Historical dictionary of sacred music

MAGNIFICAT

Magnificat: translation

One of the three Gospelcanticlesfor the majordivine officesof the Roman Catholic liturgy. The Magnificat (St. Luke 1: 46–55), known as the Canticle of Mary, is sung near the conclusion ofvespers.
In theGregoriantradition, the Magnificat ischantedmuch like apsalm. It is introduced by an ornateantiphonproper for the day, sung by the entireschola. Then follow the verses of the Magnificat itself, chanted in pairs eitherresponsoriallyorantiphonally, with the concludingdoxologyappended to the Gospel passage. The antiphon is repeated by the full schola. The Magnificat, however, has chanting tones for eachmodethat are distinct from thepsalm tones, and while a psalm tone begins with an incipit melody that links the antiphon to the first verse only, the Magnificat begins every verse pair with the incipit.
Because of its liturgical eminence as the climactic moment of daily vespers, the Magnificat was the Latin text most commonly set topolyphonyduring the Renaissance after themass. Composers set it numerous times to accommodate the various modes;Giovanni da Palestrinahas 30 settings,Orlandus Lassusmore than 100. The type of polyphonic setting varied with liturgical practice. A minority are through composed works likemotets. Others preserve the pairing of the verses and use one of the Magnificat tones as acantus firmus. Most common in the 15th and 16th centuries was thealternatimsetting, by which half the verses, usually the odd numbers, would be chanted and the other half would be sung in polyphony. Baroque composers continued to distinguish the verse pairs with strong cadences at the end of each one.Later, as in the "Neapolitan" mass settings, each pair became a shortariawith distinctinstrumentalaccompaniment. TheMagnificatofJohann Sebastian Bachis the best example of this type.
Thereafter, the verse distinctions were lost in through-composed musical settings, and composers in the later 18th and 19th centuries mostly ignored the genre, probably because of liturgical constraints. Some composers turned tooratoriotype settings: Magnificats for chorus and orchestra by Lennox Berkeley (1968) andKrzysztof Penderecki(1974) are examples. The promotion of vernacular languages after theSecond Vatican Council(1962–1965) encouraged some commercial settings.
See alsoBenedictus.
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Magnificat(St. Luke 1: 46–55)
Magnificat anima mea Domi- | My soul doth magnify the Lord,
num. Et exsultavit spiritus meus | and my spirit hath rejoiced in
in Deo salutari meo. Quia res- | God my Saviour.
pexit humilitatem ancillae suae; | For he hath regarded the lowliecce
enim ex hoc beatam me | ness of his handmaiden; for bedicent
omnes generationes. Quia | hold, from henceforth all
fecit mihi magna qui potens est, | generations shall call me
et sanctum nomen eius. | blessed. For he that is mighty
Et misericordia a progenie in | hath magnified me; and holy is
progenies timentibus eum. Fecit | his Name. And his mercy is on
potentiam in brachio suo, dis- | those that fear him throughout
persit superbos mente cordis sui. | all generations. He has showed
Deposuit potentes de sede et ex- | strength with his arm; he hath
altavit humiles. | scattered the proud in the imag-
Esurientes implevit bonis et div- | ination of their hearts. He has
ites dimisit inanes. | put down the mighty from their
Suscepit Israel puerum suum re- | seat, and hath exalted the humcordatus
misericordiae suae. | ble and meek. He hath filled the
Sicut locutus est ad Patres nos- | hungry with good things; and
tros, Abraham et semini eius in | the rich he hath sent away
saecula. | empty. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel; as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.

  1. magnificat—Magnificat translation The Latin title meaning doth magnify of the hymn sung after the First Lesson at Daily Evening Prayer. It is found in the Gospel of St. Luke I and i...American Church Dictionary and Cyclopedia
  2. magnificat—Magnificat translation Magnificat The title commonly given to the Latin text and vernacular translation of the Canticle or Song of Mary dd Catholic Encyclopedia.Kevin Kn...Catholic encyclopedia
  3. magnificat—The canticle of the Virgin Mary from Luke beginning...Crosswordopener
  4. magnificat—Magnificat bersetzung Anfang und Benennung eines Lobliedes der Maria Luk. . Das Magnificat von Durante hat sich einen bleibenden Ruhm erworben und ein neueres von B. Klei...Damen Conversations Lexikon
  5. magnificat—церк. Магнификат Величит душа моя хвалебная песнь часть англиканской вечерни [evensong] по первому слову латинского текста...Англо-русский лингвострановедческий словарь Великобритания
  6. magnificat—n величание богородицы восхваление магнификат пеан...Англо-русский словарь Лингвистика-98
  7. magnificat—a величальная песнь...Англо-русский словарь Лингвистика-98
  8. magnificat—n рел. величання Пречисто Богородиц т. перен. величальна псня....Англо-український словник Балла М.І.
  9. magníficat—m церк.величание богородицы гимнvenir como magnficat a maitines разг.em произойти случиться некстати не ко времени...Большой испанско-русский словарь
  10. magnificat—m рел. муз. магнификат шутл. еда lora del magnificat пора есть Итальянорусский словарь....Большой итальяно-русский и русско-итальянский словарь
  11. magnificat—m invar церк. Magnificatвеличание муз. магнификат...Большой французско-русский и русско-французский словарь
  12. magnificat—m invar церк. magnificat...Большой французско-русский и русско-французский словарь
  13. magnificat—[mgnfkt] n рел. магнификат величание богородицы magnificat величальная песнь восхваление пеан to correct Magnificat придираться без основанийto sing Magnificat at mati...Новый большой англо-русский словарь
  14. magnificat—Magnificat [mgnfkt] ni рел. iмагнификат величание богородицы magnificat величальная песнь восхваление пеан ito correct придираться без оснований to sing at matins ...Новый большой англо-русский словарь II
  15. magnificat—mgnfkt n рел. emмагнификат величание богородицы magnificat величальная песнь восхваление пеан emto correct придираться без оснований to sing at matins делать ч...Новый большой англо-русский словарь под общим руководством акад. Ю.Д. Апресяна
  16. magnificat—atm invar церк. Magnificat величание муз. магнификат...Новый французско-русский словарь
  17. magnificat—atm invar церк. magnificat...Новый французско-русский словарь
  18. magnificat—m arriver magnificat chanter magnificat matines corriger le magnificat...Французско-русский фразеологический словарь
  19. magnificat—Magnificat начальное слово латинского текста хвалебной песни Пресвятой Богородице которое и служит названием всей песни. Текст ее положен многими духовными композиторами...Энциклопедический словарь
  20. magnificat—начальное слово латинского текста хвалебной песни Пресвятой Богородице которое и служит названием всей песни. Текст ее положен многими духовными композиторами на музыку....Энциклопедический словарь Ф.А. Брокгауза и И.А. Ефрона