"O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" is a

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

Passion

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

based on a

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

text written during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

Paul Gerhardt Paul Gerhardt (12 March 1607 – 27 May 1676) was a German theologian, Lutheran minister and hymnodist. Biography Gerhardt was born into a middle-class family at Gräfenhainichen, a small town between Halle and Wittenberg. His father died in ...

wrote a German version which is known by its incipit, "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden".

Text

Original Latin

The hymn is based on a long

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...

poem, ''Salve mundi salutare'', with stanzas addressing the various parts of

Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...

's body hanging on the

Cross A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a sa ...

. The last part of the poem, from which the hymn is taken, is addressed to Christ's head, and begins "Salve caput cruentatum". The poem is often attributed to

Bernard of Clairvaux Bernard of Clairvaux, O. Cist. ( la, Bernardus Claraevallensis; 109020 August 1153), venerated as Saint Bernard, was an abbot, mystic, co-founder of the Knights Templars, and a major leader in the reformation of the Benedictine Order through ...

(1091–1153), but is now attributed to the medieval poet

Arnulf of Leuven Arnulf of Leuven (c. 1200–1250) was the abbot of the Cistercian abbey in Villers-la-Ville. After serving in this office for ten years, he abdicated, hoping to pursue a life devoted to study and asceticism. He died within a year. Little else ...

(died 1250). A selection of stanzas from the seven cantos were used for the text of

Dieterich Buxtehude Dieterich Buxtehude (; ; born Diderik Hansen Buxtehude; c. 1637 – 9 May 1707) was a Danish organist and composer of the Baroque period, whose works are typical of the North German organ school. As a composer who worked in various vocal ...

's ''

Membra Jesu Nostri ''Membra Jesu nostri'', BuxWV 75, is a cycle of seven cantatas composed in 1680 by Dieterich Buxtehude and dedicated to Gustaf Düben. More specifically and fully it is, in Buxtehude’s phrase, a ''�devotionedecantata,”'' or “sung devotion, ...

'' addressing the various members of the crucified body

German translation

The poem was translated into German by the

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

hymnist

(1607–1676). He reworked the Latin version to suggest a more personal contemplation of the events of Christ's death on the cross. It first appeared in

Johann Crüger Johann Crüger (9 April 1598 – 23 February 1662) was a German composer of well-known hymns. He was also the editor of the most widely used Lutheran hymnal of the 17th century, ''Praxis pietatis melica''. Early life and education Crüger was bo ...

's hymnal ' in 1656. Although Gerhardt translated the whole poem, it is the closing section which has become best known, and is sung as a hymn in its own right. The German hymn begins with "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden".

English translation

The hymn was first translated into English in 1752 by John Gambold (1711–1771), an

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

vicar in

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

. His translation begins, "O Head so full of bruises". In 1830 a new translation of the hymn was made by an American

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

minister,

James Waddel Alexander James Waddel Alexander (March 13, 1804 – July 31, 1859) was an American Presbyterian minister and theologian who followed in the footsteps of his father, Rev. Archibald Alexander. Early life Alexander was born in 1804 in Louisa County, Vir ...

(1804–1859). Alexander's translation, beginning "O sacred head, now wounded", became one of the most widely used in 19th and 20th century hymnals. Another English translation, based on the German, was made in 1861 by Sir

Henry Williams Baker Sir Henry Williams Baker, 3rd Baronet (27 May 1821 – 12 February 1877), was an English Anglican priest and hymnwriter. Biography Baker was the son of Vice-admiral Sir Henry Loraine Baker, C.B., by his marriage with Louisa Anne, only daughter ...

. Published in ''

Hymns Ancient and Modern ''Hymns Ancient and Modern'' is a hymnal in common use within the Church of England, a result of the efforts of the Oxford Movement. The hymnal was first published in 1861. The organization publishing it has now been formed into a charitable ...

'', it begins, "O sacred head surrounded by crown of piercing thorn".

Catherine Winkworth Catherine Winkworth (13 September 1827 – 1 July 1878) was an English hymnwriter and educator. She translated the German chorale tradition of church hymns for English speakers, for which she is recognized in the calendar of the Evangelical Lut ...

also translated the text and published it in her collection of German hymns, ''Lyra Germanica'', giving it the title ''Ah wounded Head! Must Thou'' In 1899 the English poet

Robert Bridges Robert Seymour Bridges (23 October 1844 – 21 April 1930) was an English poet who was Poet Laureate from 1913 to 1930. A doctor by training, he achieved literary fame only late in life. His poems reflect a deep Christian faith, and he is ...

(1844–1930) made a fresh translation from the original Latin, beginning "O sacred Head, sore wounded, defiled and put to scorn". This is the version used in the 1940 Hymnal (Episcopal), the 1982 Hymnal (Episcopal; stanzas 1–3 and 5), and the ''

New English Hymnal ''The New English Hymnal'' is a hymn book and liturgical source aimed towards the Church of England. First published in 1986, it is a successor to, and published in the same style as, the 1906 ''English Hymnal''. It is published today by SCM Ca ...

'' (1986) and several other late 20th-century hymn books. The ''

English Hymnal ''The English Hymnal'' is a hymn book which was published in 1906 for the Church of England by Oxford University Press. It was edited by the clergyman and writer Percy Dearmer and the composer and music historian Ralph Vaughan Williams, and was ...

'' (1906) has a translation attributed to "Y.H.", referring to Bridges' translations for the '' Yattendon Hymnal'', of which he was the editor. Karen Lynn Davidson (born 1943) wrote another English translation, titled "O savior, thou who wearest a crown", which is published in '' Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints''.

Melody and use

''The melody as it appears in movement 54 of the ''

St Matthew Passion The ''St Matthew Passion'' (german: Matthäus-Passion, links=-no), BWV 244, is a '' Passion'', a sacred oratorio written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1727 for solo voices, double choir and double orchestra, with libretto by Picander. It sets ...

'' by Bach'': \header \layout global = verse = \lyricmode verseR = \lyricmode soprano = \relative c'' alto = \relative c' tenor = \relative c' bass = \relative c' \score \score

The music for the German and English versions of the hymn is by

Hans Leo Hassler Hans Leo Hassler (in German, Hans Leo Haßler) (baptized 26 October 1564 – 8 June 1612) was a German composer and organist of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras, elder brother of less known composer Jakob Hassler. He was born in Nü ...

, written around 1600 for a secular love song, "", which first appeared in print in the 1601 Lustgarten Neuer Teutscher Gesäng. The tune was appropriated and rhythmically simplified for Gerhardt's German hymn in 1656 by Johann Crüger.

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

arranged the melody and used five stanzas of the hymn in four different settings in his ''

''. He also used the hymn's text and melody in the second movement of the

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir. The meaning of ...

''Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem'', BWV 159. Bach used the melody on different words in his ''Christmas Oratorio'', in the first part ( no. 5). Bach also craftily employed the melody as a counterpoint in half-time in the opening aria of the cantata ''Komm, du süße Todesstunde'', BWV 161, and set it for four parts to close that cantata.

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

included an arrangement of this hymn in the sixth station, ''Saint Veronica'', of his ''

Via crucis The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The stations grew out of imitati ...

'' (Stations of the Cross), S. 504a. The Danish composer

Rued Langgaard Rued Langgaard (; born Rud Immanuel Langgaard; 28 July 1893 – 10 July 1952) was a late-Romantic Danish composer and organist. His then-unconventional music was at odds with that of his Danish contemporaries but was recognized 16 years afte ...

composed a set of variations for string quartet on this tune. It is also employed in the final chorus of "Sinfonia Sacra", the Ninth Symphony of the English composer

Edmund Rubbra Edmund Rubbra (; 23 May 190114 February 1986) was a British composer. He composed both instrumental and vocal works for soloists, chamber groups and full choruses and orchestras. He was greatly esteemed by fellow musicians and was at the peak o ...

Mauricio Kagel Mauricio Raúl Kagel (; 24 December 1931 – 18 September 2008) was an Argentine-German composer. Biography Kagel was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, into an Ashkenazi Jewish family that had fled from Russia in the 1920s . He studied music, his ...

quoted the hymn at the end of his oratorio ''

Sankt-Bach-Passion ''Sankt-Bach-Passion'' (Saint Bach Passion) is an oratorio composed by Mauricio Kagel in 1985 for the tricentenary of the birth of Johann Sebastian Bach. It follows the model of Bach's Passions, but the topic is not biblical, rather refers to Bach ...

'' telling Bach's life, composed for the tricentenary of Bach's birth in 1985.

Other uses

Other hymns have also been written to the tune. These include: * "We come as guests invited" by

Timothy Dudley-Smith Timothy Dudley-Smith (born 26 December 1926) is a retired bishop of the Church of England and a noted English hymnwriter. He has written around 400 hymns, including " Tell Out, my Soul". Life, education and ministry Dudley-Smith was born on 26 ...

The tune has also been used for secular texts and songs, including: * "Because All Men Are Brothers", a protest song written in 1947 by

Tom Glazer Thomas Zachariah Glazer (September 2, 1914 – February 21, 2003) was an American folk singer and songwriter known primarily as a composer of ballads, including: "Because All Men Are Brothers", recorded by The Weavers and Peter, Paul and M ...

* "

American Tune "American Tune" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. It was the third single from his third studio album, ''There Goes Rhymin' Simon'' (1973), released on Columbia Records. The song, a meditation on the American experience, ...

" by

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...

* "Stop Error" by John K. Samson

German and English lyrics

The text by Gerhardt consists of 10 verses, of which the first and final one are transcribed below, with the same verses in the 1830 version by J. W. Alexander. O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden, voll Schmerz und voller Hohn, o Haupt, zum Spott gebunden mit einer Dornenkron; o Haupt, sonst schön gezieret mit höchster Ehr und Zier, jetzt aber höchst schimpfieret: gegrüßet sei'st du mir! Erscheine mir zum Schilde, zum Trost in meinem Tod, und laß mich sehn dein Bilde in deiner Kreuzesnot. Da will ich nach dir blicken, da will ich glaubensvoll dich fest an mein Herz drücken. Wer so stirbt, der stirbt wohl. O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down, now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown; O sacred Head, what glory, what bliss till now was Thine! Yet, though despised and gory, I joy to call Thee mine. Be Thou my consolation, my shield when I must die; remind me of Thy passion when my last hour draws nigh. Mine eyes shall then behold Thee, upon Thy cross shall dwell, my heart by faith enfolds Thee. Who dieth thus dies well.

References

External links

* - Additional information about Hassler's melody * , from Bach's ''St. Matthew Passion'', sung at the

Brixen Brixen (, ; it, Bressanone ; lld, Porsenù or ) is a town in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about north of Bolzano. Geography First mentioned in 901, Brixen is the third largest city and oldest town in the province, and the artistic and ...

Cathedral by the

Tölzer Knabenchor The Tölzer Knabenchor (Tölz Boys' Choir) is a German boys' choir named after the Upper Bavarian city of Bad Tölz and since 1971 based in Munich. The choir is ranked among the most versatile and sought-after boys' choirs in the world. Histor ...

and , conducted by {{Authority control Latin-language Christian hymns German Christian hymns Lutheran hymns Passion hymns Hymns by Paul Gerhardt