The original Latin words of
Of the Father’s love begotten were written by Prudentius Aurelius Clemens, a saintly and learned Spaniard who after a distinguished career in law and civil administration entered a monastery in his middle age. This is one of the great Mass hymns, translated many times. The plainsong melody is in
Piae Cantiones, a collection compiled in Finland in 1582.
from notes by Wadham Sutton © 1993
