Henry Balfour Gardiner (1877-1950)[BNQ], Evening Hymn (Te lucis ante terminum), is in the repertory of Christ Church Cathedral.
Te lucis ante terminum over the centuries has been sung during night prayer (compline) in the Roman Catholic liturgy. Click to read about Te lucis ante terminum in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia.
Following the Second Vatican Council, the wording of Te lucis ante terminum has been altered. Click to read the traditional words, often attributed to St. Ambrose, and the new text.
The Liber Usualis contains 12 different plainchant settings for Te lucis ante terminum.
Click to hear a plainchant sample of Te lucis ante terminum for solemn feasts, performed by the St. Martin's Chamber Choir of Denver, Colorado. And for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart.
To hear Henry Balfour Gardiner, Evening Hymn, performed by the St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, Barry Rose conducting, John Scott, organist playing the 1949 Wicks organ of St. Mary's Basilica, Minneapolis, click here, then click on "Part II," then hold bar and slide to 47:15 (47 minutes and 15 seconds).
Click to watch and hear Henry Gardiner Balfour, Evening Hymn, performed by the Choir of York Minster. Features a mini-interview with three trebles by Alan Titchmarsh.
There are other settings for Te lucis ante terminum by Renaissance composers: Thomas Tallis (1505-1585) [BNQ] and William Byrd (1540-1623) [BNQ] in England and Diego Ortiz (1510-1570) in Spain.
Thomas Tallis composed two settings for Te lucis ante terminum, ferial and festive. Click to read what Nick Sandon writes in the notes for Thomas Tallis: The Complete Works, Vol. 5, a CD performed by the Chapelle du roi, Alistair Dixon conducting.
Te lucis ante terminum, Sarum Festal Tone, à 5, (listen); and Ferial Tone, à 5 (listen); both performed by St. David's Episcopal Church Choir, Austin, Texas.
In addition to the two settings, Te lucis ante terminum is sometimes sung to Tallis' Canon.Click to read about Tallis' Canon.
Click to hear Te lucis ante terminum (soloist: Alex Baron) and another evening hymn, Glory to Thee my God This Night (soloist: Edward Day), both performed to the tune of Tallis' Canon by Libera.
Click to listen to Glory to Thee my God This Night performed by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. Words: Thomas Ken, 1692. Music: Tallis' Canon.
Click to watch and hear Diego Ortiz, Te lucis ante terminum, performed by La Serna Concert Choir (La Serna High School, Whittier, CA).
To hear John Bull (1562-1628) [BNQ], Te lucis ante terminum, performed by Étienne Baillot on the 1981 Marc-Garnier organ in the Cathedral of St-Étienne (slide show)in Metz, click here, then on "Listen to Program," then hold and slide button to 41:44 (41 minutes and 44 seconds).
