Music Cape Breton's Diversity in Unity

This selection is a portion of the hymn Pange Lingua Gloriosi Corporis Mysterium written by St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). It is sung for the Solemnity of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ (formerly the Feast of Corpus Christi) and on Holy Thursday. On Holy Thursday, Pange Lingua is sung during the procession from the church to the holding place for the Blessed Sacrament.

This field recording was collected by Ronnie MacEachern in 1978.

Pange Lingua, 1978. Noel Pol Denny. T-1076. Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University.

Artist

Noel P. Denny

Noel P. Denny was born in February, 1910, and was the son of Peter Denny of Eskasoni and Helen (Sylliboy) Denny. Noel was known as Noel Pol and was a kind and well respected elder of Eskasoni. He was the brother of the late Annie Cremo, and like Annie and others within his family, he was well versed in Mi’kmaq Prayers and traditional Mi’kmaw songs. He was well known for singing Ko’jua, the traditional Mi’kmaw dance song and he shared his knowledge of traditional songs and prayers with anyone wishing to learn. Ko’jua is a song genre meant to encourage everyone to come on the floor and dance. This song is significant to Mi’kmaw social gatherings and is still widely sung today.

Noel Pol died on March 26, 1981 at the age of 71.