Richard Davy (Ives)

Antonello da Messina, Crucifixion, Koninklijke Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp, 1475

Richard Davy, Stabat Mater dolorosa

Click to read about Richard Davy in Wikipedia.

Click to read about the Stabat Mater.
Click for more information about Richard Davy and his Stabat Mater from Stabatmater.info.

Performance of Richard Davy, Stabat Mater dolorosa, by the Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford, Grayston "Bill" Ives conducting.

Click to listen to the entire work.


Stabat Mater dolorosa
Iuxta crucem lacrimosa
Dum pendebat Filius.
The grieving Mother stood

beside the cross weeping
where her Son was hanging.
Cuius animam gementem

Contristatam et dolentem
Pertransivit gladius.
Through her weeping soul

Compassionate and grieving,
a sword passed.

O quam tristis et afflicta

Fuit illa benedicta
Mater unigeniti!
O how sad and afflicted

was that blessed
Mother of the Only-begotten!
Quae moerebat et dolebat,

Et tremebat dum videbat
Nati poenas incliti.
Who mourned and grieved,

the pious Mother, with seeing
the torment of her glorious Son.Quis est homo qui non fleret,
Christi Matrem si videret
In tanto supplicio?
Who is the man who would not weep

if seeing the Mother of Christ
in such agony?
Quis non posset contristari,

Piam Matrem contemplari
Dolentem cum Filio?
Who would not be have compassion

on beholding the devout mother
suffering with her Son?
Pro peccatis suae gentis

Vidit Iesum in tormentis,
Et flagellis subditum.
For the sins of His people

she saw Jesus in torment
and subjected to the scourge.
Vidit suum dulcem natum

Moriendo desolatum
Dum emisit spiritum.
She saw her sweet Son

dying, forsaken,
while He gave up His spirit.
Stabat Mater, rubens rosa
Iuxta crucem lacrimosa
Videns ferre criminosa
Nullum reum crimine.

The Mother stood, a blushing rose
in tears at the foot of the cross
as she saw him undergo a criminal's fate
who was guilty of no crime.
Et dum stetit generosa
Iuxta natum dolorosa
Plebs tunc canit clamorosa:
'Crucifige, crucifige.'

And as she stood with full heart
grieving beside her son
the crowd shouted raucously:
'Crucify him, crucify him.'
O quam gravis illa poena
Tibi, virgo poenae plena
Commemorans praeamoena
Iam versa in maestetam.

O how grievous was the pain
you suffered, Virgin full of sorrows
when you recalled former joys
now all turned to lamentation.
Color erat non inventus
In te, Mater, dum detentus
Stabat natus, sic contentus
Ad debellandum Satanam.

All the life drained from you, Mother,
while your son stood constrained there
gladly bearing his pain
that Satan might be overthrown.

Per haec, nata praeamata
Natum tuum, qui peccata
Delet cuncta perpetrata
Deprecare dulciflue.

By these merits, most beloved lady,
beseech your son, who takes away
all the sin that we have committed
with sweet and gracious prayers.
Ut, nostra tergens ingrata
In nobis plantet firme grata
Per quem dando praelibata
Praestet aeterna requi. Amen.

That, wiping away all our stain
he might plant firmly in us the gifts of grace
and might fulfil in us what they promise
in our eternal rest. Amen.