Locus iste
Locus iste is the Latin gradual for the anniversary of the dedication of a church (Missa in anniversario dedicationis ecclesiae), which in German is called Kirchweih.[1] The incipit Locus iste a Deo factus est translates to "This place was made by God".[2] One of the most famous settings is by the Austrian composer Anton Bruckner.
Text
[edit]The text is based on the Biblical story of Jacob's Ladder,[3] Jacob's saying "Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not" (Genesis 28:16), and the story of the burning bush where Moses is told "put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground" (Exodus 3:5).[4]
Locus iste a Deo factus est, |
This is the Lord's house, which He hath made. |
A translation closer to the Latin is:
This place was made by God, |
Plainchant
[edit]The plainchant of the gradual appears in the Liber Usualis at p. 1064 of the 1924 edition (modern notation) and p. 1251 of the 1961 edition (chant notation).
Bruckner's setting
[edit]Bruckner completed the motet for unaccompanied SATB choir in 1869 for the dedication of a votive chapel at the New Cathedral in Linz.[5] The motet is often performed on anniversaries of church dedication.[3] The piece, which takes about three minutes to perform, is in the key of C major and in common time.
References
[edit]- ^ Cornelis van Zwol, Anton Bruckner 1824-1896 - Leven en werken, Thoth, 2012, p.706
- ^ a b "Motet Translations / Anton Bruckner: Locus Iste". Emmanuel Music. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ a b Camartin, Iso (15 May 2005). "Dieser Ort / Anton Bruckner und Jakobs Traum von der Himmelsleiter". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ "Anton Bruckner: Locus iste". Carus-Verlag. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ Williamson, John, ed. (2004). The Cambridge Companion to Bruckner. Cambridge Companions to Music. Cambridge University Press. p. 58. ISBN 9780521008785.
External links
[edit]- Locus Iste (video); Libera Official, 2009 (Youtube).
- Locus Iste (Visions; music); Libera Official, 2016 (Youtube).
- Locus Iste by Libera (lyrics & translation); Youtube, 2016.
