O crux splendidior

General information

Magnificat antiphon at 2nd Vespers of the Invention of the Holy Cross (May 3).

Notes on selected settings

• Francisco Guerrero SATB (begins O crux benedicta, then largely the text below)
• Pierre de Manchicourt (2nda pars Nobile lígnum exaltatum) SSATB

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• Anonymous — O crux splendidior  Latin STTBB
• Andrea Bianchi — O Crux splendidior  Latin SATB.SATB
• Pierre Certon — O crux splendidior  Latin STTTB
• Sulpitia Cesis — O crux splendidior  Latin SATB.SATB
• Andrea Gabrieli — O Crux splendidior a 8  Latin AATTBBBB, SSAATTBB
• Francisco Guerrero — O crux splendidior  Latin SATTB
• Orlando di Lasso — O crux splendidior  Latin SAATBB
• Peter Philips — O crux splendidior  Latin SSATB

Text and translations

Latin text O Crux, splendidior cunctis astris, mundo celebris, hominibus multum amabilis, sanctior universis; que sola fuisti digna portare talentum mundi: dulce lignum, dulces clavos, dulcia ferens pondera salva presentem catervam, in tuis hodie laudibus congregatam. Alleluia, Alleluia. Lasso's setting does not have hodie in fifth line.

English translation O Cross, more splendid than all the stars, honoured throughout the world, most worthy of the love of mankind, more holy than all the universe, who alone were worthy to bear the ransom (lit.: price) of the world: sweet wood, sweet nails, that bore the sweet burden, save your flock assembled here to sing your praises. Alleluia, Alleluia. [added in Paschal Time]