O quam gloriosum

General information

All Saints, Second Vespers, Antiphon to the Magnificat; cf. Apocalypse 7:9

Settings by composers

Giulio Belli SATTB Vincenzo Bertolusi SSAATTB William Byrd SATTB Giovanni Girolamo Kapsperger S + continuo Luca Marenzio SATB or ATTB Heinrich Pfendner SSBB & bc (adds "Exultabunt sancti in gloria, laetabuntur in cubilibus suis.")

Jan Tollius STTBB Jacobus Vaet SATB (with "Alleluia.") Francisco Valls S + violins and continuo Tomás Luis de Victoria SATB or ATTB Scott Villard SATB Gioseffo Zarlino SAATBB

in translation

• O how glorious is the kingdom, Op. 12 (Basil Harwood)
• O how glorious is the kingdom, no. 2. of 6 Motets (Healey Willan, 1924)

Text and translations

Latin text O quam gloriosum est regnum, in quo cum Christo gaudent omnes Sancti! Amicti stolis albis, sequuntur Agnum, quocumque ierit.   German translation O wie herrlich ist das Reich, in welchem mit Christus alle Heiligen sich freuen; angetan mit weißen Kleidern folgen sie dem Lamme, wohin immer es geht.

English translation O how glorious is the kingdom in which all the saints rejoice with Christ, clad in robes of white they follow the Lamb wherever he goes.   Spanish translation ¡Oh, qué glorioso es el reino en que todos los santos se alegran con Cristo! Vestidos con túnicas blancas, siguen al Cordero dondequiera que vaya.