Hymnus Ante Somnum (Hymn Before Sleep) - Ross Edwards (Sydney Chamber Choir)

A meditation on the healing power of sleep.
Movement IV from 'Ab estatis foribus: Five Medieval Latin Songs' by Ross Edwards, specially commissioned for Sydney Chamber Choir by Nicolas Routley in 1979.
Sydney Chamber Choir, conducted by Sam Allchurch
Recorded at Verbrugghen Hall, The Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Audio recording and mastering by Bob Scott
Video recording and editing by The Mustard Factory
Additional editing (titles and transitions) by Wei Jiang
The making of this video was supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.
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Text: ‘Hymnus ante Somnum’ by Aurelius Prudentius Clemens (348-c.405 AD)
Fluxit labor diei,
redit et quietis hora,
blandus sopor vicissim
fessos relaxat artus.
Mens aestuans procellis
curisque sauciatur
totis bibit medullis
obliviale poclum.
Serpit per omne corpus
Lethea vis, nec ullum
miseris doloris aegri
patitur manere sensum.
Corpus licet fatiscens
jaceat recline paullum,
Christum tamen sub ipso
meditabimur sopore.
(The day’s toil is past,
the hour of rest comes again;
caressing slumber in its turn
relaxes our tired limbs.
The mind stormtossed
and careworn
drinks deep of the cup
of forgetfulness.
Oblivion steals over
all the body and lets
no sense of soreness abide
with the afflicted.
Though the weary body
lie down for a while,
yet even in sleep
our thoughts shall be of Christ.)
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Ria Andriani, Wei Jiang, Megan Cronin, Belinda Montgomery, Rose Trevelyan (Soprano)
Alison Lockhart, Natalie Shea, Amanda Harris, Allison Blake, Sarah Penn (Alto)
Chris Othen, Murray-Luke Peard, Richard Sanchez, Rob Hughes (Tenor)
Wei-Ju Chang, Chris Matthies, Joshua Murray, Ed Suttle, Sébastien Maury (Bass)
www.sydneychamb...
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[@donnasprowles2869]

I could happily go off to sleep to this every night. SCC sings so flawlessly. Beautifully done!

[@SydneyChamberChoir]

Thanks so much for listening, Donna!

[@MrJsmiley108]

Beautiful performance. My sister sang this in the 1980s with the choir. Is the rumbling train sound in Ross Edward's score lol?

[@SydneyChamberChoir]

An occupational hazard of ambience at the Sydney Conservatorium :)