ശമ്പഹ് ലെശ്ശാൻ
Śambah leśān (Praise my tongue)
| Call Number | EC-0021 |
| Title | Śambah leśān (Praise my tongue) |
| Category | Syriac translation of Latin chants |
| Sub Category | Paraliturgical Services |
| Liturgical Context | Qurbānā and Hours of Syriac churches. |
This is a free translation of the first stanza of the famous Latin hymn, Pange Lingua (‘Sing My Tongue’) that St. Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274) wrote for the feast of Corpus Christi. As in the Latin rite, the Syriac text was prescribed for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for Benediction. There are several melodies for this chant, some that are rhythmically free and others that are set to specific meters. Transcriptions of eight melodies in Western staff notation, including the one recorded here, can be found in A. Saldanha (1937:125-129). A distinctive feature of the melody performed here is its range of a complete octave. This is in contrast to the limited range of the Syriac melodies in general. The melody gradually ascends and descends like a bell-shaped curve. The upper tonic is the climactic point in the melody. The use of the raised fourth in an otherwise major scale and the leap of a perfect fourth in both ascending and descending manner are other special features that are seldom found in Syriac melodies, especially those from the pre- Portuguese period. Any direct affinity of this music to a Western chant melody remains to be explored.
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Source: Dewaalayageethangal, pp 60-61. Typset: Rosy Kurian & Sherin Joby ശമ്പഹ് ലെശ്ശാൻ ശമ്പഹ് ലെശ്ശാൻ ഹല്ലാശാ, റാസാ ദ് പഗ്റാ ദ് ലാമൂമ്മാ. |
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Source: Dewaalayageethangal, pp 60-61. Typset: Rosy Kurian & Sherin Joby ശമ്പഹ് ലെശ്ശാൻ ശമ്പഹ് ലെശ്ശാൻ ഹല്ലാശാ, റാസാ ദ് പഗ്റാ ദ് ലാമൂമ്മാ. |
Transliteration & Translation (English )
Transliteration by Fr. Emmanuel Thelly C. M. I. | Source: Qambel Maran - CD
| Transliteration | Translation |
| Śambah leśān hallāśā rāzā d'pag’rā d’lā mummā. Wadkās dem dukai nawśā m’hadyānā d'kollē ālmā. |
Sing, O my weak tongue, the mystery of the spotless body and the chalice of blood; For the purification of the soul, Which gladdens the whole world. |
Aramaic Project Recordings:
| S.No | Occassion/Purpose/Context | Artist | Youtube Link | Aramaic Project Number | Notes |
| 1 | Used to be sung as the opening chant for Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the Syro Malabar Church, until 1962 | Lonappan Arackal & team | Video | AP 51a | Syriac translation of the latin chant Pange Lingua by St.Thomas Aquinas |
| 2 | Rev. Dr. Jacob Vellian and team | Video | AP 6f | ||
| 3 | sung during the Eucharistic procession on Holy Thursday | K. O. Chacko Koythadathil | Video | AP 5f | |
| 4 | Ammini John Anamthuruthil | Video | AP 48 B | Recorded Talk | |
| 5 | Johny P. David playing the chant on Alto saxophone | Video | AP 56A | ||
| 6 | Johny P. David with instrumental accompaniment | Video | AP 56B | ||
| 7 | Varghese Chiriyankandath, | Video | AP 83 | ||
| 8 | Fr. Probus Perumalil, CMI | Video | AP 126 | ||
| 9. | Fr. Joseph J. Palackal CMI | Video | AP 241 |
