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Tuesday 2 March 2021

Applying the music of 1 Samuel 2 to the Magnificat

I took some time with this. I think I may have started it 6 months ago, but today it got its first 'completion'. (While I was listening to Mahler in the background!) 

At first I was going to integrate the magnificat into 1 Samuel, but that proved too long for liturgical usage. I kept the first and last part of 1 Samuel 2:1 as an optional incipit and coda in Hebrew or English and I borrowed verse 10 for the gloria. 

The original transcription is first, then the pdf of my new Magnificat. It was difficult to map the allusions in Luke and use the corresponding music. Some parts of Luke's text have no part in the source.

1 Samuel 2 1 Samuel 2 Min Max Syll
וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֤ל חַנָּה֙ וַתֹּאמַ֔ר עָלַ֤ץ לִבִּי֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה רָ֥מָה קַרְנִ֖י בַּֽיהוָ֑ה
רָ֤חַב פִּי֙ עַל־א֣וֹיְבַ֔י כִּ֥י שָׂמַ֖חְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ
1 And Hannah prayed and she said, My heart is elated in Yahweh. My horn is exalted in Yahweh.
Open wide is my mouth over my enemies for I am glad in your salvation.
3e 4C 21
15
אֵין־קָד֥וֹשׁ כַּיהוָ֖ה כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ
וְאֵ֥ין צ֖וּר כֵּאלֹהֵֽינוּ
2 There is none holy like Yahweh, for there is nothing without you,
and none a rock like our God.
3e 4B 10
7
אַל־תַּרְבּ֤וּ תְדַבְּרוּ֙ גְּבֹהָ֣ה גְבֹהָ֔ה יֵצֵ֥א עָתָ֖ק מִפִּיכֶ֑ם
כִּ֣י אֵ֤ל דֵּעוֹת֙ יְהוָ֔ה וְל֥וֹ נִתְכְּנ֖וּ עֲלִלֽוֹת
3 Not with excess speak with the haughtiness of the haughty to let arrogance come out from your mouth,
for a God of knowledge is Yahweh and of him, stabilized are practices.
3e 4C 19
14
קֶ֥שֶׁת גִּבֹּרִ֖ים חַתִּ֑ים
וְנִכְשָׁלִ֖ים אָ֥זְרוּ חָֽיִל
4 The bow of the valiant ones is dismayed,
and they that stumble are girded with ability.
3e 4A 7
8
שְׂבֵעִ֤ים בַּלֶּ֙חֶם֙ נִשְׂכָּ֔רוּ וּרְעֵבִ֖ים חָדֵ֑לּוּ
עַד־עֲקָרָה֙ יָלְדָ֣ה שִׁבְעָ֔ה וְרַבַּ֥ת בָּנִ֖ים אֻמְלָֽלָה
5 Those sated find themselves earning bread and the famished are given relief,
until the barren has given birth to seven, and of many children is enfeebled.
3e 4C 15
16
יְהוָ֖ה מֵמִ֣ית וּמְחַיֶּ֑ה
מוֹרִ֥יד שְׁא֖וֹל וַיָּֽעַל
6 Yahweh puts to death and gives life,
descends to Sheol and ascends.
3e 4B 7
7
יְהוָ֖ה מוֹרִ֣ישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁ֑יר
מַשְׁפִּ֖יל אַף־מְרוֹמֵֽם
7 Yahweh dispossesses and enriches,
abases, also, celebrates,
3e 4B 8
6
מֵקִ֨ים מֵעָפָ֜ר דָּ֗ל מֵֽאַשְׁפֹּת֙ יָרִ֣ים אֶבְי֔וֹן לְהוֹשִׁיב֙ עִם־נְדִיבִ֔ים וְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד יַנְחִלֵ֑ם
כִּ֤י לַֽיהוָה֙ מְצֻ֣קֵי אֶ֔רֶץ וַיָּ֥שֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם תֵּבֵֽל
8 raises from dust the weak, from the dump, exalts the needy to sit with princes and the throne of glory to inherit,
for to Yahweh are the distresses of the earth and he has set on them the world.
3e 4C 28
16
רַגְלֵ֤י חֲסִידָיו֙ יִשְׁמֹ֔ר וּרְשָׁעִ֖ים בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יִדָּ֑מּוּ
כִּֽי לֹ֥א בְכֹ֖חַ יִגְבַּר־אִֽישׁ
9 The feet of those who are under his mercy he will keep and the wicked in the darkness are mute,
for not in power does anyone prevail.
3e 4C 16
8
יְהוָ֞ה יֵחַ֣תּוּ מְרִיבָ֗יו עָלָיו֙ בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יַרְעֵ֔ם יְהוָ֖ה יָדִ֣ין אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ
וְיִתֶּן־עֹ֣ז לְמַלְכּ֔וֹ וְיָרֵ֖ם קֶ֥רֶן מְשִׁיחֽוֹ פ
10 Yahweh will dismay those who strive over him. In the heavens he thunders. Yahweh makes the case for the ends of the earth,
and he gives strength to his king and he will exalt the horn of his anointed. P
3e 4B 22
16
Resources required SSATB. There's a little bit of everything here, even a nod to Rockingham, a Eucharistic hymn.
 

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