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Primo tempore...

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Laurie Gaffney

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Dec 23, 1996, 3:00:00 AM12/23/96
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Dear Listers/Talkers,

I would be grateful if someone could put me on the right track with this
chant... I'm looking for its textual source- and thought (mistakenly ) I
knew it -

Primo tempore alleviata est terra Zabulon et terra Neptalin.
Et novissime aggravata est via maris trans Jordanem Galileae.
Populus genuit qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam:
habitantibus in regione umbrae mortis, lux orta eis.
Multiplicasti gentem et non magnificasti laetitiam.
Haec dicit Dominus Deus: convertimini ad me et salvi eritis.

Many thanks,

Laurie Gaffney
Imogen Children's Chorale
and Imogen Community Choir
Brisbane
Australia


John J. Armstrong

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Dec 23, 1996, 3:00:00 AM12/23/96
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In article <1996122309...@smtp-gw01.ny.us.ibm.net>,
lga...@ibm.net (Laurie Gaffney) wrote:

>Dear Listers/Talkers,
>
>I would be grateful if someone could put me on the right track with this
>chant... I'm looking for its textual source- and thought (mistakenly ) I
>knew it -
>
>Primo tempore alleviata est terra Zabulon et terra Neptalin.
>Et novissime aggravata est via maris trans Jordanem Galileae.
>Populus genuit qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam:
>habitantibus in regione umbrae mortis, lux orta eis.
>Multiplicasti gentem et non magnificasti laetitiam.

The first five lines (above) are Isaiah 9 vv1-3.


>Haec dicit Dominus Deus: convertimini ad me et salvi eritis.

Don't know the source, but it means "Thus says the Lord: turn to Me and
you shall be saved."

John J. Armstrong
Dundee
Scotland
"Indecision is the key to flexibility."

Donald F. Burrill

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Dec 23, 1996, 3:00:00 AM12/23/96
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For starters, try Isaiah 9:1-3, which is quoted in Matthew 4:12-17. This
contains everything except the last line, which may be found in various
places in somewhat different forms, such as at Isaiah 45:22.

Incidentally, I think the 5th line (Multiplicasti...) is in error:
Isaiah 9:3a reads (NIV) "You have enlarged the nation and increased their
joy", but the "non" in the line as you report it would negate the second
part: "You have enlarged the nation and not increased the joy."

On Mon, 23 Dec 1996, Laurie Gaffney wrote:

> I would be grateful if someone could put me on the right track with
> this chant... I'm looking for its textual source- and thought

> (mistakenly) I knew it -

> Primo tempore alleviata est terra Zabulon et terra Neptalin.
> Et novissime aggravata est via maris trans Jordanem Galileae.
> Populus genuit qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam:
> habitantibus in regione umbrae mortis, lux orta eis.
> Multiplicasti gentem et non magnificasti laetitiam.

> Haec dicit Dominus Deus: convertimini ad me et salvi eritis.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Donald F. Burrill, Professor Emeritus (416) 923-6641 ext 2460
The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (416) 964-3254
Toronto, Canada M5S 1V6 dbur...@oise.utoronto.ca
184 Nashua Road, Bedford, NH 03110 (603) 471-7128 dbur...@xtdl.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------

John Fanelli

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Dec 23, 1996, 3:00:00 AM12/23/96
to

At 09:10 AM 12/23/96 GMT, you wrote:
>Dear Listers/Talkers,

>
>I would be grateful if someone could put me on the right track with this
>chant... I'm looking for its textual source- and thought (mistakenly ) I

>knew it -
>
>Primo tempore alleviata est terra Zabulon et terra Neptalin.
>Et novissime aggravata est via maris trans Jordanem Galileae.
>Populus genuit qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam:
>habitantibus in regione umbrae mortis, lux orta eis.
>Multiplicasti gentem et non magnificasti laetitiam.
>Haec dicit Dominus Deus: convertimini ad me et salvi eritis.
>
>Many thanks,
>
>Laurie Gaffney
>Imogen Children's Chorale
>and Imogen Community Choir
>Brisbane
>Australia
>
>
Dear Laurie:

The source for most of the quotation you are citing is from the book of
the prophet Isaiah, Chapter 9, starting with verse 1. Reference is also
made to this passage in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 4, verse 15.

The last line is not actually found in Isaiah, but is an addition from
when the text was used in the Roman Catholic liturgy. The last line
translates as: "Thus says the Lord God: return to me and you will be saved."

The overall text has been used for Christmas, reflecting Christ as the
light that has shone in darkness.

Hope this helps.

JRF

P.S.: Although it's not yet Christmas where you are, it's Christmas Eve
here in New Jersey --- Merry Christmas!

M C Bucknall

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Dec 28, 1996, 3:00:00 AM12/28/96
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On 23 Dec 1996 01:17:43 -0800, lga...@ibm.net (Laurie Gaffney) wrote:

>Primo tempore alleviata est terra Zabulon et terra Neptalin.
>Et novissime aggravata est via maris trans Jordanem Galileae.
>Populus genuit qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam:
>habitantibus in regione umbrae mortis, lux orta eis.
>Multiplicasti gentem et non magnificasti laetitiam.
>Haec dicit Dominus Deus: convertimini ad me et salvi eritis.

I like these words. What's the music?

The Ferret, who might write his own.


========== Martin Bucknall, fer...@netcomuk.co.uk
The Ferret Web pages moving - watch this space
========== Sequences available from www.prs.net
April is in my mistress' face / And July in her eyes hath place
In her bosom is September / But in her heart a cold December

M C Bucknall

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Dec 29, 1996, 3:00:00 AM12/29/96
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John Flack

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Jan 2, 1997, 3:00:00 AM1/2/97
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fer...@netcomuk.co.uk (M C Bucknall) wrote:
>
>On 23 Dec 1996 01:17:43 -0800, lga...@ibm.net (Laurie Gaffney) wrote:
>
>>Primo tempore alleviata est terra Zabulon et terra Neptalin.
>>Et novissime aggravata est via maris trans Jordanem Galileae.
>>Populus genuit qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam:
>>habitantibus in regione umbrae mortis, lux orta eis.
>>Multiplicasti gentem et non magnificasti laetitiam.
>>Haec dicit Dominus Deus: convertimini ad me et salvi eritis.

This is from the Bible: Isaiah 9:1b-3a, also quoted by Mathew 4:15-16.
The English translation should sound very familiar:
In the former time, he brought into contempt the land of Zebulon and the
Land of Naphtali,
but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land
beyond the Jordon, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.
Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy.
(Revised Standard Version)
The last line is an additional affirmation of the text. I can read the
first part as, "Thus says the Lord God", but I'm not sure about the rest.

As for settings, there are many, but I don't think I know a setting of
this Latin version of the text. Probably someone else can help.


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