WASHINGTON BACH CONSORT Dana Marsh, Artistic Director Devotion & Contemplation Membra Jesu nostri, BuxWV 75—Dieterich Buxtehude (c.1637-1707) Thursday, May 20, 2021 8:00 p.m. on YouTube Recorded at Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America 1400 Quincy St NE, Washington, DC 20017 Margot Rood & Sara MacKimmie, sopranos Reginald Mobley, countertenor Jacob Perry, Jr., tenor Jonathan Woody, bass SPRING 2021 We bring to you the final program in our Spring 2021 season. The North German composer Dieterich Buxtehude (c.1637/39–1707) was held in such high reverence by the 20-year-old Johann Sebastian Bach that he walked 250 miles from Arnstadt to Lübeck to hear the great organist/composer. Membra Jesu nostri is an exquisite cycle of seven short concerti, each a contemplation of a different part of the body of Christ. Derived from a thirteenth-century poem, the work evinces a vast spectrum of inspired reflection and introspective beauty. Through the generosity of our patrons, we were able to virtually present the 2020-2021 season cost-free. From Bach Interactions to our spring virtual program filmed at three iconic Washington churches: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Saint Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral, and the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, we continue to survive this pandemic and look forward to holding in-person performances again this coming fall. CLICK HERE To Subscribe to YouTube Past Performances Bach’s Cello Suites Polyphonic Splendors of the Iberian Renaissance Performed by Wade Davis Michael McCarthy, Guest Conductor Thursday, March 25, 2021 on YouTube Thursday, April 22, 2021 on YouTube OUR MISSION The Washington Bach Consort shares the transformative power of music with the works of J.S. Bach at the core. Our professional artists inspire audiences with the highest levels of artistic excellence, enrich the cultural life through historically-informed performances, and provide educational programs in the Washington, DC community and beyond. CLICK HERE To Donate Online Now PROGRAM Membra Jesu nostri patientis sanctissima, BuxWV 75 Dieterich Buxtehude (c.1637-1707) VOCALISTS SOPRANO COUNTERTENOR TENOR BASS Margot Rood Reginald Mobley Jacob Perry, Jr. Jonathan Woody Sara MacKimmie INSTRUMENTALISTS VIOLIN VIOLONE VIOLAS DA GAMBA ORGAN Julie Andrijeski Jessica Powell Eig John Moran Adam Pearl David McCormick Amy Domingues Leslie Nero Niccolo Seligmann DR. DANA T. MARSH, CONDUCTOR TEXTS & TRANSLATIONS 1. AD PEDES (TO THE FEET) Ecce super montes pedes evangelizantis et annunciantis Behold on the mountains the feet of him who brings pacem. good tidings and proclaims peace. Aria Aria Salve mundi salutare, Hail, salvation of the world, salve, salve Jesu care! Hail, hail, beloved Jesus. Cruci tuae me aptare I would take up your cross, vellem vere, tu scis quare, Truly; you know why; da mihi tui copiam. Give me your abundance. Clavos pedum, plagas duras, The nails in your feet, the hard blows, et tam graves impressuras And those equally deep stripes circumplector cum affectu, I embrace with feeling, tuo pavens in aspectu, Awestruck at your sight tuorum memor vulnerum. Mindful of Your wounds. Dulcis Jesu, pie Deus, Sweet Jesus, merciful God ad te clamo licet reus, I cry to You, if a guilty one may, praebe mihi te benignum, Show me Your grace, ne repellas me indignum Do not turn me away unworthy de tuis sanctis pedibus. From Your sacred feet. Ecce super montes pedes evangelizantis et annunciantis Behold on the mountains the feet of him who brings pacem. good tidings and proclaims peace. 3 TEXTS & TRANSLATION (cont’d.) 2. AD GENUA (TO THE KNEES) Ad ubera portabimini, et super genua blandientur vobis. You will be brought to the breast and dandled on the knees. Aria Aria Salve Jesu, rex sanctorum, Hail Jesus, King of Saints spes votiva peccatorum, Hope of sinners’ prayers, crucis ligno tanquam reus, On the wood of the cross like one accused, pendens homo verus Deus, A man hanging, true God, caducis nutans genibus. Bending on falling knees. Quid sum tibi responsurus, What shall I answer you, actu vilis corde durus? Vile in deed, hard of heart? Quid rependam amatori, How shall I repay your love, qui elegit pro me mori, Who chose to die for me ne dupla morte morerer. Without whom I die a second death. Ut te quaeram mente pura, That I seek you with pure mind, sit haec mea prima cura, This is my first care. non est labor et gravabor, It is not a labor, nor a load, sed sanabor et mundabor, But I shall be healed and cleansed cum te complexus fuero. When I embrace you. Ad ubera portabimini, et super genua blandientur vobis. You will be brought to the breast and dandled on the knees. 3. AD MANUS (TO THE HANDS) Quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum? What are those wounds in the midst of Your hands? Aria Aria Salve Jesu, pastor bone, Hail, Jesus, good shepherd, fatigatus in agone, Wearied in combat, qui per lignum es distractus Lacerated on the cross, et ad lignum es compactus Nailed to the cross, expansis sanctis manibus. Your sacred hands stretched out. Manus sanctae, vos amplector, Holy hands, I embrace you, et gemendo condelector, And, lamenting, rejoice in you, grates ago plagis tantis, I give thanks for such blows, clavis duris guttis sanctis The hard nails, the holy drops, dans lacrymas cum osculis. Shedding tears and kisses. In cruore tuo lotum Washed in your blood me commendo tibi totum, I entrust myself to you entirely; tuae sanctae manus istae Yea these holy hands me defendant, Jesu Christe, Defend me, Jesus Christ, extremis in periculis. In the final dangers. Quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum? What are those wounds in the midst of Your hands? 4 TEXTS & TRANSLATION (cont’d.) 4. AD LATUS (TO THE SIDES) Surge, amica mea, speciosa mea, et veni, columba mea in Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come, my dove in foraminibus petrae, in caverna maceriae. the clefts of the rock, in the hollow of the cliff. Aria Aria Salve latus salvatoris, Hail, side of the savior, in quo latet mel dulcoris, In which sweet honey lies, in quo patet vis amoris, In which the power of love shows, ex quo scatet fons cruoris, From which the spring of blood bubbles, qui corda lavat sordida. That cleanses the soiled heart. Ecce tibi appropinquo, Behold, I approach you, parce, Jesu, si delinquo, Pardon, Jesus, if I err, verecunda quidem fronte, With reverent countenance ad te tamen veni sponte I come freely to you scrutari tua vulnera. To examine your wounds. Hora mortis meus flatus In the hour of death, let my soul intret Jesu, tuum latus, Enter your side, Jesus. hinc expirans in te vadat, Dying may it enter you, ne hunc leo trux invadat, Lest the cruel lion seize it, sed apud te permaneat. But stay with you forever. Surge, amica mea, speciosa mea, et veni, columba mea in Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come, my dove in foraminibus petrae, in caverna maceriae. the clefts of the rock, in the hollow of the cliff. 5. AD PECTUS (TO THE BREAST) Sicut modo geniti infantes rationabiles, et sine dolo Like newborn infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it concupiscite, ut in eo crescatis in salutem. Si tamen you may grow up in your salvation, if indeed you have gustatis, quoniam dulcis est Dominus. tasted that the Lord is good. Aria Aria Salve, salus mea, Deus, Hail God, my salvation, Jesu dulcis, amor meus, Sweet Jesus, my beloved, salve, pectus reverendum, Hail, revered breast, cum tremore contingendum, To be touched with trembling, amoris domicilium. Dwelling of love. Pectus mihi confer mundum, Give me a clean breast, ardens, pium, gemebundum, Ardent, pious, moaning, voluntatem abnegatam, A denied will, tibi semper conformatam, Always conforming to you, juncta virtutum copia. Full of virtues. Ave, verum templum Dei, Hail, true temple of God, precor miserere mei, I pray, have mercy on me, tu totius arca boni, You, the ark of all good, fac electis me apponi, Make me be one of the chosen, vas dives Deus omnium. Rich vessel, God of all. Sicut modo geniti infantes rationabiles, et sine dolo Like newborn infants, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it concupiscite, ut in eo crescatis in salutem. Si tamen you may grow up in your salvation, if indeed you have gustatis, quoniam dulcis est Dominus. tasted that the Lord is good. 5 TEXTS & TRANSLATION (cont’d.) 6. AD COR (TO THE HEART) Vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea, sponsa, vulnerasti cor You have wounded my heart, my sister, my bride, you have meum. wounded my heart. Aria Aria Summi regis cor, aveto, Hail, heart of the highest king, te saluto corde laeto, I greet you with a joyous heart, te complecti me delectat To embrace you delights me et hoc meum cor affectat, And my heart aspires to this: ut ad te loquar, animes. That you move me to speak to you. Per medullam cordis mei, Through the marrow of my heart, peccatoris atque rei, Of a sinner and guilty one, tuus amor transferatur, May Your love be conveyed quo cor tuum rapiatur One seized by your heart, languens amoris vulnere. Languishing through love’s wound. Viva cordis voce clamo, With the living voice of the heart I call, dulce cor, te namque amo, Sweet heart, for I love you, ad cor meum inclinare, To incline to my heart, ut se possit applicare So that it may attach itself to you devoto tibi pectore. With devoted breast. Vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea, sponsa, vulnerasti cor You have wounded my heart, my sister, my bride, you have meum. wounded my heart.