Tenor:
I groan as a guilty one,
and my face blushes with guilt;
spare the supplicant, O God.
You, who absolved Mary Magdalen,
and heard the prayer of the thief,
have given me hope, as well.
My prayers are not worthy,
but show mercy, O benevolent one,
lest I burn forever in fire.
Give me a place among the sheep,
and separate me from the goats,
placing me on your right hand.
Bass and Chorus:
When the damned are silenced,
and given to the fierce flames,
call me with the blessed ones.
I pray, suppliant and kneeling,
with a heart contrite as ashes:
take my ending into your care.
Chorus:
The day of wrath, that day will
dissolve the world in ashes,
as David and the Sibyl prophesied.
Solo Quartet and Chorus:
That day is one of weeping,
on which shall rise from the ashes
the guilty man, to be judged.
Therefore, spare this one, O God.
Merciful Lord Jesus:
grant them peace.
Amen.
In the realm of "small world" -- I've had this site bookmarked for quite some time, on the recommendation of a good friend from Philadelphia...and only JUST NOW put together the fact that the author of the site sings a couple of sections over from me on Monday evenings. (Color me sheepish.)
ReplyDeleteI'm an alum of the College of the Holy Cross; after that, I was heavily involved in graduate student activities and music at the UPenn Newman Center, where there were a clump of us who had come from Jesuit undergrad programs around the country. And come to think of it, the first time I ever encountered the "Ingemisco" from the Requiem was during my senior year at Holy Cross, when I sang in the choir. The guest tenor was a certain Ray Bauwens. =)
Thank you for what you've put together here.
--Kristin the Soprano
Thanks, Kristin.
DeleteIsn't that a hoot to realize this tenor sings in your chorus a few sections away. The place where I will live is the ancient Philadelphia.
The College of the Holy Cross produces such loyal alumni who keep active with their faith and studies. It sounds like you began the "Jesuit Volunteer Corps" before it was formalized when you are at UPenn. Our education ruins people for life!
How incredible is that? Ray Bauwens singing with you at Holy Cross. Wow. That is cool. Everything returns home.
Peace,
John