This anonymous Latin hymn’s first appearance was in a Jesuit book, Symphonia Sirenium Selectarum (Symphony of Selected Siren Songs), Cologne, 1695. Pott’s translation 166 years later was in his Hymns Fitted to the Order of Common Prayer, 1861.

Francis Pott was born on December 29, 1832, at Southwark, London, and attended Brasenose College, Oxford. Ordained in 1856, he served the Church of England in three cities before becoming rector of Northill, Bedfordshire, in 1866. He continued in that position 25 years till his retirement because of increasing deafness, in 1891. He then devoted his energies to translation of Latin and Syriac hymns, study, and research. He was a member of the first committee that worked to produce England’s most successful hymnal, Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861. He died at Speldhurst, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, on October 26, 1909.

In 1591, Palestrina wrote a musical setting of “Gloria Patri et Filio” (Glory to the Father and to the Son), for his Magnificat Tertii Toni. William H. Monk (see SDAH 50) made a free adaptation of the melody, reharmonized it, and added the “alleluias” for inclusion in the first edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861, of which he was musical editor. The tune name VICTORY comes from Christ’s victory over death and the tomb, as expressed in the text.

Giovanni Pierluigi, now best known by the name of his birthplace, was born about 1525 in Palestrina, near Rome, Italy. At age 19 he was appointed organist-choirmaster in the cathedral there. In 1550 when his bishop became Pope Julius III, Palestrina was taken with him to Rome, where he spent the remainder of his life directing papal choirs and composing more than 90 Masses and more than 200 motets for the church, and madrigals for the Roman society. During the Council of Trent (1545–1563), in the discussions of church music, the polyphonic (many sounds) music of Palestrina was given as the highest example of what the music of the church should be. His works are universally considered to be the finest in the pure, devotional polyphonic style. A full edition of his music was published in 33 volumes by Breitkopf and Hartel, 1862–1903. He wrote music for the Catholic Church in a stately, noble style to counteract the success that his contemporary, Martin Luther, was having in bringing back congregational singing by including the use of popular folk songs. Palestrina died at Rome on February 2, 1594, and was buried in St. Peter’s Cathedral.