Corpus Christi Watershed

Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

Views from the Choir Loft

“Innsbruck Hymn” • Bach Saint Matthew Passion

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AST SUNDAY, our volunteer choir sang a truly magnificent hymn known as INNSBRUCK. The Germans marry this melody to many different texts: Wer hat dich so geschlagen; Ich bin’s, ich sollte büßen; Nun ruhen alle Wälder; and so forth. In English, it’s frequently married to texts such as: O Lord, Who Dares to Smite Thee; The Duteous Day Now Closeth; Hail, Jesus, Hail! Who for My Sake; Upon the Cross Extended; O Thou Who Dost Accord Us; Now Woods and Wolds Are Sleeping; O Food of Exiles Lowly; Come Then, My Soul, and Gladly Sing and so forth.

Dom Gregory Ould • The version we sang uses an exceptional Roman Catholic Translation from 1670AD, and the text is Crux Fidelis (a.k.a. Pange Lingua). Credit for pairing text with tune goes to Dom Gregory Ould (d. 1939), a famous Roman Catholic musician who served our Savior as a Benedictine monk at Fort Augustus Abbey in Scotland:

To access this hymn’s media in the Brébeuf Portal, click here.

Below is from a legendary performance
by Wilhelm Furtwängler, recorded ‘live’
during Holy Week (1954) just seven months
before Furtwängler’s death:

Here’s the direct URL link.

It is also frequently used as
“O Esca Viatorum,” a Eucharistic
hymn. — Learn more.

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

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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.