A Carol Celebration of Christmas
Saturday, December 7, 1996 at 8:00 pm.
Benjamin Britten: A Ceremony of Carols ; A Shepherd's Carol ; A Hymn to the Virgin
Bodenschatz: Joseph, lieber Joseph mein
Burt: Bright, Bright the Holly Berries
Costeley: Allon gay, gay, gay, Bergeres
Holst: Christmas Day; Lullay my Liking
Howells: A Spotless Rose
Joubert: Hymn to the Virgin
Kodály: Veni, veni Emmanuel
Leontovich/Wilhousky: Carol of the Bells
Mathias: Sir Christèmas
Niles: I Wonder as I Wander
Parker/Shaw: Hacia Belén va un borrico
Rutter: Il est né le divin enfant
Vaughan Williams: The Blessed Son of God
Program notes
Texts and translations
Britten: A Hymn to the Virgin
Anonymous, 13th Century
|
Of one that is so fair and bright
 Velut maris stella,
[Like the star of the sea,]
Brighter than the day is light,
Parens et puella:
[Mother and maiden:]
I cry to thee, thou see to me,
Lady, pray thy Son for me
Tam pia, [So tender,]
That I may come to thee.
Maria!
|
|
All this world was forlorn
Eva peccatrice,
[Eve having been a sinner,]
Till our Lord was y-born
De te genetrice.
[Of you, his mother.]
With ave it went away
Darkest night, and comes the day
Salutis; [Of salvation;]
The well springeth out of thee.
Virtutis. [Of virtue.]
|
Britten: A Ceremony of Carols, op. 28
1. Procession
Hodie Christus natus est:
hodie Salvator apparuit:
hodie in terra canunt angeli:
laetantur archangeli:
hodie exsultant justi dicentes:
gloria in excelsis Deo. Alleluia! |
|
Today Christ is born;
today the Savior has appeared.
Today the angels sing on earth;
the archangels rejoice.
Today the righteous exult, saying:
Glory to God on high! Alleluia! |
2. Wolcum Yole!*
Anonymous
|
Wolcum be thou hevene king,
Wolcum Yole!
Wolcum, born in one morning,
Wolcum for whom wesall** sing!
Wolcum be ye Stevene and Jon,
Wolcum innocentes every one,
Wolcum Thomas marter one.
|
|
Wolcum be ye good Newe Yere,
Wolcum, Twelfthe Day both in fere,
Wolcum, seintes lefe and dere,
Wolcum Yole!
Candelmesse, Quene of bliss,
Wolcum bothe to more and lesse.
|
3. There is no Rose
Anonymous
|
There is no rose of such vertu
As is the rose that bare Jesu.
Alleluia.
For in this rose conteined was
Heaven and earth in litel space,
Res miranda. [Marvelous thing.]
|
|
By that rose we may well see
There be one God in persons three,
Pares forma. [Equal in nature.]
The aungels sungen the shepherds to
Gloria in excelsis Deo,
Gaudeamus. [Let us rejoice.]
|
4a. That yongë child
Anonymous
|
That yongë child when it gan weep
With song she lulled him asleep:
That was so sweet a melody
It passed alle minstrelsy.
|
|
The nightingalë sang also:
Her song is hoarse and nought thereto:
Whoso attendeth to her song
and leaveth the first then doth he wrong.
|
4b. Balulalow
James, John and Robert Wedderburn
|
O my deare hert, young Jesu sweit,*
Prepare thy creddil in my spreit,**
And I sall rock thee to my hert,
And never mair from thee depart.
*sweet **spirit
|
|
But I sall praise thee evermoir
with sanges* sweit unto thy gloir;
The knees of my hert sall I bow,
And sing that richt** Balulalow.
*songs **right |
5. As dew in Aprille
Anonymous
|
I sing of a maiden
That is makèless:*
King of all kings
To her son she ches.**
*matchless **chose
He came al so stille,
There his moder was,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the grass.
|
|
He came al so stille
To his moder's bour,*
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the flour.**
*bower **flower
He came al so stille,
There his moder lay,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the spray.
|
6. This little Babe
Robert Southwell
|
This little Babe so few days old,
Is come to rifle Satan's fold;
All hell doth at his presence quake,
Though he himself for cold do shake;
For in this weak unarmed wise
The gates of hell he will surprise.
With tears he fights and wins the field,
His naked breast stands for a shield.
His battering shot are babish cries,
His arrows looks of weeping eyes,
His martial ensigns Cold and Need,
And feeble Flesh his warrior's steed.
|
|
His camp is pitched in a stall,
His bulwark but a broken wall;
The crib his trench, haystalks his stakes;
Of shepherds he his muster makes;
And thus, as sure his foe to wound,
The angels' trumps alarum sound.
My soul with Christ join thou in fight;
Stick to the tents that he hath pight.*
Within his crib is surest ward;
This little Babe will be thy guard.
If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy,
Then flit not from this heavenly Boy.
*pitched
|
7. Interlude
8. In Freezing Winter Night
Robert Southwell
|
Behold, a silly* tender babe,
In freezing winter night,
In homely manger trembling lies,
Alas, a piteous sight!
The inns are full; no man will yield
This little pilgrim bed.
But forced he is with silly beasts
In crib to shroud his head.
|
|
This stable is a Prince's court,
This crib his chair of State;
The beasts are parcel of his pomp,
The wooden dish his plate.
The persons in that poor attire
His royal liveries wear;
The Prince himself is come from heav'n;
This pomp is prized there.
|
9. Spring Carol
William Cornish
|
Pleasure it is
to hear iwis,*
the Birdes sing,
The deer in the dale,
the sheep in the vale,
the corn springing.
*certainly
|
|
God's purvayance
For sustenance,
It is for man;
Then we always
to give him praise,
And thank him than.*
*then
|
10. Deo Gracias
Anonymous
|
Deo gracias!  [Thanks be to God!]
Adam lay i-bounden,
bounden in a bond
Four thousand winter
thought he not to* long.
Deo gracias!
And all was for an appil,
an appil that he tok,**
As clerkes finden
written in their book.
*too **took |
|
Deo gracias!
Ne* had the appil take ben,
The appil take ben,
Ne hadde never our lady
a ben hevene quene.
Blessed be the time
That appil take was.
Therefore we moun** singen
Deo gracias!
*never **must |
11. Recession
|
Hodie Christus natus est:
hodie Salvator apparuit:
hodie in terra canunt angeli:
laetantur archangeli:
hodie exsultant justi dicentes:
gloria in excelsis Deo. Alleluia!
|
|
Today Christ is born;
today the Savior has appeared.
Today the angels sing on earth;
the archangels rejoice.
Today the righteous exult, saying:
Glory to God on high! Alleluia!
|
Burt: Bright, Bright the Holly Berries
Wihla Hutson
|
Bright, bright the holly berries
in the wreath upon the door,
Bright, bright the happy faces
with the thoughts of joys in store.
White, white the snowy meadow
wrapped in slumber deep and sweet,
White, white the misteltoe
'neath which two lovers meet.
This is Christmas time.
|
|
Gay, gay the children's voices
filled with laughter, filled with glee,
Gay, gay the tinseled things
upon the dark and spicy tree.
Day, day when all mankind
may hear the angel's song again,
Day, day when Christ was born
to bless the song of men.
This is Christmas time.
|
I Wonder as I Wander
Appalachian carol
Holst: Lullay my Liking
from "A Mediæval Anthology"
Joubert: Hymn to the Virgin
Anonymous, 13th Century*
|
Of on that is so fayre and bright
Velut maris stella,
Brighter than the day is light,
Parens et puella:
Ic crie to thee, thou see to me,
Levedy, preye thi Sone for me
Tam pia,
That ic mote come to thee.
Maria.
|
|
Levedy, flour of alle thing,
Rosa sine spina,
Thou bare Jhesu, hevene king,
Gratia divina:
Of alle thu berst the pris,
Levedy, quene of paradys,
Electa:
Mayde milde, Moder es Effecta.
es Effecta.
|
* see the version of this text used by Britten for modernized English and a translation
of the Latin.
|
Holst: Christmas Day
|
Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart, and soul, and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:
News! News!
Jesus Christ is born today:
Ox and ass before him bow,
And he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today!
|
|
Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart, and soul, and voice:
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
Joy! Joy!
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath oped the heav'nly door,
And man is blessed evermore.
Christ was born for this!
|
| ----------------------- |
|
God rest you merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember Christ our Savior
Was born on Christmas day,
To save us all from woe and sin,
When we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy.
|
|
In Bethlehem, in Jewry,
This blessed Babe was born,
And laid within a manger,
Upon that holy morn;
The which His Mother, Mary,
Did nothing take in scorn.
O tidings of comfort and joy.
|
| ----------------------- |
|
Come, ye lofty, come, ye lowly,
Let your songs of gladness ring;
In a stable lies the Holy,
In a manger rests the King;
See, in Mary's arms reposing,
Christ by highest heav'n adored;
Come, your circle round him closing,
Pious hearts that love the Lord.
Come, ye children, blithe and merry,
This one child your model make;
Christmas holly, leaf and berry,
All be prized for His dear sake;
Come, ye gentle hearts, and tender,
Come, ye spirit, keen and bold;
All in all your homage render,
Weak and mighty, young and old.
|
|
Come, ye poor, no pomp of station
Robes the Child your hearts adore;
He, the Lord of all salvation,
Shares your want, is weak and poor:
Oxen round about behold him;
Rafters naked, cold and bare,
See the shepherds, God has told them
That the Prince of Life lies there.
High above a star is shining,
And the Wisemen haste from far;
Come, glad hearts, and sprits pining:
For you all has ris'n the star.
Let us bring our poor oblations,
Thanks and love and faith and praise;
Come, ye people, come, ye nations,
All in all draw nigh to gaze.
|
| ----------------------- |
|
The first Noël the angels did say,
Was to certain poor shepherds
in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay
|
|
keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter's night
that was so deep.
Noël, born is the King of Israel.
|
| ----------------------- |
|
Now to the lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All others doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy.
|
|
Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart, and soul, and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave:
Peace! Peace!
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one, and calls you all,
To gain his everlasting hall:
Christ was born to save!
|
Bodenschatz: Joseph, lieber Joseph mein
|
Joseph, lieber Joseph mein,
hilf mir wiegen mein Kindelein
Gott der will dein Lohner sein
im Himmelreich, der Jungfrau Kind Maria.
Eia, eia,
Sause, liebes Kindelein,
Virgo deum genuit,
quem divina voluit clementia.
Singet frisch und wohlgemut,
lobet Gott das höchste Gut,
der so große Wunder tut,
und schicket seinem lieben Sohn auf Erden.
|
|
Joseph, my dear Joseph,
help me rock my little child
God who wants reward you
in Heaven, Child of the Virgin Mary.
Eia, eia,
Hush, dear little child.
A virgin has given birth to God,
which divine mercy has desired.
Sing briskly and cheerfully,
Praise God the higest Good,
Who does such great marvels,
and sends His dear Son to earth.
|
Kodály: Veni, veni Emmanuel
from an 18th century French missal
|
Veni, veni Emmanuel,
Captivum solve Israel,
Qui gemit in exilio
Privatus Dei Filio.
Gaude, gaude! Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.
Veni, o Jesse Virgula;
Ex hostis tuos ungula,
De specu tuos tartari
Deduc et antro barathri.
Veni, veni, o Oriens
Solare nos adveniens;
Noctis depele nebulas
Dirasque noctis tenebras.
Veni clavis Davidica;
Regna reclude caelica;
Fac iter tutum superum,
Et claude vias inferum.
Veni, veni Adonai,
Qui populo in Sinai
Legem dedisti vertice,
In majestate gloriae.
|
|
Come, come Emmanuel
Free captive Israel,
Which laments in exile,
Deprived of God's Son.
Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel
Is born for you, Israel.
Come, O Sprout of Jesse;
From the enemy's claw,
From the pit of Tartarus your people
Lead, and from the cavern of the abyss.
Come, come, O Rising Sun
Arriving to shine upon us;
Drive away the clouds of night
And also night's fearful shadows.
Come, key of David;
Unlock the heavenly kingdom;
Make safe the path of this world
And close the routes to the lower world.
Come, O come Lord
Who atop Sinai
Gave the law to your people
In the majesty of your glory.
|
Leontovich: Carol of the Bells
Ukrainian carol; English words by Peter J. Wilhousky
|
Hark! how the bells,
Sweet silver bells,
All seem to say
"Throw cares away."
Christmas is here
Bringing good cheer
To young and old,
Meek and the bold.
|
|
Ding, dong, ding, dong,
That is their song,
With joyful ring
All caroling.
One seems to hear
Words of good cheer
From everywhere
Filling the air.
|
|
Oh, how they pound,
Raising the sound
O'er hill and dale,
Telling their tale,
Gaily they ring,
While people sing
song of good cheer,
Christmas is here!
|
|
Merry, merry, merry Christmas!
|
|
|
On, on they send,
on without end
their joyful tone
to ev'ry home.
|
Costeley: Allon gay, gay, gay, Bergeres
|
Allon, gay, gay, gay, Bergeres,
Allon, gay, soyez legeres,
Suyvez moy.
Allon, allon voir le Roy,
Qui du ciel en terre est nay,
Allon, gay . . .
Un beau present luy feray, De quoy?
De ce flagollet que j'ay tant gay.
Allon, gay . . .
Un gasteau luy donneray, Et moy,
Plain hanap luy offriray, Gay, gay!
Allon, gay . . .
Ho, ho! paix-la!, je le voy;
Il tette bien sans le doigt,
le petit Roy!
Allon, gay, gay, gay Bergeres
Allon, gay, soyez legeres,
Le Roy boit!
|
|
Let us go gaily, Shepherdesses,
Let us go gaily, be gentle,
follow me.
Let us go see the King,
Who from heaven is born on earth.
Let us go . . .
I'll make him a handsome present,
What? This tin whistle I have, so gay.
Let us go . . .
I will give him a cake. And I,
I'll offer him a full chalice.
Let us go . . .
Ah, hush: I see him
He's sucking well, not on his thumb,
the little King!
Let us go gaily, Shepherdesses,
Let us go gaily, be gentle,
The King is drinking!
|
Il est né le divin enfant
traditional French
|
Il est né le divin enfant,
Jouez hautbois, résonnez musettes;
Il est né le divin enfant,
Chantons tous son avènement.
Depuis plus de quatre mille ans
Nous le promettaient les prophètes,
Depuis plus de quatre mille ans
Nous attendions cet heuruex temps.
Il est né . . .
Ah! qu'il est beau, qu'il est charmant,
Ah! que ses grâces sont parfaites!
Ah! qu'il est beau, qu'il est charmant,
Qu'il est doux, ce divin enfant!
Il est né . . .
Une étable est son logement,
Un peu de paille est sa couchette;
Une étable est son logement,
Pour un Dieu qual abaissement!
Il est né . . .
O Jésus, roi tout puissant,
Si petit enfant que vous êtes;
O Jésus, roi tout puissant,
Régnez sur nous entièrement.
Il est né . . .
|
|
He is born, the divine child,
Oboes, play and bagpipes, sound;
He is born, the divine child,
Let us all sing his advent.
For more than four thousand years
The prophets have promised us this,
For more than four thousand years
We have awaited this happy time.
He is born . . .
Ah! how beautiful he is, how charming,
Ah! how perfect are his graces!
Ah! how beautiful he is, how charming,
How sweet he is, this divine child!
He is born . . .
A stable is his lodging,
A bit of straw his resting place;
A stable is his lodging,
For a God what humiliation!
He is born . . .
O Jesus, all-powerful king,
Though you are just a tiny child;
O Jesus, all-powerful king,
Reign over us entirely.
He is born . . .
|
Hacia Belén va un borrico
traditional Spanish
|
Hacia Belén va un borrico,
Yo me remendaba, yo me remendé,
cargado de chocolate.
Lleva su chocolatera,
Yo me remendaba, yo me remendé,
Yo m'eché un remiendo, yo me lo quité,
su molinillo y su anatre.
Maria, Maria, ven acá corriendo,
que al chocolatillo se lo están comiendo.
En el Portal de Belén,
Yo me remendaba, yo me remendé,
gitanillos han entrado;
y al Niño que está en la cuna
Yo me remendaba, yo me remendé,
Yo m'eché un remiendo, yo me lo quité,
los pañales le han quitado.
Maria, Maria, ven acá corriendo,
que las pañalillos
los están cogiendo.
Maria, Maria, ven acá volando,
que los pañalitos
los están llevando.
Con un sombrero de paja,
Yo me remendaba, yo me remendé,
al Portal llega un gallego;
mientras adoraba al Niño,
Yo me remendaba, yo me remendé,
Yo m'eché un remiendo, yo me lo quité,
el buey se comió el sombrero.
Maria, Maria, ven acá corriendo,
que el sombrero el buey se lo está comiendo.
Maria, Maria, ven acá volando,
consuela al gallego que está aquí llorando.
|
|
Towards Bethlehem goes a donkey,
I remember, I remember,
laden with chocolate.
It carries its chocolate-pot
I remember, I remember,
I remember, yet I forget,
its chocolate mill and its stove.
Mary, Mary, come here running,
because they are eating up all the chocolate.
Inside the gate of Bethlehem,
I remember, I remember,
gypsies have entered;
And from the child in the cradle,
I remember, I remember,
I remember, yet I forget,
The swaddling clothes they've taken,
Mary, Mary, come here running,
because they are seizing the
swaddling clothes.
Mary, Mary, come flying,
because they are carrying off the
swaddling clothes.
With a hat of straw
I remember, I remember,
at the gate arrives a Galician;
While he was worshipping the Child
I remember, I remember,
I remember, yet I forget,
a calf ate his sombrero.
Mary, Mary, come here running,
because the calf is eating the hat.
Mary, Mary, come here flying,
to comfort the Galician who is here crying.
|
Britten: A Shepherd's Carol
W. H. Auden
|
If Time were the wicked sheriff,
in a horse opera,
I'd pay for riding lessons
and take his gun away.
O lift . . .
If I were a Valentine,
and Fortune were abroad,
I'd hypnotise that iceberg
till she kissed me of her own accord.
O lift . . .
|
|
If I'd stacked up the velvet
and my crooked rib were dead,
I'd be breeding white canaries
and eating crackers in bed.
O lift . . .
But my cuffs are soiled and fraying.
The kitchen clock is slow,
and over the Blue Waters
the grass grew long ago.
O lift . . .
|
Howells: A Spotless Rose
14th-century text
|
A Spotless Rose is blowing,
Sprung from a tender root,
Of ancient seers' foreshowing,
Of Jesse promised fruit;
Its fairest bud unfolds to light
Amid the cold, cold winter,
And in the dark midnight.
|
|
The Rose which I am singing,
Whereof Isaiah said,
Is from its sweet root springing
In Mary, purest Maid;
For through our God's great love and might
The Blessed Babe she bare us
In a cold, cold winter's night.
|
Vaughan Williams: The Blessed Son of God
text by Miles Coverdale after Martin Luther
|
The blessed Son of God only
In a crib full poor did lie;
With our poor flesh and our poor blood
Was clothed that everlasting good
Kyrie eleison.[Lord have mercy.]
|
|
The Lord Christ Jesu, God's Son dear,
Was a guest and a stranger here;
Us for to bring from misery,
That we might live eternally.
Kyrie eleison.
|
Mathias: Sir Christèmas
text c. 1500
|
Nowell, nowell.
Who is there that singeth so?
I am here, Sir Christèmas.
Welcome, my lord Sir Christèmas!
Welcome to all, both more and less,
Come near. Nowell, nowell.
Dieu vous garde, beaux sieurs,
[God keep you, good lords,]
Tidings I you bring:
A maid hath borne a child full young,
Which causeth you to sing.
|
|
Nowell, nowell.
Christ is now born of a pure maid;
In an ox-stall he is laid,
Wherefore sing we all at a brayde:*
Nowell, nowell.
Buvez bien par toute la compagnie.
[Drink well, by all the company.]
Make good cheer and be right merry,
And sing with us now joyfully,
Nowell, nowell, nowell!
*together
|
|
