The Cradle of Prayer Canticle Tutorials

In chanting the rhythms of natural speech are essential. The notes of a chant tune have no time value of their own only the rhythm of the syllables. Listen to the cantor (singer) sing the verses, notice the strong and weak stress of syllables, and follow the line “|” which establishes the change of the notes in the melody.

Morning Prayer – Te Deum laudamus
“Thee, O God, we praise”.
The Te Dum is one of the canticles sung in each service of Morning Prayer. The words are as follows:

We praise thee O God; we acknowledge thee to | be the Lord; All the earth doth worship thee, the Father | everlasting.
To the all Angels cry aloud; the Heavens and all the |powers therein; To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry.
Holy Holy Holy Lord God of | Sabaoth; Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty | of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles | praise thee.   The goodly fellowship of the | Prophets praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs | praise thee; The holy church throughout all the world | doth acknowledge thee.
The Father of an infinite Majesty; Thine adorable true and| only Son; Also the Holy | Ghost the Comforter.
Thou art the King of | Glory O Christ. Thou art the everlasting | Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to de | liver man; thou didst humble thyself to be | born of a Virgin.
When thou hadst overcome the | sharpness of death, thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to | all believers.
Thou sittest at the right | hand of God, in the glory | of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to | be our Judge.  We therefore pray thee help thy servants, who thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered | with thy Saints, in glory | everlasting.
O lord save thy people and bless thine | heritage.  Govern them and lift them | up for ever.
Day by day we | we magnify thee; And we worship thy Name ever | world without end.
Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this day with | out sin.  O Lord have mercy upon us, have | mercy upon us.
O Lord let thy mercy be upon us, as our | trust is in thee.  O Lord in thee have I trusted; let me never | be confounded.

The following canticles are from the “Hymnal 1940 Standard Harmony edition”:

Te Deum laudamus #613 – Te Deum #613

Te Deum laudamus #616 – Te Deum #616

Te Deum laudamus Tone VIII and VII – Te Deum Tone VIII & VII
This tune may be sung on important days of morning prayer. This would include Sundays and significant Holy Days.

The following canticles are from a traditional Anglican Book of chants:

Te Deum laudamus #145 – Te Deum #145

Te Deum laudamus #234 – Te Deum #234