The "O Antiphons"

I just came across Fr Z.’s little site on the “O Antiphons”. We have been singing these as a family devotion during the lighting of the Advent wreath this year in Neale’s beloved versification. Problem is the vast array of “modernisations” of Neale’s hymn. It is hard to find any agreement among the modernisers, so we are using his traditional text. But then it is hard to find a hymnal that gives all seven verses.

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3 Responses to The "O Antiphons"

  1. Louise says:

    Cool! I didn’t know one could sing them.

  2. Schütz says:

    Actually, I have just discovered this wonderful page which gives the full publication history of Neale’s translation:
    http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/draw_nigh_draw_nigh_emmanuel.htm

    It seems from this that the original was quite different even from many of the “traditional” versions that we are used to singing (eg. Original title: “Draw nigh, draw nigh, Emmanuel”. AND the original only had five verses instead of all seven!

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