Man that is born of a woman and hath but...

.. a short time to live.

I know I have this on an lp somewhere but can't find it.
As far as I can find on the web it's from Purcell's Funeral Music for Queen Mary, which I'm pretty sure I don't have as such.
So, I was hoping that one of the learned gentlemen of this parish could suggest whether there have been other settings or have heard it, but under a different title.
Of course, if you happen to know which record I heard it on and where I've filed it that would be even better.

 

It is indeed from Purcell's Funeral Music for Queen Mary.

Some collections only have the instrumental music which begins the funeral music; and the various sections find their way into collections of choral music.

The Prayer Book text of the funeral service is here.

http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/occasion/burial.html

When they come to the Grave:

MAN that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, like a flower; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay.

In the midst of life we are in death: of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, 0 Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet, 0 Lord God most holy, 0 Lord most mighty, 0 holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death.

Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not thy merciful ears to our prayer; but spare us, Lord most holy, 0 God most mighty, 0 holy and merciful Saviour, thou most worthy judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee.


This last section "Thou knowest Lord . . ." is often sung as an anthem by itself.

I found this recording in the catalogue

http://www.selections.com/L178/purcell-funeral-music-for-queen-mary/

and free here

http://www.last.fm/music/Henry+Purcell/_/Man+that+is+born+of+a+woman,+Z.+27

http://www.last.fm/music/Henry+Purc.../In+the+midst+of+life+we+are+in+death,+Z.+17A

http://www.last.fm/music/Henry+Purc...west,+Lord,+the+secrets+of+our+hearts,+Z.+58B

which looks like a Naxos



I know of no other setting of the text.

I too thought I had a recording on CD, but can only find "Thou knowest Lord"

The line

"Yet, 0 Lord God most holy, 0 Lord most mighty, 0 holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death."

is one of the most heart rending in the English Cathedral repertoire.

Beaten only by the pathos here: Tomkins "When David heard that Absalom was slain . . . "

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Tallis+Scholars/_/Tomkins:+When+David+heard

When it gets to "O my son . . . would God I have died for thee" . . .

At the going down of the sun and in the morning . . .

 

Excellent information, thank you.

But, I'm pretty sure that's not the setting I have in mind. I'm almost certain it is for solo male voice (not conclusive I know). As for the music - to an extent I think the words in this kind of repertoire often dictate the notes that they are set to but can't help feeling there is a more 'modern' setting.

I would agree though that for shear poetry there is some wonderful stuff here.

 

I have some pretty knowledgeable friends on another forum. I will ask them.

 

I'm wondering if it's from a British requiem. It's a phrase found in the Anglican book of common prayer, not in the Roman Catholic Requiem Mass.
Is the piece a piece of early music, or later?
You could try the Rutter or Britten requiems. Morley and Gibbons also set this text.

 

The Rutter definitely includes it.

 

Here are some notes

http://www.ancientgroove.co.uk/essays/burial.html

 

Ah, now we are getting somewhere. Not Britten or Rutter but Morley and Gibbons definitely sound plausible - will have a look through the shelves this evening. I'm thinking probably something from King's...

 

Samuel Sebastian Wesley

http://www.we7.com/#/track/Man-That-Is-Born-Of-Woman?trackId=452488

Don't much like it!

 

Found it!
William Croft - The Burial Service. It's on an Argo release of the Allegri Miserere (the Roy Goodman one) but not the 'The World of King's' one.

Thanks for your input, if you have not heard this setting I think it is worth looking out for. It's also in the link above for Ancient Groove who have it as 'The most often-performed and well-loved setting' - now we know.

 

Great.

Tell me, why do folk rave about the Allegri Miserere?

 

Being able to sing the top Cs without apparent strain was some kind of manhood test as a chorister ... no, let me rephrase that ...

 

Yea, but few trebles can make it up there and make it sound like effortless soaring - as you say, a real boyhood test.

I did once read that the top C belongs to a later arrangement, and isn't Mozart at all. True?

 

I thought that it was original and that Wolfie's claim to fame was to transcribe the whole thing from memory on one hearing (going back to the chapel for a further visit to check a few things). He was about 18 months' old at the time (actually, more like mid-teens).

 

Well, here is hint that the top C is suspect:

http://www.ancientgroove.co.uk/essays/allegri.html