O come, O come, Emmanuel
| "O come, O come, Emmanuel" | |
|---|---|
| Translation of "Veni, veni, Emmanuel" | |
| Published | c. 1850 |
| Language | English |
| Form | Hymn |
O come, O come, Emmanuel is the mid-19th century translation by John Mason Neale and Henry Sloane Coffin[1][2] of the Ecclesiastical Latin text "Veni, veni, Emmanuel". It is a metrical version of the O Antiphons from the final week of Advent vespers, which now serves as a popular hymn. Its origins are unclear: it is thought that the antiphons are from at least the 8th Century, but "Veni, veni Emmanuel" may well be 12th century in origin.[3][4] The text is based on the biblical prophecy from Isaiah 7:14 that states that God will give Israel a sign that will be called Immanuel (Lit.: God with us). Matthew 1:23 states fulfillment of this prophecy in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.
Musical influence[edit]
Ottorino Respighi quotes the melody in "The Gift of the Magi" in his Trittico Botticelliano. Zoltán Kodály wrote a choral work "Adventi ének (Advent song: Veni, veni Emmanuel)" in 1943 based on the melody and sung mostly with Latin or Hungarian lyrics. The composer James MacMillan wrote a percussion concerto, Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, based on this carol in 1991, premiered during the 1992 BBC Proms.
The composer Arvo Pärt wrote a symphony, his 1977 Symphony no. 3, that utilizes the melody and expresses the millenarian (or even apocalyptic) theme of the text. He also wrote seven Magnificat Antiphons, which were essentially the German texts of the hymn set to a variety of arrangements.[5] The first movement of George Dyson's 1949 Concerto da Chiesa uses the theme as a basis for the first movement. [6] U2's song White as Snow from its 2009 release No Line on the Horizon takes its tune directly from the hymn.
References[edit]
- ^ O Come, O Come Emmanuel on HymnSite.org
- ^ O Come, O Come Emmanuel on WorshipTutorials
- ^ Veni Veni Emanuel
- ^ O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
- ^ http://www.classicalarchives.com/work/169024.html
- ^ George Dyson: At the Tabard Inn, Review, NAXOS 8.557720
External links[edit]
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/c/ocomocom.htm - several verses of song Cyberhymnal
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Wikisource has original text related to this article: |
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Latin Wikisource has original text related to this article: |
- "Text and melody". O come, O come, Emmanuel. Hymntime.com. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
- "O come, O come, Emmanuel". Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
