FREE SCORE: Of Thy Mystical Supper
“Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God,
accept me today as a communicant;
for I will not speak of Thy Mystery to Thine enemies,
neither like Judas will I give Thee a kiss,
but like the thief will I confess Thee.
Remember me, O Lord, in Thy kingdom. Amen”
This fascinating prayer is featured in many Orthodox liturgies and has been set by a number of composers, perhaps most notably by Lvov. I first came upon a sublime recording of a psalm-toned version by the University of Mary choir under the direction of Dr. Rebecca Raber:
Labeled “Kievan Chant, Tone 6”, it is formulaic in nature, and yet utterly stunning. (Yet another example of why I often claim that sometimes the simplest music is the most beautiful.) After finding a number of scores which set the text in a more/less a similar fashion, I have amalgamated what I believe to be the best features of each of these (often hand-written) sources, and offer this new edition as a FREE PDF available for all:
This version is substantially the same as Dr. Raber’s edition albeit with some adjustments to the engraving. As usual, a full suite of practice tracks has been prepared to help choirs to learn it.
While best suited to a live acoustic where the music can truly bloom, the truth is that this piece is very much within the grasp of any choir, and should be sung wherever you are! Perhaps it is not too late to incorporate it into your Corpus Christi Masses.
Peace and blessings—
James
