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Stephen Tharp plays Mulet "Tu Es Petra"

acc

Member
The question should rather be: why did Mulet write
Tu es petra et portæ inferi non prævalebunt adversus te.
as opposed to the usual version:
Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram ædificabo Ecclesiam meam et portæ inferi non prævalebunt adversum eam.
which is often translated as "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."

So Mulet's version translates as "You are the rock, and the gates of hell will not prevail against you." Note that Mulet's work is dedicated to the Sacré-Cœur church of Montmartre (the title Esquisses byzantines referring to that church's supposed architectural style), and I have already read in several places that Mulet modified the latin text to reflect the idea that the rock is the hill of Montmartre.

(As for Stephen Tharp's video clip, I have already commented on it here.)
 

mathetes1963

New member
The question should rather be: why did Mulet write
as opposed to the usual version:
which is often translated as "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."

So Mulet's version translates as "You are the rock, and the gates of hell will not prevail against you." Note that Mulet's work is dedicated to the Sacré-Cœur church of Montmartre (the title Esquisses byzantines referring to that church's supposed architectural style), and I have already read in several places that Mulet modified the latin text to reflect the idea that the rock is the hill of Montmartre.

(As for Stephen Tharp's video clip, I have already commented on it here.)

Been away a few days acc, thanks for the heads-up.
 

ChurchWhistles

New member
I'm not an expert in Latin, so I don't really notice things like that. All I know is that this is a great piece of music, and Mr. Tharp has done an excellent job. -
-ChurchWhistles
 

dll927

New member
I majored in Spanish and had enough Latin to get past a few impediments. Petrus = Peter, and petra = rock (piedra in Spanish). Hope that clears up translation.

Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terram pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

The "tu es Petra" is inscribed around the dome of St. Peter's in Rome.
 

dll927

New member
As long as we're on languages, such things as "cases" and "declensions" are a lot of the reason Latin eased off into the "romance" languages (French, Italian, Spanish , Portuguese, and a smattering of Romanian).

The reason it's "super hanc petram" is because "super" ("above" or "on") is one of the prepositions that required the accusative case. Other prepositions required the ablative case.

German also has "cases", which are modifications (endings) on nouns or adjectives depending on the use in the sentence. Aus, auser, bei, mit, nach, zeit, von, and zu are known as the "dative" prepositions, meaning that they require the "dative" case (indirect object, usually).

With cases, nominative = subject, genitive = possessive, accusative = direct object, and dative = indirect object. Latin also had "ablative" and "vocative". German settled for just the four.
 
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acc

Member
The "tu es Petra" is inscribed around the dome of St. Peter's in Rome.

There it actually says "Tu es Petrus"; see http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/3033999779_0a43eefc97.jpg:

3033999779_0a43eefc97.jpg


On the other hand, I recall somebody mentioning to me that there is a "Tu es petra" inscription in the Sacré-Cœur in Paris. I'll definitely have to check that on my next trip there. :cool:
 

acc

Member
On the other hand, I recall somebody mentioning to me that there is a "Tu es petra" inscription in the Sacré-Cœur in Paris. I'll definitely have to check that on my next trip there. :cool:

Meanwhile, I've managed to take the time to visit the Sacré-Cœur during a trip to Paris: I haven't seen a "Tu es petra" inscription anywhere. :( So maybe it's Mulet's own idea...
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Judy ... surely you've heard of Panis Angelicus? Ave Maria?
You probably know more Latin titles that you might think ... :tiphat:
 
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