Fernando de las Infantas (Córdoba, 1534-1609)

Intérpretes: Ensemble Plus Ultra (Michael Noone)

Psalmus CXXXII
Tempus sacri faederis, 1570

Ecce quam bonum et quam iucundum,
habitare fratres in unum.
Sicut unquentum in capite,
quod descendit in barbam,
barbam Aaron.
Quod descendit in oram vestimenti eius,
sicut ros Hermon, qui descendit in monte Sion.
Quoniam illic mandavit Dominus benedictionem, et vitam usque in saeculum.





Salmo 132 (133)
Con motivo del Sagrado Convenio, 1570

¡He Aquí, cuán bueno y cuán agradable es
que los hermanos habiten juntos en Armonía!
Es como el buen aceite sobre la cabeza,
el cual desciende sobre la barba, la barba de Aarón,
y baja hasta el borde de sus vestiduras.
Es como el rocío del Hermón
que desciende sobre los montes de Sion;
porque allá enviará Jehová bendición y vida eterna.


*.- Ecce quam bonum lleva la inscripción "Tempore sacri foederis, 1570" (Con motivo del Sagrado Convenio), en referencia a la formación de la Santa Liga entre Venecia, España, Malta y los Estados Pontificios, a finales de 1570.
La elección del Salmo 132 por Infantas, no tiene relación con la liturgia, sino con la ocasión: su intención de celebrar la unidad del catolicismo para hacer frente a la expansión del poder otomano en el Meditérraneo.





Psalm 132 (133)
As the time of the sacred pact, 1570

Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is,
brethren, to dwell together in unity.
It is like the precious ointment upon the head,
that ran down unto to the beard,
even unto Aaron's beard.
And went down to the skirts of his clothing,
like as the dew of Hermon,
which fell upon the hill of Sion.
For there the Lord promised his blessing
and life for evermore.

*- Ecce quam bonum, bears the caption "Tempore sacri foederis, 1570" (At the time of the Sacred Covenant, 1570), a reference to the pact for the formation of a Holy League, negotiated between Venice, Spain, Malta and the Papal States late in 1570, that ensured Catholic unity in the defence of the Western Mediterranean against Ottoman forces.
Infantas's choice of Psalm 132 as text is clearly not governed by liturgical consideration (the psalm, for instance, was only rarely sung among the Vespers psalms), but by its suitability to the intended occasion. Infantas's obvious intent is to celebrate Catholic unity in his choice of text: "Ecce quam bonum... habitare fratres in unum" (Behold, how good it is... for brethren to dwell in unity).

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