Victimæ paschali laudes

by Gary D. Penkala

I. Sequence

Victimæ paschali laudes is the beautiful poem that serves as the sequence from Easter Sunday through Second Sunday of Easter [Divine Mercy]. It has been variously attributed to

1. Wipo of Burgunday (1039)
2. Notker Balbulus (10th century)
3. Adam of Saint Victor (13th century)
4. Robert II of France

The Gregorian chant setting can be found in the Graduale Romanum, p.198, the Graduale simplex, p.160, the Gregorian Missal, p.351, and in the CNP Booklet of Chant II. CNP also publishes an English metrical version by Alex Hill, based on the chant melody – Praises to the Paschal Victim

II. Choral Settings

Many fine choral settings exist, among them:

• Busnois
• Byrd
• di Lasso
• Morales
• Palestrina
• Praetorius
• Victoria
• Samuel Webber

There are also settings by Perosi, Fernando de las Infantas, Hans Buchner, Josquin and Willaert.

III. Organ Settings

This chant inspired many compositions for organ:

• Toccata sur Victimæ paschali laudes (Denis Bédard)
• Choral-Improvisation sur le Victimæ paschali (Maurice Duruflé)
• Five Versets on Victimæ paschali laudes (Thierry Eschaich)
• Toccata sopra Victimæ paschali laudes (Grimoaldo Macchia)
• Toccata on Victimæ paschali laudes (Iain Quinn)
• Prelude on Victimæ paschali laudes (John Reese)
• Variations on Victimæ paschali laudes (Jiří Ropek)
• Victimæ paschali laudes (Charles Tournemire)

Here's a fascinating video of the planning and execution of a double improvisation by Daniel Roth and Eric Lebrun at Saint Sulpice in Paris.

IV. Chorale Motets

Chorales derived from Victimæ paschali laudes include these, with the listed choral versions:

Christ ist erstanden (12th century)

• Brodersen (chorale)
• di Lasso
• Praetorius (1)
• Praetorius (2)
• Presten
• Senfl
• Stoltzer
• Walter

Christ lag in Todesbanden

• Bach (chorale)
• Bach (cantata movement)
• Cruger (with 2 instruments)
• Eccard
• Hantke
• Pachelbel
• Praetorius
• Werlin

Article written 14 April 2014, updated 28 April 2014