O nata lux
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| O nata lux | |
|---|---|
| by Thomas Tallis | |
 "Qui carne quondam contegi, Dignatus es pro perditis" containing modulation and an English cadence at the end of the phrase. CCA 4.0 Complete Score by Daniel Van Gilst on IMSLP.org | |
| English | "O Light born of Light" |
| Genre | Renaissance Choral music |
| Form | Motet |
| Text | Anon. Office hymn for Lauds of the Feast of the Transfiguration, 6th August |
| Language | Latin |
| Composed | c. 1575 |
| Scoring | 5 voices a cappella |
O nata lux is a 5-part motet by Thomas Tallis in his 1575 Cantiones quae ab argumento sacrae vocantur. It is notable, and has been quoted by Academic commentators,[1][2] for its frequent and clear use of English cadences.[3]
Latin
The text is a Latin hymn for the Feast of the Transfiguration, a feast on the 6th of August for the Western church. However, by the 1570s, the motet would have served outside of its native Sarum use as a general communion anthem for Elizabeth's chapel, as part of injunctions allowing for the occasional use of sacred polyphony in Anglican churches.[4]
- O Nata Lux, de Lumine,
- Jesu redemptor saeculi,
- Dignare clemens supplicum
- Laudes precesque summere.
- Qui carne quondam contegi,
- Dignatus es pro perditis,
- Nos membra confer effici
- Tui beati corporis.
English translation
- O Light born of Light,
- Jesus, redeemer of the world,
- with loving-kindness deign to receive
- suppliant praise and prayer.
- Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh
- for the sake of the lost,
- grant us to be members
- of thy blessed body.
History
O nata lux was published in 1575 as part of a set of Latin-texted pieces that Tallis contributed to a joint-publication with his pupil, William Byrd. Some pieces in the 1575 Cantiones, such as Dum transisset sabbatum, are clearly older works from Tallis' early career, while O nata lux is more mature, Elizabethan in style and homophonic.[5] Milsom has hypothesised that the motet was purposely composed in a complex technique to "show off" English polyphony and promote its reputation on the continent.[6] Nevertheless, the Cantiones were a financial disaster, possibly due to both composers being Catholic,[7] and Tallis, being "verie aged", was granted manors as recompense in 1577.[8]
Unusually, unlike Tallis' other Latin motets in the 1575 Cantiones (such as O sacrum convivium and Salvator mundi), O nata lux never produced any English contrafacta for use in the Jacobean chapel.[n 1] However the motet later came to known for it English cadences described as quintessentially "English" by commentators.[1][6] Today, the work is well-acclaimed and frequently used by Academics as containing an example of the English cadential method.[9][2]
Analysis
The mode is Phrygian when viewing the first and ending notes of the motet modally. The motet's metre is ambiguous[6] but is generally transcribed today as 3/4, which is uncommon for Tudor choral music. The ending of the motet "Nos membra confer effici" repeating twice is, however, more stylistically typical of English composers.[5] The cross-relations at "redemptor" (redeemer); "perditis" (lost); "corporis" ([Christ's] body) represent pain and illustrate the suffering of Christ according to redemptive theology.[9]
