Angelus ad Virginem (Anonymous)

This work is famously mentioned in Chaucer's The Miller's Tale:

 

And al above there lay a gay sautrie
on which he made anyghtes melodie
so sweetly that all the chamber rong
and Angelus ad virginem he song…

Among the numerous mss. sources there are five versions with music, all with slightly different tunes. As labeled in Dobson & Harrison Mediaeval English Songs, they are:

• Version a: tune only, in Cambridge MS Add. 710 (the so-called Dublin Troper)
• Version b: (ornate) tune only with both Latin and English text, in BL MS Arundel 248
• Version c: 2-voice setting, in BL MS Cotton Fragments XXIX (the charred survivor of a 1731 fire)
• Version d: 3-voice setting without text in Cambridge MS Add. 710 (the so-called Dublin Troper)
• Version e: 3-voice setting with Latin text in Cambridge MS Add. 710 (the so-called Dublin Troper)

Music files

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Various modern SATB settings

• (Posted 2019-12-18)  CPDL #56334:         

MP3 Practice Files: Soprano:   Alto:   Tenor:   Bass:  

Editor: William Chimiak (submitted 2019-12-18).   Score information: A4, 3 pages, 50 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Untexted SATB setting with practice parts.

• (Posted 2014-02-17)  CPDL #31305:     

Editor: Richard Norris (submitted 2014-02-17).   Score information: A4, 3 pages, 46 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: original melody in S, with 4-part harmonization by RN. Verses 1-4 in Latin.

• (Posted 2012-02-25)  CPDL #25640:         

Editor: Benjamin Bloomfield (submitted 2012-02-25).   Score information: Letter   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes: for SATB, with original melody in S. 5 verses in Latin.

• (Posted 2004-06-23)  CPDL #07296:     

Editor: Douglas Brooks-Davies (submitted 2004-06-23).   Score information: A4, 3 pages, 112 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Traditional carol (original melody in S), translated and arranged by Douglas Brooks-Davies. With piano reduction. Latin verses 1, 2, 3, 5.

'Version e', the texted 3-part setting in the Dublin Troper.

• (Posted 2006-03-21)  CPDL #11285:       

Editor: Mark Chapman (submitted 2006-03-21).   Score information: A4, 2 pages, 50 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Transcribed in G major and 6/8 time, with the middle line written out for both alto and tenor, the lower lines transposed down an octave. 5 verses in Latin.

• (Posted 2020-02-03)  CPDL #56903:         

Editor: Catuí Côrte-Real Suarez (submitted 2020-02-03).   Score information: A4, 5 pages, 100 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Verses written out in full. SAB.

• (Posted 2020-02-03)  CPDL #56901:         

Editor: Catuí Côrte-Real Suarez (submitted 2020-02-03).   Score information: A4, 5 pages, 96 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Verses written out in full. STB.

Simple monophonic setting

• (Posted 2021-11-07)  CPDL #66589:       

Editor: Catuí Côrte-Real Suarez (submitted 2021-11-07).   Score information: A4, 1 page, 32 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Compact, one page edition (block lyrics).

• (Posted 2020-02-03)  CPDL #56900:            Score video: (YouTube)

Editor: Catuí Côrte-Real Suarez (submitted 2020-02-03).   Score information: A4, 2 pages, 50 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Melody only. Verses written in full, for ease of performance.

General Information

Title: Angelus ad Virginem
Composer: Anonymous, 13th century

Number of voices: 3-4vv   Voicings: SAB, STB or SATB
Genre: Sacred, Carol

Language: Latin
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1361
Description: This was a popular carol from its creation, and is mentioned in Chaucer's work.

External websites:

• Lyrics with English Translation by Gerald Manley Hopkins
• An English translation
• A free recording

Original text and translations

Latin text 1.  Angelus ad Vírginem, Sub intrans in concláve, Vírginis formídinem, Demúlcens, inquit: Ave! Ave regína vírginum; Cæli terræque Dóminum Concípies et páries intácta, Salútem hóminum; Tu porta cæli facta, Medela críminum. 2.  Quómodo concíperem, Quæ virum non cognóvi? Quáliter infríngerem, Quod firma mente vovi? Spíritus Sancti grátia, Perfíciet hæc ómnia; Ne tímeas, sed gáudeas, secura, Quod castimónia, Manébit in te pura, Dei poténtia. 3.  Ad hæc virgo nóbilis, Respóndens inquit ei: Ancílla sum húmilis, Omnipoténtis Dei. Tibi cælésti núntio, Tanti secréti cónscio, Conséntiens, et cúpiens vidére, Factum quod áudio; Paráta sum parére, Dei consílio. 4.  Angelus dispáruit, Et statim puellaris, Úterus intúmuit, Vi partus salutáris. Qui circumdátus útero, Novem mensium número, Hinc exiit et iniit conflíctum, Affígens húmero, Crucem qua dedit ictum, Hosti mortífero. 5.  Eia mater Dómini, Quæ pacem redidísti, Angelis et hómini, Cum Christum genuísti: Tuum exóra fílium, Ut se nobis propítium, Exhíbeat, et déleat peccáta: Præstans auxílium, Vita frui beáta, Post hoc exsílium.

English translation 1.  Gabriel fram eveneking sent to þe maide sweete broute hir blisful tiding and fair he gan his greete Heil be þu ful of grace ariçt for Godes Son þis hevenliçt for mannes love wil man bicome and take fles of þee maide briçt manken free for to make of sen and devles miçt. 2.  Mildelich him gan andswere þe milde maide þanne wichewise sold ich here child withute manne? þangel hir seid Ne dred tee nout þurw þoligast sal been iwrout þis ilche þing warof tiding ich bringe al manken wurth ibout þurw þine sweet childinge and ut of pine ibout. 3.  Wan þe maiden undersood and þangels wordes herde mildelich with milde mood to þangel hie andswerde ure lords þewe maid iwis ich am þat here above is anentis me fulfurthed be þi sawe þat icy with his wil is maid withute lawe of moder had þe blis. 4.  þangel went awei mid þan al ut of hire siçte hire womb arise gan þurw þoligastes miçt in hir wes Crist bilok anon sooth God sooth man in fles and bon and of his fles ibore wes at time warþurw us cam good won he bout us ut of pine and let him for us slon. 1.  Maidenmoder makeles of milce flu ibunde bid for us him þat tee ches at wam þu grace funde þat he forgive us sen and wrake and clene of evri gelt us make and hevenblis wan ur time is to sterve us give for þine sake him so here for to serve þat He us to Him take. (BL ms Arundel 248, late 13c)

English translation 1.  Gabriel, from heaven's king Sent to the maiden sweet, Brought to her blissful tiding And fair 'gan her to greet. 'Hail be thou, full of grace aright! For so God's Son, the heaven's light, Loves man, that He a man will be and take Flesh of thee, maiden bright, Mankind free for to make Of sin and devil's might.' 2.  Gently to him gave answer The gentle maiden then: 'And in what wise should I bear Child, that know not man?' The angel said: 'O dread thee nought. 'Tis through the Holy Ghost that wrought Shall be this thing whereof tidings I bring: Lost mankind shall be bought By thy sweet childbearing, And back from sorrow brought.' 3.  When the maiden understood And the angel's words had heard, Mildly, of her own mild mood, The angel she answered: 'Our Lord His handmaiden, I wis, I am, that here above us is: And touching me fulfilled be thy saw; That I, since His will is, Be, out of nature's law A maid with mother's bliss.' 4.  The angel went away thereon And parted from her sight And straightway she conceived a Son Through th' Holy Ghost His might. In her was Christ contained anon, True God, true man, in flesh and bone; Born of her too When time was due; who then Redeemed us for His own, And bought us out of pain, And died for us t'atone. 5.  Filled full of charity, Thou matchless maiden-mother, Pray for us to him that He For thy love above other, Away our sin and guilt should take, And clean of every stain us make And heaven's bliss, when our time is to die, Would give us for thy sake; With grace to serve him by Till He us to him take. Amen. (Gerard Manley Hopkins)

German translation

1.  Als der Engel heimlich in das Zimmer der Jungfrau kam,
beschwichtigte er die Furcht der jungen Frau,
indem er sagte:
„Heil! Gegrüsset seist du, Königin der Jungfrauen.
Obgleich noch unberührt von einem Mann
sollst du empfangen und austragen
den Herrn des Himmels und der Erde,
der Rettung der Menschheit.
Du bist das Tor des Himmels geworden,
zur Heilung der Sünden.“

2.  „Wie kann ich empfangen,
da ich doch bisher noch keinen Mann erkannte?
Wie kann ich das Gelübde brechen
das ich mit starker Absicht ablegte?“
„Die Gnade des Heiligen Geistes
soll dies bewältigen. Fürchte dich nicht,
sondern freue dich, und versichere dich
der Gewissheit, dass die reine Keuschheit
dir bleiben soll
durch Gottes Allmacht.“

3.  Darauf antwortete die edle Jungfrau
und sagte: „Ich bin die niedere Magd
des allmächtigen Gottes.
Ich beuge mich deinem Willen
O himmlischer Bote,
der mir solch ein großes Geheimnis anvertraut,
und ich sehne mich danach erfüllt zu sehen,
was ich gerade höre.
Ich bin bereit mich
Gottes Plan zu unterwerfen.“

4.  Oh, Mutter Gottes,
die du den Frieden zurückbrachtest
den Engeln und der Menschheit
als du Christus gebarst,
wir beten, dass dein Sohn
uns gnädig sei, und hinweg fegt
unsere Sünden, uns Hilfe gewährt
so dass wir uns eines gesegneten Lebens erfreuen
nach dieser Zeit des Exils.