Nympha refer quae sit vox (Jacob Handl)

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• (Posted 2025-08-14)  CPDL #86349:     

Editor: Drew Sellis (submitted 2025-08-14).   Score information: A4, 6 pages, 181 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Note values halved, written pitch retained.

General Information

Title: Nympha refer quae sit vox
Composer: Jacob Handl
Number of voices: 8vv   Voicing: SATB.SATB
Genre: Sacred, Motet

Language: Latin
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1590 in Opus musicum (Jacob Handl), Volume 4, no. 22
Description: "Echo" motet in honour of St. John the Baptist; Chorus II sings nonsense syllables which rhyme with the end of each phrase Chorus I sings.

Original text and translations

Latin text Nympha, refer quae sit vox hic clamantis; quis locus ille virum quo jam quaeremus? Hoc ne loco vates consuevit vivere? Quae bona thesauro deprompsit divite! Hic quis erat cupiens fieri sanctissimus, cuius eget minime, tantimens pauperis tegmine; nonne Dei cultum redolebat, nunc divos etiam coluit peramanter. Dic, ubi te inveniam nunc, Christi prodrome; itur ea ne via qua forte redibitur? Quid suades faciam? Tu, dum clamabis ad coelos, nobis monstrasti jamne viam; ergo iter ingrediar, pandisti quod subito.

English translation Nymph, tell me, what is the voice of him who cries here? Where is that place of the man we now seek? Is it in this place that the prophet was wont to live? What good things he drew forth from a rich treasure! Who was he, longing to become most holy, who needs nothing, scorning the covering of the poor? Surely he breathed devotion to God, and now he has also most lovingly honoured the heavenly ones. Tell me, where shall I find you now, O forerunner of Christ? Is this the way by which one might perhaps return? What do you counsel me to do? While you cry out to the heavens, you have already shown us the way; therefore I will set out on the journey to the path you have suddenly opened.