Canticle of the Sun

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The “Canticle of the Sun”, also known as the “Canticle of the Creatures” or “Laudes Creaturarum” (“Praise of the Creatures”), is a religious song composed by Saint Francis of Assisi. It was written in the Umbrian dialect of Italian but has since been translated into many languages. It is believed to be among the first works of literature, if not the first, written in the Italian language.[1]

Saint Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy
an oil painting by Jusepe de Ribera (1642)

 

The “Canticle of the Sun” in its praise of God thanks Him for such creations as “Brother Fire” and “Sister Water”. It is an affirmation of Francis’ personal theology as he often referred to animals as brothers and sisters to Mankind, rejected material accumulation and sensual comforts in favor of “Lady Poverty”.

Saint Francis is said to have composed most of the canticle in late 1224 while recovering from an illness at San Damiano, in a small cottage that had been built for him by Saint Clare and other women of her order. According to tradition, the first time it was sung in its entirety was by Francis and Brothers Angelo and Leo, two of his original companions, on Francis’ deathbed, the final verse praising “Sister Death” having been added only a few minutes before.

A legend which emphasizes the topos of “brightness” says he did not write himself the Canticle because of his blindness from an eye disease, but he dictated it and he did it looking at Nature through the eye of mind.

Father Eric Doyle[2] wrote: “Though physically blind, he was able to see more clearly than ever with the inner eye of his mind. With unparalleled clarity he perceived the basic unity of all creation and his own place as a friar in the midst of God’s creatures. His unqualified love of all creatures, great and small, had grown into unity in his own heart. He was so open to reality that it found a place to be at home in his heart and he was at home everywhere and anywhere. He was a centre of communion with all creatures”.[3]

Historically, the “Canticle of the Sun” is first mentioned in the Vita Prima of Thomas of Celano, in 1228.

Text and translation

Original text in Umbrian dialect:

Altissimu, onnipotente bon Signore,
Tue so le laude, la gloria e l’honore et onne benedictione.

Ad Te solo, Altissimo, se konfano,
et nullu homo ène dignu te mentouare.

Laudato sie, mi Signore cum tucte le Tue creature,
spetialmente messor lo frate Sole,
lo qual è iorno, et allumini noi per lui.
Et ellu è bellu e radiante cum grande splendore:
de Te, Altissimo, porta significatione.

Laudato si, mi Signore, per sora Luna e le stelle:
in celu l’ài formate clarite et pretiose et belle.

Laudato si, mi Signore, per frate Uento
et per aere et nubilo et sereno et onne tempo,
per lo quale, a le Tue creature dài sustentamento.

Laudato si, mi Signore, per sor’Acqua,
la quale è multo utile et humile et pretiosa et casta.

Laudato si, mi Signore, per frate Focu,
per lo quale ennallumini la nocte:
ed ello è bello et iucundo et robustoso et forte.

Laudato si, mi Signore, per sora nostra matre Terra,
la quale ne sustenta et gouerna,
et produce diuersi fructi con coloriti fior et herba.

Laudato si, mi Signore, per quelli ke perdonano per lo Tuo amore
et sostengono infirmitate et tribulatione.

Beati quelli ke ‘l sosterranno in pace,
ka da Te, Altissimo, sirano incoronati.

Laudato si mi Signore, per sora nostra Morte corporale,
da la quale nullu homo uiuente pò skappare:
guai a quelli ke morrano ne le peccata mortali;
beati quelli ke trouarà ne le Tue sanctissime uoluntati,
ka la morte secunda no ‘l farrà male.

Laudate et benedicete mi Signore et rengratiate
e seruiteli cum grande humilitate.

Notes: so=sono, si=sii (you are), mi=mio, ka=perché, u replaces v, sirano=saranno

English Translation:

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord!
All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing.

To You, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all Your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and You give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of You, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;
in the heavens You have made them bright, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
and clouds and storms, and all the weather,
through which You give Your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Water;
she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You brighten the night.
He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth,
who feeds us and rules us,
and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of You;
through those who endure sickness and trial.

Happy those who endure in peace,
for by You, Most High, they will be crowned.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Bodily Death,
from whose embrace no living person can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those she finds doing Your most holy will.
The second death can do no harm to them.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks,
and serve Him with great humility.

Alternative versions

Hermann Suter composed an oratorio Le Laudi on the Italian words, premiered in 1924.

The American composer Amy Beach (1867–1944) set the Canticle to music for organ or orchestra, choir, and solo vocal quartet, in 1924. The piece was first performed with organ in 1928 at St. Bartholomew’s in New York. The orchestral version was first performed by the Chicago Symphony and the Toledo Choral Society in 1930.

Leo Sowerby (1895–1968) set Matthew Arnold’s English translation of the Canticle for chorus and orchestra in 1945 (The Canticle of the Sun); the work was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music the following year.

Charles Martin Loeffler (1861–1935) set a modern Italian translation of the original Umbrian dialect text for soloists and chamber orchestra ca. 1929 which was performed in the same 1945 Carnegie Hall concert as Sowerby’s setting.

Franz Liszt (1811–1886) composed several pieces titled “Cantico del sol di Francesco d’Assisi” with versions for solo piano and orchestra.

Roy Harris (1898–1979) composed a setting for soloists and a large ensemble in 1961. Seth Bingham (1882–1972) made a setting in 1962.

Another setting of the “Canticle of the Sun”, titled Cantico del sole was composed by William Walton (1902–1983) in 1974 for the Cork International Choral Festival.

Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina wrote a piece dedicated to cellist Mstislav Rostropovich for his seventieth birthday.

A modern rendition was used in the musical biography of Saint Francis, Brother Sun, Sister Moon.

The acclaimed Spanish composer, Joaquín Rodrigo, composed a piece to the words in Spanish of the Canticle, for choir and orchestra in 1982: Cantico de San Francisco de Asis.

Perhaps the best-known version in English is the hymn “All Creatures of Our God and King” which contains a paraphrase of Saint Francis’ song by William H. Draper (1855–1933). Draper set the words to the 17th-century German hymn tune “Lasst Uns Erfreuen”, for use at a children’s choir festival some time between 1899 and 1919.[4]

The lines “Brother Sun” and “Sister Moon” inspired the album Brother, Sister by indie rock band mewithoutYou.

The song “Brother Moon” by Gungor on the album Ghosts Upon the Earth was inspired by the Canticle.

Laudes Creaturarum has also been set to music by German composer Carl Orff.

The Italian folk singer Angelo Branduardi composed a ballad entitled “Il cantico delle creature” in year 2000 based on the original lyrics of the Canticle.

See also

References

  1. http://www.franciscanfriarstor.com/archive/stfrancis/stf_canticle_of_the_sun.htm . Accessed 2010-10-08.
  2. http://www.womenpriests.org/honour/doyle_a.asp Fr Eric Doyle OFM.
  3. http://www.amazon.com/St-Francis-Song-Brotherhood-Sisterhood/dp/1576590038 St. Francis and the Song of Brotherhood and Sisterhood, by Eric Doyle, Publisher: Franciscan Inst Pubs (January 26, 2012).
  4. http://www.hymnary.org/text/all_creatures_of_our_god_and_king

External links

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