Veni Creator Spiritus
Background
Office hymn for Pentecost, attributed to Rabanus Maurus (c. 780-856).
The common German translation is Komm, Gott Schöpfer, heiliger Geist, not to be confused with Komm, heiliger Geist, a version of the Pentecost sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus.
English versions include John Dryden's Creator Spirit, by whose aid.
View the Wikipedia article on Veni Creator Spiritus.
Settings by composers (see also Komm, Gott Schöpfer)
- Ambrosian chant
- Gregorian chant
- Giovanni Matteo Asola a 4, odd verses underlaid to same music
- Thomas Attwood, Come, Holy Ghost (in English, John Cosin's translation) a 4
- Jean de Bournonville a 4, verse 2
- Gilles Binchois a 3 (7 vv. underlaid to same music)
- Guillaume Dufay a 3 (vv. 2 & 6)
- Heinrich Finck first verse a 4
- Orlando Gibbons, vv. 1 & 2, in English, George Wither's translation a 4
- Charles Gounod TTBB
- Johann Heugel a 4
- Václav Emanuel Horák a 4
- Juan Montes SAA & organ, vv. 1&2
- Josef Ohnewald a 4
- Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina a 5
- Michael Praetorius's Hymnodia Sionia (Wolfenbüttel, 1611) contains:
- No. 100: verse 1, Veni Creator Spiritus (a 4)
- No. 103: verse 2 or 4, Qui Paracletus diceris (a 5)
- No. 105: verse 3, Tu septiformis munere (a 2)
- No. 107: verse 5, Hostem repellas longius (a 5)
- No. 100: verse 1, Veni Creator Spiritus (a 4)
- Albert H. Rosewig a 4
- Juan García de Salazar a 4, 4 odd verses
- Albert Schweitzer, (broken link to Italian version)
- Cantata In cordis iubilo (Enrico Vercesi) as movement 4 of a Christmas cantata (SATB & org.)
- Tomás Luis de Victoria a 4, 3 even verses
Original text and translations
Latin text Veni, Creator Spiritus, Qui diceris Paraclitus, Tu septiformis munere, Accende lumen sensibus, Hostem repellas longius, Per te sciamus, da, Patrem, Deo Patri sit gloria, |
English translation Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, come, Thou who art called the Paraclete, Thou who art sev’nfold in thy grace, O guide our minds with thy bless’d light, Far from us drive our deadly foe; Through thee may we the Father know, All glory to the Father be, Amen. |
English translation Version by George Wither Come Holy Ghost, the Maker, come; |
German translation Komm, Schöpfer Geist, kehr bei uns ein, Der du der Tröster wirst genannt, O Schatz, der siebenfältig ziert, Zünd an in uns des Lichtes Schein, Treib weit von uns des Feinds Gewalt, Den Vater auf dem ewgen Thron
|
Spanish translation Ven Espíritu creador; Tú eres nuestro consuelo, Tú derramas sobre nosotros los siete dones; Enciende con tu luz nuestros sentidos, Aleja de nosotros al enemigo, Por Ti conozcamos al Padre Gloria a Dios Padre |
Translation by John Cosin (used by Thomas Attwood): Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, Enable with perpetual light Teach us to know the Father, Son,
|