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BENEDICTUS

The Benedictus is very simple and delicate, requiring a boy soprano in the traditional Latin mass text, male voice choir singing an anonymous text translated into Zulu, and female voices commenting (“mysterium”) over sparse orchestration. The Latin text is set in an altered melodic contour derived from a childhood memory of a benediction sung during school carol services.
                                  
Boy soprano solo

BENEDICTUS QUI VENIT IN NOMINE DOMINI
(Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord).

Choir: in ZULU  with Latin interjections

(BENEDICTUS from boy soprano and MYSTERIUM from choir sopranos and altos)

CULA SENGATH(I) AKEKHO OLALELE (cula) (MYSTERIUM) (benedictus)    
(Sing as if no-one is listening)
SINA SENGATH(I) AKEKHO OBUKELE (sina) (MYSTERIUM) (benedictus)    
(Dance as if no-one is watching)
THANDA SENGATH(I) AWUKAZE WAPHUKA UMOYA (thanda) (benedictus)   
(Love as if you’ve never been hurt)
PHILA SENGATHI USEZULWINI EMHLABENI (benedictus)       
(Live as if each day is heaven on Earth)

Boy soprano solo
QUI VENIT IN NOMINE DOMINI AMEN (who comes in the name of the Lord, Amen.).