This edition was prepared by Andreas Stenberg — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Christe qui lux es et dies
Staff Notation • Sacred, Hymns
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Christe qui lux es et dies by Heinrich Isaac — Lyrics
1. Christe qui lux es et dies,
Noctis tenebras detegis,
Lucisque lumen crederis,
Lumen beatum praedicans.
2. Precamur Sancte Domine,
Defende nos in hac nocte,
Sit nobis in te requies,
Quietam noctem tribue.
3. Ne gravis somnus irruat,
Nec hostis nos surripiat,
Nec caro illi consentiens,
Nos tibi reos statuat.
4. Oculi somnum capiant,
Cor ad te semper vigilet,
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About Christe qui lux es et dies
Heinrich Isaac’s Christe qui lux es et dies is a sacred Latin hymn setting for SATB choir. The text is a prayer for protection through the night, asking Christ to dispel the darkness and keep the singers safe from sleep, enemies, and temptation. It invokes Christ as the light of day and the defender of souls, seeking his watchful care and governance. The hymn concludes with a doxology to the Trinity, a standard feature of liturgical texts. Isaac, a prominent composer of sacred and secular music in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, crafts a devotional setting that emphasizes the plea for divine guardianship throughout the night until the dawn. The SATB voicing allows for a rich and sonorous performance of this earnest petition.
