Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy visited the Church of the Most Holy Trinity on the Mounts, in Rome, in 1830. He listened to the nuns sing, but he could not see them. He was inspired by the beautiful sound of their singing. Subsequently, he wrote 3 motets, of which, “Veni Domine,” is one. It is scored for soprano | soprano | alto.

More than 800 women student singers representing nine of eleven high schools within the Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle performed 10 February 2014, in the Sydney Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium of Benaroya Hall in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A..

As occasionally occurs with mass choirs, because of the physical distance from end to end, subgroup dynamics, the lack of audio feedback on the edges of the stage, and other reasons, there is a moment when the voices become musically disconnected, but they reconnect at 2:32

The following high schools participated: Archbishop Thomas J. Murphy High School from Everett, Saint Robert Bellarmine Preparatory School from Tacoma, Bishop Augustin Blanchet High School from Seattle, Eastside Catholic High School from Sammamish, Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart from Bellevue, Holy Names Academy from Seattle, (John F.) Kennedy Catholic High School from Burien, Edward John O’Dea High School from Seattle and Seattle Preparatory School.

The combined choirs were directed by Steven Zopfi, D.M.A., Professor of Music at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA.

The organizer of the event was Alison Seaton, D.M.A., Director of Music at Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart.


Veni Domine, et noli tardare,

Variant 2
Veni Domine, et noli tardare.
Relaxa facinora plebi tuae, et revoca dispersos in terram tuam.
Excita Domine potentiam tuam, ut salvos nos facias,
Veni Domine, et noli tardare.

Translated into English:

Come, Lord, and do not delay.
Come and free Thy people from their misdeeds, and bring back the dispersed to your land.
Raise up, Lord, Thy power and make us safe.
Come, Lord, and do not delay.

#jesusiscalling
#jesusreignssupreme
#donotdelay