in twain, rejoice, O Mary!
At Jesus’ feet death lieth slain,
Alleluia, rejoice, O Mary!Therefore, O Mary, clap your hands; rejoice, O Mary!
Bring succor to your faithful bands!Alleluia, rejoice, O Mary!
Concordi laetitiae
Another simple and rhythmic easter hymn, Concordi laetitiae has a charming text:
With harmonious joy, with sadness repelled, the Church recalls Mary’s praise: O Virgin Mary!
Who, with happy joy — the Lord having risen — flowered like a lily, beholding her Son alive: O Virgin Mary!
O how the celestial choruses sing praise with equal concert, and we, together with the dwellers in heaven, compose a new melody: O Virgin Mary!
O Queen of virgins, be favorable to the prayers of your suppliants, and after the circuit of death, confer on us the prize of life: O Virgin Mary!
O glorious Trinity, indivisible Unity, on account of Mary’s merits, save us throughout the ages: O Virgin Mary!
Here are the monks of Norcia singing it:
Salve festa dies
This is quite an impressive processional chant. When I was with the Benedictine monks in Ireland, we would have a procession on Easter Sunday morning before Easter Mass, which took us around the perimeter of the monastery property. It was often damp and dewy in the early morning, with bright yellow and white daffodils lining the footpath as we sang Salve festa dies at the top of our lungs.
Written by the hymnographer-monk Venantius Fortunatus in the 6th century, the original poem was dozens of verses longer, the current first verse being verse 37. An epic poem celebrating the triumph of Christ over winter darkness in the light of springtime Easter, this text was included by the famous St. Gall monastery in its medieval chant books, leading to widespread recognition and imitation around Europe.
Here is a fast rendition of the chant; a little odd rhythmically, but in the spirit of a rousing procession:
Here is the text:
Hail, festal day, held in veneration throughout the ages; on which a God doth triumph over the tomb and doth take possession of the heavens.
Behold, the grace of the world reborn attests that all the gifts of the Lord have returned with him.
For, to celebrate the triumph over the darkness of death, the forests everywhere are covered with foliage, and the plants display their flowers.
Thou it was, who, seeing the sad wreck of the human race, didst deign to become man.
The dismal chains of the infernal regions are broken, and chaos quivers penetrated with light.
But, O Divine power, fulfil thy promise: a third sun hath risen at the dawn: come forth from the tomb.
Unfetter the spirits enchained in the prisons of hell, and bring on high all that sank into the abyss.
Show us thy countenance again, that the ages may again behold the light: give us back the day, that, at the moment of thy death was eclipsed.
O filii et filiae
The 15th century Easter hymn Filii et filae, composed by the Franciscan Jean Tisserand (+1494), is among the most beloved Easter hymns. It is often sung in English translation as “O Sons and Daughters.” Many beautiful and simple harmonizations of it exist. Here’s the original, plain vanilla version:
As you will see, in the very last verses, 11 and 12, the dismissal from the divine office “Benedicamus Domino” and its response “Deo Gratias” are woven into the chant. Perhaps at abbeys like Cluny, known for their extravagant liturgy, this troped “Benedicamus Domino” might have been sung in the services on Easter!
Ad coenam Agni providi
The final chant I’d like to introduce you to today is the Vespers hymn during Paschaltide, “Ad Coenam Agni Providi,” popularized in the English hymn “At the Lambs High Feast We Sing.” John Mason Neale’s beautiful translation is worthy of particular note:
The Lamb’s high banquet we await
in snow-white robes of royal state:
and now, the Red Sea’s channel past,
to Christ our Prince we sing at last.Upon the Altar of the Cross
His Body hath redeemed our loss:
and tasting of his roseate Blood,
our life is hid with Him in God.That Paschal Eve God’s arm was bared,
the devastating Angel spared:
by strength of hand our hosts went free
from Pharaoh’s ruthless tyranny.Now Christ, our Paschal Lamb, is slain,
the Lamb of God that knows no stain,
the true Oblation offered here,
our own unleavened Bread sincere.O Thou, from whom hell’s monarch flies,
O great, O very Sacrifice,
Thy captive people are set free,
and endless life restored in Thee.For Christ, arising from the dead,
from conquered hell victorious sped,
and thrust the tyrant down to chains,
and Paradise for man regains.We pray Thee, King with glory decked,
in this our Paschal joy, protect
from all that death would fain effect
Thy ransomed flock, Thine own elect.To Thee who, dead, again dost live,
all glory Lord, Thy people give;
all glory, as is ever meet,
to Father and to Paraclete. Amen.
Here’s a Gregorian version with organ accompaniment:
And Orlando di Lasso’s haunting polyphonic setting of the hymn:
Conclusion
Now that you’ve listened to some of these beautiful Paschal chants, its time to print out the PDF and give them a sing yourself!
A blessed Easter to you and all your loved ones!
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Pure wonderfulness. A great pity none are sung at the Novus Ordo ~ not even the Sequence, unless it’s sung in a poor English translation and an even poorer tune. A huge, gaping poverty of Spirit. I have to sing them at home or listen to recordings, and Julian, thank you for putting the best all together in one place!
What a treasury of pure BEAUTY!!!