Chronos ensemble - Organum “Dicant nunc Judei“ - school of Perotin.

This particular organum was sung during the Easter processions. The tenor voice is a cantus firmus from the processional repertoire of XI-XIIth centuries. Possibly this music was also performed as a part of Paschal Drama. The origin of the text is a most curious case. It is a quote from orthodox sunday morning service of the second Tone. All texts of Sunday Octoechos are attributed to saint John of Damask (VIIIth century). This is a text of Organum: “Let the Jews now explain how the soldiers guarding the grave have lost the King and why they were not watching over the rock of justice at the site of the grave. Let them either give the buried one back or worship the resurrected one, and say with us: (Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him - Rom. 6:9) The quotation of Paul’s epistle was sung as a monody. This is an original text from Octoechos: “Let the Jews tell how the soldiers lost the King they were guarding. Why then did the stone not guard the rock of life?