Anthem 31 - Pax

Welcome to Anthem 31 in my attempt to write a new choir anthem every week for a year. I’m Kevin Mulryne and I hope you will enjoy listening to my progress throughout 2024. Please do visit the website Anthem52.com, follow along on x.com - @realanthem52 or Instagram - @realanthem52 and send me a message to show@anthem52.com.

It was back to Compline this week - again. Imagine my surprise when I found these words, very close to the others I had used for Lux and Nox:

I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest; for it is thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

As usual, there was a word that when translated into Latin follows the same pattern as the previous two anthems - peace - pax. So the theme and mood of this week's anthem was set. It was time to write for choir and organ, so it would be another challenge and, presumably, it would result in a different sound to Nox and Lux ... or maybe not. Anyway, here are the Latin words:

In pace in idipsum * dormiam et requiescam.

Quoniam tu Domine singulariter in spe constituisti me.

Gloria Patri et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.

Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.