Does anybody know what modern scholarship holds about the authorship of Omni die dic Mariae? Was it written by S Bernard or S Casimir? Did Fr Faber translate any bits other than the first part?
I'm under the impression that it was written by S Bernard. The English Catholic Hymn Book, Knott 1955, includes 5 verses but does not attribute a translator. The St. Basil Hymnal has 3 verses translated by Henry Bittleston. And there is a pleasant SATB setting of it by Baroque composer Grzegorz Gorczycki.
According to http://romaaeterna.jp/romanhmn/rh164.html it began life as a poem of St Bernard, and St Casimir worked it over. I'm not familiar with Fr Faber's version (and can't find it in his book 'Hymns'), but Henry Bittleston's 3-verse version is something I grew up with: 'Daily, daily, sing to Mary'; though we used a different tune to either of the ones suggested on the above site, and the words were slightly different also.
With great respect and affection: I don't think I know much more than I did before, after I tried the Google entries. Some of these categorically attribute the hymn to S Casimir, some to S Bernard, but with no reference to scholarly literature on the subject.
The only new info I now have is that Henry Bittleston did the English version "Daily daily". I assumed it was by Fr Faber simply because that is the attribution in the Westminster Hymnal. Now I don't even know that ...
I don't know of any recent scholarship, but Julian discusses at enormous length - even by his fastidious standards - the four most credible attributions: Hildebert of Tours, S. Bernard of Clairvaux, S. Anselm of Canterbury and Bernard of Cluny, and comes to the conclusion that the latter is the most likely author. The earliest MS of the Mariale (a long poem from which 'Omni die' is taken) is dated 1150, and ascribes it to 'Bernard, monk'. If Bernard of Clairvaux were intended, it would surely have said, 'Bernard, abbot'.
I'm under the impression that it was written by S Bernard. The English Catholic Hymn Book, Knott 1955, includes 5 verses but does not attribute a translator. The St. Basil Hymnal has 3 verses translated by Henry Bittleston. And there is a pleasant SATB setting of it by Baroque composer Grzegorz Gorczycki.
ReplyDeleteAccording to http://romaaeterna.jp/romanhmn/rh164.html
ReplyDeleteit began life as a poem of St Bernard, and St Casimir worked it over.
I'm not familiar with Fr Faber's version (and can't find it in his book 'Hymns'), but Henry Bittleston's 3-verse version is something I grew up with: 'Daily, daily, sing to Mary'; though we used a different tune to either of the ones suggested on the above site, and the words were slightly different also.
With great respect and affection: I don't think I know much more than I did before, after I tried the Google entries. Some of these categorically attribute the hymn to S Casimir, some to S Bernard, but with no reference to scholarly literature on the subject.
ReplyDeleteThe only new info I now have is that Henry Bittleston did the English version "Daily daily". I assumed it was by Fr Faber simply because that is the attribution in the Westminster Hymnal. Now I don't even know that ...
I don't know of any recent scholarship, but Julian discusses at enormous length - even by his fastidious standards - the four most credible attributions: Hildebert of Tours, S. Bernard of Clairvaux, S. Anselm of Canterbury and Bernard of Cluny, and comes to the conclusion that the latter is the most likely author. The earliest MS of the Mariale (a long poem from which 'Omni die' is taken) is dated 1150, and ascribes it to 'Bernard, monk'. If Bernard of Clairvaux were intended, it would surely have said, 'Bernard, abbot'.
ReplyDeleteDoes this help?