The Magnificat (Latin: [My soul] magnifies) — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle
frequently sung (or spoken) liturgically
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups that believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
in Christian
A is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. "Christian" derives from the Greek word Christ, a translation of the Hebrew term...
church service
s. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymn
s and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn. Its name comes from the first word
The incipit of a text, such as a poem, song, or book, is the first few words of its opening line. In music it can also refer to the opening notes of a composition. Before the development of titles, texts were often referred to by their incipits. Incipit comes from the Latin for "it begins"...
of the Latin version of the canticle's text.
The text of the canticle is taken directly from the Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
where it is spoken by the Virgin Mary upon the occasion of her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth
Saint Elizabeth, also spelled Elisabeth or Elisheva was the mother of St. John the Baptist and the wife of St. Zachary/Zacharias, according to the Gospel of Luke...
. In the narrative, after Mary greets Elizabeth, who is pregnant with the future John the Baptist
John the Baptist John the Baptist (Hebrew: יוחנן המטביל, Yoḥanan ha-mmatbil, Yahyá or يوحنا المعمدان Yūhannā al-maʿmadān, Aramaic: ܝܘܚܢܢ Yoḥanan) John the Baptist (Hebrew: יוחנן המטביל, Yoḥanan ha-mmatbil, Yahyá or يوحنا المعمدان Yūhannā al-maʿmadān, Aramaic: ܝܘܚܢܢ Yoḥanan) (c. 6 BCE – c...
, the child moves within Elizabeth's womb. When Elizabeth praises Mary for her faith, Mary sings what is now known as the Magnificat in response.
The canticle echoes several Old Testament biblical passages, but the most pronounced allusions are to the Song of Hannah
, from the Books of Samuel
. Along with the Benedictus
, as well as several Old Testament canticles, the Magnificat is included in the Book of Odes
, an ancient liturgical collection found in some manuscripts of the Septuagint
.
Within Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, the Magnificat is most frequently recited within the Liturgy of the Hours
The Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office is the official set of daily prayers prescribed by the Catholic Church to be recited at the canonical hours by the clergy, religious orders, and laity. The Liturgy of the Hours consists primarily of psalms supplemented by hymns and readings...
. In Western Christianity
Western Christianity is a term used to include the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church and groups historically derivative thereof, including the churches of the Anglican and Protestant traditions, which share common attributes that can be traced back to their medieval heritage...
, the Magnificat is most often sung or recited during the main evening prayer service: Vespers
within Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
, and Evening Prayer
(or Evensong) within Anglicanism
. In Eastern Christianity
, the Magnificat is usually sung at Sunday Matins
. Among Protestant groups, the Magnificat may also be sung during worship services.
The original language of the Magnificat is Koine Greek
, the language of the New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. However, in the liturgical and devotional use of the Western Church, it is most often found in Latin or the vernacular.
Greek:
Latin (present official form):
Latin (older form):
English
(Douay-Rheims):
English (Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and of other Anglican churches, used throughout the Anglican Communion. The first book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English Reformation following the break with...
):
English (The Divine Office):
English (ICET translation used in The Liturgy of the Hours (ICEL)):
English (ELLC translation used in Common Worship
):
English (Lutheran Divine Service):
The text forms a part of the daily office
in the Roman Catholic Vespers
service, the Lutheran
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
Vespers
service, and the Anglican services of Evening Prayer
, according to both the Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the common title of a number of prayer books of the Church of England and of other Anglican churches, used throughout the Anglican Communion. The first book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English Reformation following the break with...
and Common Worship
(see Evening Prayer (Anglican)
). In the Book of Common Prayer Evening Prayer service, it is usually paired with the Nunc dimittis
The Nunc dimittis is a canticle from a text in the second chapter of Luke named after its first words in Latin....
. (The Book of Common Prayer allows for an alternative to the Magnificat — the Cantate Domino, Psalm 98
— and modern Anglican rubrics generally allow for a wider selection of canticles, but the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis remain the most popular.) In Anglican, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic services, the Magnificat is generally followed by the Gloria Patri
. It is also commonly used (at least amongst Lutherans) at the Feast of the Visitation (July 2).
The Magnificat has been a popular text for many composers. Perhaps the best known Magnificat settings are those from Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period...
's Vespers for the Blessed Virgin, 1610
or the extended setting by Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, BWV 243
. In the same vein, many other "classical" composers such as Vivaldi
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed because of his red hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe...
, Rachmaninoff
Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music...
, and more recently John Rutter
have set extended versions for orchestra, chorus, and solos. However, most of these concerted settings were neither intended nor convenient for liturgical use; more often choirs will sing a shorter, simpler setting a cappella
or with only organ accompaniment. Several such settings from the Renaissance
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given the gradually adopted "Renaissance" characteristics: musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.- Overview :The increasing...
remain popular (for example, that of Thomas Tallis
); nearly every composer in the 19th and 20th century Anglican choral tradition
has composed one or more settings of the "Mag and Nunc", as have Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt is an Estonian classical composer and one of the most prominent living composers of sacred music.Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs a self-made compositional technique called tintinnabuli. His music also finds its inspiration and influence from...
and John Tavener
. Since these canticles are sung nearly every day at some Cathedrals and Oxbridge
college chapels, there is a real need for multiple settings; at its extreme, this led such composers as Charles Villiers Stanford
to write a Magnificat in every major key; Herbert Howells
, another noted composer of these canticles, published twenty settings of them over his career. Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner was an Austrian composer known for his symphonies, masses, and motets. The former are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-German Romanticism because of their rich harmonic language, complex polyphony, and considerable length...
only wrote one Magnificat
.
In Eastern Orthodox
worship, the Magnificat is usually sung during the Matins
service before the Irmos
of the ninth ode of the canon
. After each verse, the troparion
is sung:
In Nicaragua, the Magnificat is a favourite prayer among many peasants and is often carried as an amulet. During the Somoza
years, campesinos
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally owns or rents only a small plot of ground. The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district A peasant is an agricultural worker who...
were required to carry proof of having voted for Somoza; this document was mockingly referred to as the Magnificat.
The Magnificat has also been covered in a more contemporary style by Richard Wu in the album "Let Morning Shine". The album was aimed to ameliorate the lives of North Koreans.
Canticle
A canticle is a hymn taken from the Bible. The term is often expanded to include ancient non-biblical hymns such as the Te Deum and certain psalms used liturgically.-Roman Catholic Church:From the Old Testament, the Roman Breviary takes seven canticles for use at Lauds, as follows:*...
frequently sung (or spoken) liturgically
Liturgy
in Christian
Christian
church service
Church service
In Christianity, a church service is a term used to describe a formalized period of communal worship, often but not exclusively occurring on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sabbatarianism. The church service is the gathering together of Christians to be...
s. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn. Its name comes from the first word
Incipit
of the Latin version of the canticle's text.
The text of the canticle is taken directly from the Gospel of Luke
Gospel of Luke
where it is spoken by the Virgin Mary upon the occasion of her Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth
Elizabeth (Biblical person)
. In the narrative, after Mary greets Elizabeth, who is pregnant with the future John the Baptist
John the Baptist
, the child moves within Elizabeth's womb. When Elizabeth praises Mary for her faith, Mary sings what is now known as the Magnificat in response.
The canticle echoes several Old Testament biblical passages, but the most pronounced allusions are to the Song of Hannah
Song of Hannah
The Song of Hannah is a poem interrupting the prose text of the Books of Samuel. According to the surrounding narrative, the poem was a prayer delivered by Hannah, to give thanks to God for the birth of her son, Samuel.-Contents and themes:...
, from the Books of Samuel
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
. Along with the Benedictus
Benedictus (Song of Zechariah)
The Benedictus , given in Gospel of , is one of the three canticles in the opening chapters of this Gospel. The Benedictus was the song of thanksgiving uttered by Zechariah on the occasion of the birth of his son, John the Baptist.The whole canticle naturally falls into two parts...
, as well as several Old Testament canticles, the Magnificat is included in the Book of Odes
Book of Odes (Bible)
Odes is a book of the Bible found only in Eastern Orthodox Bibles and included or appended after Psalms in Alfred Rahlfs' critical edition of the Septuagint, coming from the fifth-century Codex Alexandrinus...
, an ancient liturgical collection found in some manuscripts of the Septuagint
Septuagint
The Septuagint , or simply "LXX", referred to in critical works by the abbreviation...
.
Within Christianity
Christianity
, the Magnificat is most frequently recited within the Liturgy of the Hours
Liturgy of the hours
. In Western Christianity
Western Christianity
, the Magnificat is most often sung or recited during the main evening prayer service: Vespers
Vespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
within Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism
Lutheranism
, and Evening Prayer
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
(or Evensong) within Anglicanism
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 meaning the English Church....
. In Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
, the Magnificat is usually sung at Sunday Matins
Matins
Matins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe morning services.The name "Matins" originally referred to the morning office also...
. Among Protestant groups, the Magnificat may also be sung during worship services.
Text
The original language of the Magnificat is Koine Greek
Koine Greek
Koine Greek or , "the common dialect", also simply called koine "common [language]", besides "Alexandrian dialect", "common Attic" or "Hellenistic Greek") is the popular form of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of...
, the language of the New Testament
New Testament
. However, in the liturgical and devotional use of the Western Church, it is most often found in Latin or the vernacular.
Greek:
- Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον
- καὶ ἠγαλλίασεν τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρί μου,
- ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αυτοῦ.
- ἰδού γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν μακαριοῦσίν με πᾶσαι αἱ γενεαί,
- ὅτι ἐποίησέν μοι μεγάλα ὁ δυνατός,
- καὶ ἅγιον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ,
- καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεὰς
- τοῖς φοβουμένοις αυτόν.
- Ἐποίησεν κράτος ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ,
- διεσκόρπισεν ὑπερηφάνους διανοίᾳ καρδίας αὐτῶν·
- καθεῖλεν δυνάστας ἀπὸ θρόνων
- καὶ ὕψωσεν ταπεινούς,
- πεινῶντας ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν
- καὶ πλουτοῦντας ἐξαπέστειλεν κενούς.
- ἀντελάβετο Ἰσραὴλ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ,
- μνησθῆναι ἐλέους,
- καθὼς ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν
- τῷ Αβραὰμ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
- καὶ ἠγαλλίασεν τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρί μου,
Latin (present official form):
- Magnificat anima mea Dominum,
- et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salvatore meo,
- quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae.
- Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes,
- quia fecit mihi magna,
- qui potens est,
- et sanctum nomen eius,
- et misericordia eius in progenies et progenies
- timentibus eum.
- Fecit potentiam in brachio suo,
- dispersit superbos mente cordis sui;
- deposuit potentes de sede
- et exaltavit humiles;
- esurientes implevit bonis
- et divites dimisit inanes.
- Suscepit Israel puerum suum,
- recordatus misericordiae,
- sicut locutus est ad patres nostros,
- Abraham et semini eius in saecula.
- et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salvatore meo,
Latin (older form):
- Magnificat: anima mea Dominum.
- Et exultavit spiritus meus: in Deo salutari meo.
- Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae:
- ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes.
- Quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est:
- et sanctum nomen eius.
- Et misericordia eius, a progenie et progenies:
- timentibus eum.
- Fecit potentiam in brachio suo:
- dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
- Deposuit potentes de sede:
- et exaltavit humiles.
- Esurientes implevit bonis:
- et divites dimisit inanes.
- Suscepit Israel puerum suum:
- recordatus misericordiae suae.
- Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros:
- Abraham, et semini eius in saecula.
- Et exultavit spiritus meus: in Deo salutari meo.
English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
(Douay-Rheims):
- My soul doth magnify the Lord.
- And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
- Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;
- for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
- Because he that is mighty,
- hath done great things to me;
- and holy is his name.
- And his mercy is from generation unto generations,
- to them that fear him.
- He hath shewed might in his arm:
- he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
- He hath put down the mighty from their seat,
- and hath exalted the humble.
- He hath filled the hungry with good things;
- and the rich he hath sent empty away.
- He hath received Israel his servant,
- being mindful of his mercy:
- As he spoke to our fathers,
- to Abraham and to his seed for ever.
- And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
English (Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
):
- My soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
- For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.
- For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.
- For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.
- And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.
- He hath shewed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
- He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.
- He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.
- He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.
- For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.
English (The Divine Office):
- My soul glorifies the Lord, *
- my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
- He looks on his servant in her lowliness; *
- henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
- my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
- The Almighty works marvels for me. *
- Holy his name!
- His mercy is from age to age, *
- on those who fear him.
- Holy his name!
- He puts forth his arm in strength *
- and scatters the proud-hearted.
- He casts the mighty from their thrones *
- and raises the lowly.
- and scatters the proud-hearted.
- He fills the starving with good things, *
- sends the rich away empty.
- He protects Israel, his servant, *
- remembering his mercy,
- the mercy promised to our fathers, *
- to Abraham and his sons for ever.
- remembering his mercy,
English (ICET translation used in The Liturgy of the Hours (ICEL)):
- My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
- my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
- for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
- my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
- From this day all generations will call me blessed:
- the Almighty has done great things for me,
- and holy is his Name.
- the Almighty has done great things for me,
- He has mercy on those who fear him
- in every generation.
- He has shown the strength of his arm,
- he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
- He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
- and has lifted up the lowly.
- He has filled the hungry with good things,
- and the rich he has sent away empty.
- He has come to the help of his servant Israel
- for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
- the promise he made to our fathers,
- to Abraham and his children for ever.
- for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
English (ELLC translation used in Common Worship
Common Worship
Common Worship is the name given to the series of services authorised by the General Synod of the Church of England and launched on the first Sunday of Advent in 2000. It represents the most recent stage of development of the Liturgical Movement within the Church and is the successor to the...
):
- My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
- he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
- From this day all generations will call me blessed;
- the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name.
- He has mercy on those who fear him,
- from generation to generation.
- He has shown strength with his arm
- and has scattered the proud in their conceit,
- from generation to generation.
- Casting down the mighty from their thrones
- and lifting up the lowly.
- He has filled the hungry with good things
- and sent the rich away empty.
- He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,
- to remember his promise of mercy,
- The promise made to our ancestors,
- to Abraham and his children for ever.
English (Lutheran Divine Service):
- My soul magnifies the Lord,
- and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
- For he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden.
- and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
- For behold, from this day all generations will call me blessed;
- For the mighty one has done great things to me, and holy is his name.
- And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.
- For the mighty one has done great things to me, and holy is his name.
- He has shown strength with his arm;
- He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts;
- He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has exalted the holy;
- He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts;
- He has filled the hungry with good things,
- and the rich he has sent empty away.
- He has helped his servant Israel,
- and the rich he has sent empty away.
- in remembrance of his mercy,
- as he spoke to our fathers,
- to Abraham and to his seed forever.
- as he spoke to our fathers,
Liturgical use
The text forms a part of the daily office
Canonical hours
Canonical hours or Nones are divisions of time which serve as increments between the prescribed prayers of the daily round. A Book of Hours contains such a set of prayers....
in the Roman Catholic Vespers
Vespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
service, the Lutheran
Lutheranism
Vespers
Vespers in Lutheranism
Vespers in Lutheranism is the evening prayer service in the Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours. The word comes from the Greek εσπερινός and the Latin vesper, meaning "evening."-Order of Vespers:...
service, and the Anglican services of Evening Prayer
Evening Prayer
Evening Prayer may refer to:*Evening Prayer , the Anglican service of Evening Prayer*Vespers, the Roman Catholic service of Evening Prayer* Ma'ariv, the evening prayer in Judaism. See Jewish services* Evening prayer, a painting by Anna Ancher...
, according to both the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
and Common Worship
Common Worship
Common Worship is the name given to the series of services authorised by the General Synod of the Church of England and launched on the first Sunday of Advent in 2000. It represents the most recent stage of development of the Liturgical Movement within the Church and is the successor to the...
(see Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
). In the Book of Common Prayer Evening Prayer service, it is usually paired with the Nunc dimittis
Nunc dimittis
. (The Book of Common Prayer allows for an alternative to the Magnificat — the Cantate Domino, Psalm 98
Psalm 98
Psalm 98 is part of the biblical Book of Psalms.-Judaism:*Is the fourth paragraph of Kabbalat Shabbat.*Verse 6 is found in the Mussaf Amidah on Rosh Hashanah.-Christianity:...
— and modern Anglican rubrics generally allow for a wider selection of canticles, but the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis remain the most popular.) In Anglican, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic services, the Magnificat is generally followed by the Gloria Patri
Glory Be to the Father
Gloria Patri, also known as Glory Be to the Father, is a doxology, a short hymn of praise to God in various Christian liturgies. It is also referred to as the Minor Doxology or Lesser Doxology, to distinguish it from the Greater Doxology, the Gloria in Excelsis Deo.-Greek version:The Greek wording...
. It is also commonly used (at least amongst Lutherans) at the Feast of the Visitation (July 2).
The Magnificat has been a popular text for many composers. Perhaps the best known Magnificat settings are those from Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Monteverdi
's Vespers for the Blessed Virgin, 1610
Vespro della Beata Vergine 1610 (Monteverdi)
Vespro della Beata Vergine 1610 — commonly called Vespers of 1610 — is a musical composition by Claudio Monteverdi. The term "Vespers" is taken from the Hours of the Divine Office, a set of daily prayers of the Catholic Church which have remained structurally unchanged for 1500 years...
or the extended setting by Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
, BWV 243
Magnificat (Bach)
The Magnificat in D major, BWV 243, is a major vocal work of Johann Sebastian Bach. It was composed for orchestra, a five-part choir and four or five soloists. The text is the canticle of Mary, mother of Jesus, as told by Luke the Evangelist .Bach composed an initial version in E flat major in 1723...
. In the same vein, many other "classical" composers such as Vivaldi
Antonio Vivaldi
, Rachmaninoff
Sergei Rachmaninoff
, and more recently John Rutter
John Rutter
John Milford Rutter CBE is a British composer, conductor, editor, arranger and record producer, mainly of choral music.-Biography:Born in London, Rutter was educated at Highgate School, where a fellow pupil was John Tavener. He read music at Clare College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the...
have set extended versions for orchestra, chorus, and solos. However, most of these concerted settings were neither intended nor convenient for liturgical use; more often choirs will sing a shorter, simpler setting a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is solo or group vocal or singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato style...
or with only organ accompaniment. Several such settings from the Renaissance
Renaissance music
remain popular (for example, that of Thomas Tallis
Thomas Tallis
Thomas Tallis was an English composer. Tallis flourished as a church musician in 16th century Tudor England. He occupies a primary place in anthologies of English church music, and is considered among the best of England's early composers. He is honoured for his original voice in English...
); nearly every composer in the 19th and 20th century Anglican choral tradition
Anglican church music
Anglican church music is music that is written for liturgical performance in Anglican church services.Almost all of it is written for choir with or without organ accompaniment...
has composed one or more settings of the "Mag and Nunc", as have Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt
and John Tavener
John Tavener
Sir John Tavener is a British composer, best known for such religious, minimal works as "The Whale", and "Funeral Ikos"...
. Since these canticles are sung nearly every day at some Cathedrals and Oxbridge
Oxbridge
Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in England, and the term is now used to refer to them collectively, often with implications of perceived superior social status...
college chapels, there is a real need for multiple settings; at its extreme, this led such composers as Charles Villiers Stanford
Charles Villiers Stanford
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford was an eminent English-domiciled composer who was particularly notable for his choral music...
to write a Magnificat in every major key; Herbert Howells
Herbert Howells
Herbert Norman Howells CH was an English composer, organist, and teacher.-Life:Howells was born in Lydney, Gloucestershire, and was the youngest of six children born to Oliver and Elizabeth Howells. His father was an amateur organist, and Herbert himself showed early musical promise...
, another noted composer of these canticles, published twenty settings of them over his career. Anton Bruckner
Anton Bruckner
only wrote one Magnificat
Magnificat (Bruckner)
The Magnificat WAB 24 by Anton Bruckner is a setting of the Magnificat for vocal soloists, chorus, orchestra and organ written in 1852. It was premiered in Sankt Florian, as Bruckner had specifically composed it for the Vesper service of the church there...
.
In Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, also officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, considers itself to be the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles almost 2,000 years ago...
worship, the Magnificat is usually sung during the Matins
Matins
Matins is the early morning or night prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox liturgies of the canonical hours. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe morning services.The name "Matins" originally referred to the morning office also...
service before the Irmos
Irmos
The irmos is the initial troparion of each individual ode in a canon as chanted in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which use the Byzantine Rite...
of the ninth ode of the canon
Canon (hymnography)
A canon is a structured hymn used in a number of Eastern Orthodox services. It consists of nine odes, sometimes called canticles or songs depending on the translation, based on the Biblical canticles. Most of these are found in the Old Testament, but the final ode is taken from the Magnificat and...
. After each verse, the troparion
Troparion
A troparion in Byzantine music and in the religious music of Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a short hymn of one stanza, or one of a series of stanzas. The word probably derives from a diminutive of the Greek tropos...
is sung:
- "More honourable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the SeraphSeraphA seraph is a type of celestial being in Judaism and Christianity...
im, without corruption thou gavest birth to God the Word: true TheotokosTheotokosTheotokos is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its literal English translations include God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God. Less literal translations include Mother of God...
, we magnify thee."
Society and politics
In Nicaragua, the Magnificat is a favourite prayer among many peasants and is often carried as an amulet. During the Somoza
Somoza
The Somoza family was an influential political dynasty who ruled Nicaragua as an hereditary dictatorship. Their influence exceeded their combined 43 years in the de facto presidency, as they were the power behind the other presidents of the time through their control of the National Guard...
years, campesinos
Peasant
were required to carry proof of having voted for Somoza; this document was mockingly referred to as the Magnificat.
The Magnificat has also been covered in a more contemporary style by Richard Wu in the album "Let Morning Shine". The album was aimed to ameliorate the lives of North Koreans.