Good Friday in music

The English choir of boys and men of King’s College, Cambridge, is one of the best known and most loved choirs in the world. Since its foundation by King Henry IV, the choir is permanently composed of soprano and alto voices of young boys and baritone and bass voices of young men, most of whom were members of the choir when they were boys. The choir presented a selection of songs in Latin in 2010 for Good Friday, which help prepare us for the death of Jesus, crucified for us in order to atone for our sins. I invite you to discover these songs and the wonderful voices that inspire a spirit of meditation and prayer.

1. Salvator mundi (John Blow)

Salvator mundi, salva nos,

qui per Crucem et sanguinem redemisti nos,

auxiliare nobis, Te deprecamur, Deus noster.

Saviour of the world, save us,

who by the cross and with Thy Blood redeemed us,

help us, we pray Thee, our God.

View and listen here

2. Judas Mercator Pessimus (Tomás Luis de Victoria)

Judas, mercator pessimus osculo petiit Dominum

ille ut agnus innocens non negavit Judae osculum

Denariorum numero Christum Judaeis tradidit.

Melius illi erat, si natus non fuisset.

Judas, most vile merchant betrayed the Lord with a kiss

and he was as a lamb, innocent, and did not deny the kiss of Judas.

He betrayed Christ to the Jews for a number of Denarii,

It would be better for that man had he never been born.

View and listen here

3. Crucifixus (Antonio Lotti)

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis

sub Pontio Pilato,

passus et sepultus est.

He was crucified also for us

under Pontius Pilate.

He suffered and was buried.

View and listen here

4. Ave Verum Corpus (Mozart)

Ave, verum corpus

natum de Maria Virgine,

Vere passum immolatum

in Cruce pro homine,

Cujus latus perforatum

unda fluxit (et) sanguine,

Esto nobis praegustatum

in mortis examine.

Hail,true body

born of the Virgin Mary,

Who truly suffered, sacrificed

on the Cross for man,

Whose pierced side overflowed

with water and blood,

Be for us a foretaste

In the test of death

View and listen here