Catholic Living

Background

I composed this setting of Jesu Dulcis Memoria in the traditional hymn style for the ladies’ choir at my parish at the end of June, not knowing just how important this piece of music would become to me.

This composition is one of the few I have written in which I wrote the music before selecting a text. That is, the music came even though I did not know what I was composing. Not only does this run contrary to my philosophy of how sacred music should be composed, but in reflecting on how this composition came to be, I see very clearly that I was but the paintbrush in the True Artist’s hand. Once I rediscovered St. Bernard’s Jesu Dulcis Memoria, it fit as if the music had been prepared for it all along, as I think the music probably was.

Strangely, the well-known Gregorian chant setting of this hymn does not express what I perceive when reading St. Bernard’s text. Chant’s proximity and fidelity to the text are among its finest characteristics. However, the rather minor-sounding chant suggests to me a description of a solemn occasion, such as the presentation of the Child Jesus in the temple. Yet this text seems far different to me.

My Interpretation

A literal reading of St. Bernard’s hymn suggests to me, rather, a mystical prayer, a sublime union of St. Bernard and his True Love. It conjures the images St. Theresa of Avila describes of the union of the soul to her Creator and Spouse in the deepest of ecstasies. Moreover, it expresses what I have found in the sacred mysteries of the Latin Mass and especially in the Most Blessed Sacrament. It boils down to this: His sweet presence.

The third verse has quickly become my favorite: Jesus, hope of the penitent, how gracious to those who ask, how good to those who seek, but what to them that find? There is no word that can express it … there is only the Mass, the Sacraments, the Sweet Presence.

I have sought Him Whom I love, and I have found Him in the quiet yet ecstatic and inestimable sacrifice of infinite charity wherein is our Emmanuel, our God with us, the One sweeter than honey and all things.

Alternate Setting

The setting above is for SSA, but it could easily be sung an octave down for men’s voices. I also have a SATB version that is in the original key of composition but that sounds just a bit less sweet to me than the three part setting. Free PDF of both are available at the bottom of the post.

About the Featured Image

The featured image is a detail of a photo of a German stained glass window. It is in the public domain according to wikipedia.