IDLE SPECULATIONS: Stabat Mater

Juan de Flades (Flemish ca. 1465, ?, d. 1519 )

Crucifixion 1509-1518

Oil on wooden panel

123 cm x 169 cm

Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

The panel was a part of the attic’s central row of the main altarpiece at Palencia Cathedral

The Stabat Mater is a thirteenth century Roman Catholic sequence which has been attributed to Pope Innocent III (1160 or 1161 - 16 July 1216) or the Franciscan friar, Jacopone da Todi. (1236 circa – 1306)

The hymn meditates on the suffering of Mary, Jesus Christ's mother, during his crucifixion. It is sung at the liturgy on the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Stabat Mater dolorósa
Juxta Crucem lacrimósa,
Dum pendébat Filius.

Cujus ánimam geméntem,
Contristátam et doléntem,
Pertransivit gladius.

O quam tristis et afflicta
Fuit illa benedicta
Mater Unigéniti!

Quae maerébat, et dolébat,
Pia Mater, dum vidébat
Nati poenas inclyti.

Quis est homo, qui non fleret,
Matrem Christi si vidéret
In tanto supplicio?

Quis non posset contristári,
Christi Matrem contemplári
Doléntem cum Filio?

Pro peccátis suae gentis
Vidit Jesum in torméntis,
Et flagéllis súbditum.

Vidit suum dulcem natum
Moriéndo desolátum,
Dum emisit spíritum.

Eja mater, fons amóris,
Me sentíre vim dolóris
Fac, ut tecum lúgeam.

Fac, ut árdeat cor meum
In amándo Christum Deum,
Ut sibi compláceam.

Sancta Mater, istud agas
Crucifixi fige plagas
Cordi meo válide.

Tui nati vulneráti,
Tam dignáti pro me pati,
Poenas mecum dívide.

Fac me tecum pie flere,
Crucifixo condolére,
Donec ego víxero.

Juxta Crucem tecum stare,
Et me tibi sociáre
In planctu desídero.

Virgo vírginum praeclára,
Mihi jam non sis amára:
Fac me tecum plángere.

Fac, ut portem Christi mortem,
Passiónis fac consórtem,
Et plagas recólere.

Fac me plagis vulnerári,
Fac me Cruce inebriári,
Et cruó re Fílii.

Flammis ne urar succénsus,
Per te, Virgo, sim defénsus
In die judícii.

Christe, cum sit hinc exíre
Da per Matrem me veníre
Ad palmam victóriae.

Quando corpus moriétur,
Fac, ut ánimae donétur
Paradísi glória. Amen. Allelúja.

Missale Romanum
Cincinnati: Benziger Brothers, 1956.

At the cross her station keeping,
Mary stood in sorrow weeping
When her Son was crucified.

While she waited in her anguish,
Seeing Christ in torment languish,
Bitter sorrow pierced her heart.

With what pain and desolation,
With what noble resignation,
Mary watched her dying Son.

Ever-patient in her yearning
Though her tear-filled eyes were burning,
Mary gazed upon her Son.

Who, that sorrow contemplating,
On that passion meditating,
Would not share the Virgin's grief?

Christ she saw, for our salvation,
Scourged with cruel acclamation,
Bruised and beaten by the rod.

Christ she saw with life-blood failing,
All her anguish unavailing,
Saw him breathe his very last.

Mary, fount of love's devotion,
Let me share with true emotion
All the sorrow you endured.

Virgin, ever interceding,
Hear me in my fervent pleading:
Fire me with your love of Christ.

Mother, may this prayer be granted:
That Christ's love may be implanted
In the depths of my poor soul.

At the cross, your sorrow sharing,
All your grief and torment bearing,
Let me stand and mourn with you.

Fairest maid of all creation,
Queen of hope and consolation,
Let me feel your grief sublime.

Virgin, in your love befriend me,
At the Judgment Day defend me.
Help me by your constant prayer.

Savior, when my life shall leave me,
Through your mother's prayers
receive me
With the fruits of victory.

Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine

Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of your dying Son divine.

Wounded with His every wound,
Steep my soul till it has swooned
In His very Blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In His awe-full judgment day.

Savior, when my life shall leave me,
Through your mother's prayers
receive me
With the fruits of victory.

While my body here decays
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally. Amen Alleluia.

The Collegeville Hymnal
Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 1990.

Canto Gregoriano,Stabat Mater; performed by the Monks of the Saint Maurice; Saint Maur Abbey,Chervaux

Palestrina Stabat Mater

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi - Stabat Mater:
1. Duo: Stabat Mater dolorosa.
2. Aria: Cuius animan gementem.
3. Duo: O quam tristis et afflicta.
Alto: René Jacobs.
Soprano: Sebastian Henning (child).

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi - Stabat Mater:
1. Aria: Quae moerebat et dolebat.
2. Duo: Qui est homo, qui non fleter.
3. Aria: Vidit suum dulcem natum
Alto: René Jacobs.
Soprano: Sebastian Henning (child).

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi - Stabat Mater:
1. Aria: Eja, Mater, fons amoris.
2. Duo: Fac, ut ardeat cor neum.
3. Sancta Mater, istud agas.
Alto: René Jacobs.
Soprano: Sebastian Henning (child).

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi - Stabat Mater:
1. Aria: Fac, ut portem Christi mortem.
2. Duo: Inflammatus et accensus.
3. Duo: Quando corpis moriteur.
4. Duo: Amen.
Alto: René Jacobs.
Soprano: Sebastian Henning (child).

Arvo Part
Stabat Mater (1985) part 1
Lynne Dawson soprano
David James counter tenor
Rogers Covey-Crump tenor
Gidon Kremer violin
Vladimir Mendelssohn viola
Thomas Demenga cello
Recording:
January 1987
St. John's Church, London