• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

  • Our Team
    • Views from the Choir Loft • “Our Team”
    • Our Editorial Policy
  • Pew Resources
    • Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal
    • Jogues Illuminated Missal
    • Campion Missal, 3rd Edition
  • MUSICAL WEBSITES
    • René Goupil Gregorian Chant
    • Noël Chabanel Psalms
    • Nova Organi Harmonia (2,279 pages)
    • Lalemant Polyphonic
    • Saint Antoine Daniel KYRIALE
    • Father Enemond Massé Manuscripts
  • Miscellaneous
    • Site Map
    • Emporium Kevin Allen
    • Roman Missal, 3rd Edition
    • Saint Jean de Lalande Library
    • Sacred Music Symposium 2023
    • Gradual by Pothier’s Protégé
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

A little bit of fun

Veronica Brandt · May 23, 2015

EACHING LATIN TO CHILDREN is both exciting and daunting – maybe more daunting because I have not been taught Latin myself for more than a few lessons. It could be a recipe for disaster, but until a better option comes along, I’ll keep learning as much as I can and passing this on.

One morning I settled down with my children to tackle matching the Latin and English in Psalm 53 word for word. We got sidetracked and managed to cobble together a Latin version of Heads and shoulders, knees and toes.

Caput, scapulae, genua, pedes,
  genua, pedes, genua, pedes,
Caput, scapulae, genua, pedes,
  plaudite manibus.

Oculi, nasus, os et aures,
  os et aures, os et aures,
Oculi, nasus, os et aures,
  plaudite manibus.

And if that sounds odd to you, then you probably grew up with the There’s a Tavern in the Town version which seems more prevalent on youtube at least. Here is the tune I grew up with from Play School of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 I think it is a little easier than the tune for There’s a Tavern in the Town.

      * *   Download the music as a PDF ready to print and as a recording of my boys singing the song.

Note: this is not for liturgical use!

Though it is interesting to notice how often these words appear in liturgical texts.

At Sunday vespers we read: De torrente in via bibet; propterea exaltabit caput. (Psalms 109:7) He shall drink from the torrent in the way, therefore he shall lift up the head.

Scapula gives us the term scapular to describe a garment worn over the shoulders.

Genua gives us genuflect – literally to bend the knee.

Psalm 24:15 Oculi mei semper ad Dominum, quoniam ipse evellet de laqueo pedes meos. My eyes are ever towards the Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the snare.

Sometimes we start prayers with this versicle and response: Domine, labia mea aperies. Et os meum annuntiavit laudem tuam. Lord, thou shalt open my lips. And my mouth shall declare thy praise.

Psalm 113:14 talks about false gods: Aures habent, et non audient; nares habent, et non odorabunt. Ears they have, and they do not hear. Noses they have, and they do not smell.

My Latin isn’t great but sounds like nares is somehow related to nasus – maybe nostrils?

So, there’s your lesson plan – a song with actions, plus digging around in prayer books and Scripture for examples. I’ll have to find a place to add it to kidschant.com.



NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Play School has another connection with church music. The theme song was written by Richard Connolly, who wrote many hymns, including Holy Father, God of Might.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Latin Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe

It greatly helps us if you subscribe to our mailing list!

* indicates required

About Veronica Brandt

Veronica Brandt holds a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. She lives near Sydney, Australia, with her husband and six children.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

    “Glory To God” • (For Choir + Congregation)
    I wish to thank everyone for the nice comments I received vis-à-vis my Glory To God setting for Choir & Congregation. A gentleman with a musical doctorate from Indiana University wrote: “Love this setting so much. And I will pray, as you asked, for your return to composition more fully. You are very very good.” A female choir director wrote: “I love your harmonizations, your musicality, and the wonderful interplay you have with dissonance and consonance in your music. So fun to listen to, and great for intellect, heart, and soul!” A young woman from California wrote: “Thank you for releasing your new Glory To God in honor of Saint Noel Chabanel. I'm enjoying reading through the various parts and listening to your recordings.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    William Byrd • “Mass for Five Voices”
    Our volunteer choir is learning the “Sanctus” from William Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices. You can hear a short excerpt (recorded last Sunday) but please ignore the sound of babies crying: Mp3 recording. We still have work to do—but we’re on the right track. Once we have some of the tuning issues fixed, I desire to use it as an example proving volunteers can sing complicated polyphony.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Baptism” • A Unique Hymn
    Father Christopher Phillips is the founding Pastor of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic Church. One of his hymns is unique and (in my humble opinion) quite beautiful. His hymn is basically a prayer to the Holy Trinity but also speaks of Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. It would be an ideal Communion hymn on Trinity Sunday or the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. You can hear live recording from last Sunday by clicking here.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Then, when the later great Germans arrived, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven—all secular composers—and tried their hands at sacred music, they set Roman Catholic words to music which in form and spirit is Protestant.”

— Sir Richard Runciman Terry (1912)

Recent Posts

  • Some Questions Answered
  • Concerning Alterations to the Vatican Edition
  • Introducing the CRCCM Repertoire Project
  • “Everybody Loves Raymond” Actress Responds to Cardinal Dolan
  • PDF Download • “Kyrie for the Ordinary Form in Honor of Saint Thomas More”

Subscribe

Subscribe

* indicates required

Copyright © 2023 Corpus Christi Watershed · Isaac Jogues on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.