The anthem sung during the Offertory today is a setting of the Offertory Proper by a little-known Renaissance composer, Ivo de Vento (1545–1575). The text is taken from Psalm 13:
Illumina oculos meos, ne unquam obdormiam in morte,
Lighten mine eyes, that I sleep not in death.
Ne quando dicat inimicus meus, Praevalui adversus eum.
Lest my enemy say “I have prevailed against him.”
Vento’s compositional style is reminiscent of one of our choir’s favorite composers, Orlande de Lassus (1532–1594). Lassus also composed a setting of Illumina oculos meos, and our choir has sung it twice in recent years. A rocording of that setting is on the page containing today’s Propers, along with recordings of two later composers, Alessandro Grandi (1590–1630) and Henry Desmarets (1661-1741). That page also includes a poem written for today by John Keble and a hymn by Christopher Wordsworth. There are also links to pages introducing two of the cantatas J. S. Bach composed for singing on the Fourth Sunday after Trinity.
During Communion we will sing a vigorous five-voice setting of a Eucharistic text from St. John 6, the words of Jesus to the disciples:
Ego sum panis vivus, qui de cælo descendi. Si quis manducaverit ex hoc pane, vivet in æternum. Alleluia.
I am the living bread, which comes down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever. Alleluia.
Panis quem ego dabo, caro mea est pro mundi vita. Si quis manducaverit ex hoc pane, vivet in æternum. Alleluia.
The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever. Alleluia.
Here is a performance of this confident work sung by The Sixteen, conducted by Harry Christophers.
Here are the hymns sung this Sunday:
PROCESSIONAL HYMN:
We come unto our fathers’ God (#303)
SERMON HYMN:
God moves in a mysterious way (#310)
COMMUNION HYMNS:
Bread of heav’n (#212)
Come with us, O blessed Jesus (#211)
CLOSING HYMN:
O God, our help in ages past (#289)