We will be working on
Crux Fidelis for Good Friday. I've selected an arrangement by R. Kuhnel (not the famous Kuhnel) that is mostly homophonic in texture, should be easy to sing, and, most importantly, it's beautiful.
Here is a translation of the text:
Faithful cross, above all other, the one noble tree. None in foliage, nor in blossom, nor in fruit offers more: sweetest wood and sweetest iron, sweetest weight is hung on thee!In my research, I found that this is part of a larger hymn, "Pange Lingua." I'm not speaking of Thomas Aquinas' famous "Pange Ligua." This one was written
by Saint Venantius Fortunatus, a bishop and poet from the 6th century, A.D. He wrote it to accompany the procession of a piece of the true cross to Queen Radegunda in 570. She later founded the Holy Cross convent in Poitiers, France. Venantius' "Pange Lingua" was actually the hymn that inspired Thomas to write his own Pange Lingua (Tell, O Tongue) when he was commissioned to compose the hours for the Feast of Corpus Christi.
I find it very fitting to use this text for the Adoration of the Holy Cross on Good Friday, as it was used to accompany the real cross of our Lord, Jesus, all those centuries ago!
