Mykola Dyletsky. «O my most blessed Queen»
The prayer «O my most blessed Queen» closes the Akathistos dedicated to the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God. Dyletsky’s Concert based on this text was highly popular in the Tsardom of Muscovy at the conjuncture of the 17 th and 18 th centuries, as witnessed by the significant number of its handwritten copies.
The piece builds on alteration of the childish (two descants – bass) and male (tenor – bass) ensemble of voices, with continuous presence of the bass part. Poetical appeals to the Mother of God («my most blessed Queen», «my hope», «joy of the sorrowful»…) and a request for assistance and protection are cemented by common intonations, typical of lyric-dramatic and penitential partes concerts.
English translation
O my most blessed Queen,
O Theotokos,
my hope,
shelter of orphans
and intercessor of strangers,
joy of the sorrowful,
protectress of the wronged!
Thou beholdest my misfortune,
thou seest my sorrow.
Help me, for I am infirm;
feed me, for I am a stranger.
Thou knowest my offense:
forgive and resolve it as thou wilt,
for I have no other help
but thee,
no other intercessor,
no gracious comforter,
save thee, O Mother of God,
to guard and protect me
unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
Original text
Царице моя Преблагая,
Надеждо моя,
Богородице,
Приятелище сирым
и странным Предстательнице,
скорбящим Радосте,
обидимым Покровительнице!
Зриши ми бѣду,
зриши ми скорбь;
помози ми, яко немощну,
окорми мя, яко странна!
Обиду мою вѣси,
разрѣши ту, яко волиши:
яко не имам иноя помощи,
развѣ Тебе,
ни иныя Предстательницы,
ни благия Утѣшительницы,
токмо Тебе, о Богомати!
Яко да сохраниши мя
и покрыеши во вѣки вѣков.
Аминь.
Track list
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