Where Did “Do-Re-Mi” Come From?

HOSE WHO WILL attend Sacred Music Symposium 2019 can look forward to singing Solemn Vespers at night—and we have beautiful things planned! One of the hymns is for Saint John the Baptist—UT QUEANT LAXIS—and it shows us where “Do-Re-Mi” comes from. (Later on, “Ut” was changed to “Do,” perhaps as an exercise in vanity by Giovanni Battista Doni.) Here is the Editio Vaticana version from a wonderful Solesmes Abbey book published in 1957:

    * *  PDF • “Ut Queant Laxis” (Vaticana)

What about an organ accompaniment? If you carefully search the NOH collection, you will see that two different harmonizations are provided for this hymn: One in volume 7, another in volume 8. (It is slightly puzzling to understand why, but sometimes a particular melody seems to have “struck a chord”—pardon the pun—with the editors. When that happens, we encounter in the NOH various harmonizations for the same melody by different composers: Monsignor Jules Van Nuffel, Flor Peeters, Monsignor Jules Vyverman, Gustaaf Frans Nees, and so on.)

A concise and clear explanation vis-à-vis how we got solfège (DO-RE-MI-FA-SOL-LA-TI) is provided on page 1,229 of the 1957 publication mentioned earlier:

A literal translation of the Latin by Father Connelly:

1. Ut quéant laxis resonáre fibris Mira gestórum fámuli tuórum, Solve pollúti lábii reátum, Sancte Joánnes.	1. That thy servants may be able to sing the wonders of thy deeds with loosened throats, O holy John, remove the guilt of our polluted lips.

2. Núntius celso véniens Olýmpo, Te patri magnum fore nascitúrum, Nomen, et vitae sériem geréndae Órdine prómit.	2. A messenger coming from high heaven discloses in due order to thy father that thou wouldst be born great, thy name, and the course of life thou wouldst lead.

3. Ille promíssi dúbius supérni, Pérdidit promptae módulos loquélae: Sed reformásti génitus perémptae Órgana vocis.	3. Doubtful of the heavenly promise, he (Zachary) lost the power of ready speech; but thou, when born, didst restore the organs of the lost voice.

4. Ventris obstrúso récubans cubíli Sénseras Regem thálamo manéntem: Hinc parens nati méritis utérque Ábdita pandit.	4. While buried in the hidden abode of the womb, thou didst perceive the King reposing in His chamber; whereupon both parents, by the merits of their son, revealed hidden things.

5. Sit decus Patri, genitaéque Proli, Et tibi compar utriúsque virtus, Spíritus semper, Deus unus, omni Témporis aevo. Amen.	5. O God, one and likewise three, may the heavenly citizens extol Thee with praises: and we suppliants ask Thy pardon: do Thou spare the redeemed. Amen.

For myself, I prefer the melodic variant found in the 1903 Liber Usualis of Dom Mocquereau. The problem is, if your choir already knows the standard version, it will be annoying to introduce a different tune—but I really do like it better:

    * *  PDF Download • Melodic Variant (1903)

(Believe it or not, this accompaniment matches the 1903 version, not the Editio Vaticana.)

Did I mention I prefer the 1903 version? Sorry, just checking…

Veronica Brandt has created an Editio Vaticana version with a different literal English Translation underneath the notes:

    * *  PDF Download • Version by Veronica Brandt