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St. Augustine Schola Cantorae

Ave maris stella

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What's the best way to hear Gregorian chant? Live, of course.

However, in the meantime the St. Augustine Schola Cantorae will be adding short recordings of our chant. Here is the first. "Te lucis ante terminum" is the hymn sung every evening at the Office of Compline (Night Prayer). It asks for God's protection through the night and for peaceful rest. The hymn's origins lie in the 5th century.

TE lucis ante terminum, rerum Creator, poscimus ut pro tua clementia sis praesul et custodia.	TO Thee, before the close of day Creator of the world, we pray that with Thy wonted favor, Thou wouldst be our Guard and Keeper now.
Procul recedant somnia et noctium phantasmata; hostemque nostrum comprime, ne polluantur corpora.	From all ill dreams defend our eyes, from nightly fears and fantasies: tread under foot our ghostly foe, that no pollution we may know.
Praesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, cum Spiritu Paraclito regnans per omne saeculum. Amen.	O Father, that we ask be done through Jesus Christ Thine only Son, who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee, shall live and reign eternally. Amen.

Here's the antiphon and the beginning of the Magnificat for the Feast of the Assumption. We used an "alternatim" setting that contrasted chant and polyphony for the canticle.