Te Deum: The Rich History and Mystery
Te Deum: a very vital part of the Church’s liturgical celebrations with a very rich history (Kosloski, 2018). In the early beginnings of the Church, numerous Christians would write elegant poems with the sole purpose of glorifying God (Kosloski, 2018). Later on, these poems would be used by Christians in liturgical gatherings and sung in a similar way as the Psalms they chanted. “Te Deum” is a collection of verses that was one of these chants. “The authorship is generally unknown, though modern schlorars point to St. Nicetas of Remesiana as the most likely candidate” (Kosloski, 2018). St. Nicetas of Remesiana was well known for his compositions in the 4th century. Spiritual writers such as St. Ambrose, St. Augustine and Cyprian of Carthage were accredited to the hymn (Te Deum) throughout history. But no matter who wrote it, the poem has been a long-time treasure of the church and now it has become a staple of liturgical celebrations.
The hymn became a part of the Liturgy of the Hours, sung in monasteries along with the chanting of the Psalms in the early days (Kosloski, 2018). It is still part of the recitation of the Office of Readings on Sundays that are outside of Advent and Lent and can be heard in feasts and solemnities. Giving thanks to God for the many blessings received, the Holy Father also has a tradition of a Te Deum service at the end of each calendar year. The Te Deum is a stunning piece, full of jubilant praise of God that it is even used outside of liturgical purposes just to make a mark on joyful occasions. According to Fr. Edward McNamara, “In many traditionally Catholic countries it is still common for civil authorities to assist at a special Te Deum on occasion of a royal coronation or presidential inauguration, for peace treaties and significant historical anniversaries.” (Kosloski, 2018)
As time passed by, the famous hymn has been a recipient of countless musical settings by Haydn, Mozart, Berlioz, Versi, Bruckner, Byrd, and Handel, to name a few. Numerous English translations have been made as well including one by the poet John Dryden and the popular “Holy God, We Praise Thy Name,” originally a 1775 Lutheran hymn in German, which is also based on the Te Deum (Null, 2016). Here in the Philippines, we also have our own composition of Te Deum by Lucrecia Kasilag in collaboration with a famous poet, writer, actor, director, and a set and costume designer, Rolando Tinio.
One of the famous English composition of Te Deum Laudamus which was translated as “We Praise Thee, O God” was by a GermanEnglish composer, George Frideric Handel. Handel composed operas, oratorios and instrumentals (2016). Born in Halle, Germany, he made his debut as an opera composer with Almira. He produced several operas with the Royal Academy of Music in England before forming the New Royal Academy of Music in 1727 (2016). When Italian operas fell out of fashion, he started composing oratorios, including his most famous, “Messiah”. Handel propelled forward because of his deep passion for music. He performed and composed, relied on his sharp memory to compensate when necessary, and remained actively involved in productions of his work until his dying day.
“The first basis of Handel’s style was the north German music of his childhood, but it was soon completely overlaid by the Italian style that he acquired in early adulthood during his travels in Italy” (Cudworth 2018). There is robustness in his later music that gives it a very English quality and above all this, his music is eminently vocal. His directness of manner makes him one of the great masters of choral music. During his lifetime, Handel composed nearly 30 oratorios and close to 50 operas. He was also a prolific writer of orchestral pieces and concerti grossi. He is said to have made significant contributions to all of the musical genres of his generation.
Handel’s composition of We Praise Thee, O God definitely showcased Baroque Music at its finest considering its heavily ornamented sound. Heavy instrumental can be heard both at the highest and lowest of notes. This is true since Baroque composers greatly focus on upper and lower tones, or on the parts to be played by bass and soprano. Handel’s composition also focused heavily on layered melodies. This means that the same notes would often be repeated throughout a composition, whilst played by different musicians. This composition required a large size of orchestra to stay true to its grand aura.
In the Philippine context by contrast, we have Lucrecia Kasilag and Rolando Tinio’s “Pinupuring Diyos”. Lucrecia Kasilag was prolific. She likes the idea exploring the possible conjunction of Eastern and Western instruments and material in particular. Her work in music has been recognized at home and abroad by various official honors, and she frequently represented the country abroad at international conferences on music (Naxos Records). On the other hand, Rolando Tinio, a Philippine National Artist for Theater and Literature, was known as a great writer. He also founded the Filipino department in Ateneo. He used English as the medium of the Filipino writer and was known by it. His collection was elegant and contains a truly contemporary tone if taken from the European literacy critical view. At that point of time he believed that only English can hone the themes that he wanted to communicate in his works. However, one conference changed this perspective. A certain author delivered his belief in the value of the Tagalog dialect in Creative Writing. This inspired Rolando to publish an article in the scholarly journal Philippine Studies, which contained parts of English poems translated into Tagalog. Proving the inadequacy of Tagalog as the writer’s medium was its exclusive purpose. Tinio was also the sole inventor of “Taglish” in Philippine poetry. Through this, he gave an authentic tone to the poetry of the native middle-class Filipino.
Given the background of two powerful and influential artist, sure made their composition of “Pinupuring Diyos” (Te Deum Laudamus) a special one. Though there can be no clear vision of how it was played since records are hard to decipher, it clearly is a one of a kind composition. Combining Kasilag’s oriental-type of music and Tinio’s knowledge in the field of writing, truly exhibits the rich and nurturing nature of music in the country. Having two National Artists produce a single piece of music is yet one of the best collaboration ever made in the history of arts here in the Philippines.
In the end, both compositions are astounding in their own ways. Te Deum is a beautiful hymn which gained a lot of interest from many composers who are also great in the field which makes its history richer as time passes by. Its speaks of God’s numerous glories and asking him to come down and bring us his bountiful, overflowing, and everlasting glory. As long as the nature of thanksgiving and the spirit of joy remains, Te Deum will stay true to its purpose and its meaning.
References:
Kosloski, Philip. “This 4th-Century Poem Is One of the Most Popular Hymns in Church History.” Aleteia - Catholic Spirituality, Lifestyle, World News, and Culture, Aleteia, 14 Apr. 2018, aleteia.org/2018/04/14/this-fourth-century-poem-is-one-of-the-most-popularhymns-in-church-history/.
Null. “The 'Te Deum' in English and the Hymn's History.” ZENIT - English, 1 Jan. 2016, zenit.org/articles/the-te-deum-in-english-and-the-hymn-s-history/.
“Welcome to Naxos Records.” History of Classical Music - Eras, www.naxos.com/person/Lucrecia_Roces_Kasilag/23491.htm.
“George Frideric Handel.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 29 Apr. 2016, www.biography.com/people/geoge-handel-9327378.
Cudworth, Charles. “George Frideric Handel.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 Apr. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/George-Frideric-Handel
Study.com, Study.com, study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-baroque-music-definition-historycharacteristics-composers.html.