Lauda 41

This was written for a festival in the very beautiful Abbaye du Bec Hellouin, Normandy. It was the first time that a soprano other tha Anna Friman sang the premiere of one of these pieces. She was unavailable and Peyee Chen replaced her. The venue was quite extraordinary with a wonderful resonance.

Lauda 41 “De la crudel morte de Cristo”

De la crudel morte de Cristo

on’ hom pianga amaramente.

Quando Iuderi Cristo pilliâro,

d’ogne parte circundâro;

le sue mane strecto legâro

come ladro villanamente.

De la crudel morte de Cristo

on’ hom pianga amaramente.

Trenta denar fo lo mercato

ke fece Juda, et fo pagato.

Mellio li fôra non esser nato

k’aver peccato sì duramente.

De la crudel morte de Cristo

on’ hom pianga amaramente.

Molt’era trista sancta Maria,

quando ‘l suo figlio en dea;

cum gran dolore forte piangeva

dicendo: “Trista, lassa, dolente.”

De la crudel morte de Cristo

on’ hom pianga amaramente.

A la colonna fo spoliato

per tutto ‘l corpo flagellato,

l’ogne parte fo ‘nsanguinato

commo falso amaramente.

De la crudel morte de Cristo

on’ hom pianga amaramente.

Nel suo vulto li sputâro,

e la sua barba sì la pelâro;

facendo beffe, l’imputâro

ke Dio s’è falsamente.

De la crudel morte de Cristo

on’ hom pianga amaramente.

Translation

For the cruel death of Christ

let every man weep bitterly.

When the Jews seized Christ

they surrounded him on every side;

they tied his hands tightly,

insulting him like a thief.

For the cruel death of Christ

let every man weep bitterly.

Thirty silver pieces was the price

which Judas demanded, and was paid.

It would have been better for him if he had never been born, than to have sinned so grievously.

For the cruel death of Christ

let every man weep bitterly.

Holy Mary was distraught

when she gave up her son;

she wept inconsolably with great sorrow

saying, “I am sad, miserable, sorrowful.”

For the cruel death of Christ

let every man weep bitterly.

At the cross he was stripped bare,

whipped over all his body,

bled dry in every limb

bitterly as if he were a traitor.

For the cruel death of Christ

let every man weep bitterly.

They spat in his face,

and plucked out his beard;

they scoffed at him and accused him

of falsely claiming to be God.

For the cruel death of Christ

let every man weep bitterly.