A Spectrum Singers Christmas Celebration
Saturday, December 12, 1998 at 8:00 pm.
William Mathias
 Wassail Carol, A Babe is Born
Zoltán Kodály
Veni, veni Emmanuel
William Walton
What Cheer?
Benjamin Britten
A Boy was Born, Three excerpts
Theme: A Boy was Born
Variation III: Jesu, as Thou are our Saviour
Variation V: In the Bleak Mid-Winter
Gustav Holst
This have I done for my true love, In the Bleak Mid-Winter
Healey Willan
Hodie, Christus natus est
Elizabeth Poston
Jesus Christ, the Apple Tree
Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Messe de Minuit pour Noël (ca 1690) with a consort of period instruments
Program notes
Texts and translations
Translations from Latin copyright (c) 1998 by Grant Hicks
Wassail Carol
William Mathias
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Wassail, sing we in worship of
 Christ's nativity.
Now joy be to the Trinity,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
That one God is in Trinity,
Father of heaven, of mightès most.
And joy to the virgin pure
That ever kept her undefiled,
Grounded in grace, in heart full sure,
And bare a child as maiden mild.
Bethlehem and the star so shen,
That shone three kingès for to guide,
Bear witness of this maiden clean;
The kingès three offered that tide.
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And shepherd heard, as written is,
The joyful song that there was sung:
Gloria in excelsis!
With angel's voice it was out rung.
Now joy be to the blessedful child,
And joy be to his mother dear;
Joy we all of that maiden mild,
And joy have they that make good cheer.
Wassail, sing we in worship of
Christ's nativity.
-- Anonymous (16th c.)
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Veni, veni Emmanuel
Zoltán Kodály
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Veni, veni Emmanuel,
Captivum solve Israel,
Qui gemit in exilio
Privatus Dei Filio.
Gaude, gaude! Emmanuel
nascetur pro te, Israel.
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Come, come Emmanuel
Free captive Israel,
Which laments in exile,
Deprived of God's Son.
Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel
Is born for you, Israel.
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Veni, o Jesse Virgula;
Ex hostis tuos ungula,
De specu tuos tartari
Deduc et antro barathri.
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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.
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Veni, veni, o Oriens
Solare nos adveniens;
Noctis depele nebulas
Dirasque noctis tenebras.
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Come, come, O Rising Sun
Arriving to shine upon us;
Drive away the clouds of night
And also night's fearful shadows.
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Veni clavis Davidica;
Regna reclude caelica;
Fac iter tutum superum,
Et claude vias inferum.
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Come, key of David;
Unlock the heavenly kingdom;
Make safe the path of this world
And close the routes to the lower world.
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Veni, veni Adonai,
Qui populo in Sinai
Legem dedisti vertice,
In majestate gloriae.
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Come, O come Lord
Who atop Sinai
Gave the law to your people
In the majesty of your glory.
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-- from an 18th century French Missal
What Cheer?
William Walton
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What cheer? Good Cheer!
Be merry and glad this good New Year!
Lift up your hearts and be glad
In Christ's birth the angel bade,
Say each to other, if any be sad:
What cheer?
Now the King of heav'n his birth hath take,
Joy and mirth we ought to make:
Say each to other, for his sake:
What cheer?
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I tell you all with heart so free:
Right welcome, welcome, ye be to me:
Be glad and merry, for charity!
What cheer? Good cheer!
Be merry and glad, this good New Year!
-- Richard Hill's Commonplace
Book, (16th c.)
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A Boy was Born
(three excerpts)
Benjamin Britten
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Theme:
"A Boy was Born"
A Boy was born in Bethlehem
Rejoice for that, Jerusalem!
Alleluya.
He let himself a servant be,
That all mankind he might set free:
Alleluya.
Then praise the Word of God who came
To dwell within a human frame:
Alleluya.
-- Text translated from 16th c.
German by N.S.T. in the
Oxford Book of Carols
Variation III:
"Jesu, as Thou art our Savior"
Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, Jesu,
Save us all through Thy virtue.
Jesu, as Thou art our Saviour
That thou save us fro dolour!
Jesu is mine paramour.
Blessed be Thy name, Jesu.
Jesu was born of a may,
Upon Christëmas day,
She was may beforn and ay,
Blessed be Thy name, Jesu.
-- Anonymous (15th c.)
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Variation V:
"In the Bleak Mid-Winter"
In the Bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the Bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
Lully, lulley, lully, lulley,
The falcon hath borne my make away.
He bare him up, he bare him down,
He bare him into an orchard brown.
In that orchard there was an hall
That was hangëd with purple and pall.
And in that hall there was a bed,
It was hangëd with gold so red.
In that bed there lieth a knight,
His woundës bleeding, day and night.
By that bedside kneeleth a may,
And she weepeth both night and day.
And by that bedside there standeth a stone,
Corpus Christi written thereon.
-- Chorus verse:
Christina G. Rossetti
-- Solo verse:
Anonymous (15th c.)
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In the Bleak Mid-Winter
Gustav Holst
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In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter
Long ago.
Angels and archangels
May have gathered there
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air:
But only his mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.
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What can I give him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man
I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him --
Give my heart.
-- Christina G. Rossetti
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Hodie, Christus natus est
Healey Willan
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Hodie, Christus natus est:
Hodie, Salvator apparuit:
Hodie, in terra canunt Angeli:
Laetantur Archangeli:
Hodie, exultant justi, dicentes:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Alleluya.
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Christ is born today.
The Savior has appeared.
Today on Earth the angels sing
And the archangels rejoice.
Today the righteous exalt, saying,
"Glory to God in the Highest!
Allelujah!"
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This have I done for my true love
Gustav Holst
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Tomorrow shall be my dancing day,
I would my true love did so chance
To see the legend of my play,
To call my true love to the dance.
Sing oh my love, oh my love, my love,
my love,
This have I done for my true love.
Then was I born of a Virgin pure,
Of her I took fleshly substance:
Then was I knit to man's nature,
To call my true love to my dance.
Sing oh my love...
In a manger laid and wrapp'd I was,
So very poor this was my chance,
Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass,
To call my true love to the dance.
Sing oh my love...
Then afterwards baptised I was,
The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
My Father's voice heard from above,
To call my true love to my dance.
Sing oh my love...
Into the desert I was led,
Where I fasted without substance:
The Devil bade me make stones my bread,
To have me break my true love's dance.
Sing oh my love...
The Jews on me they made great suit,
And with me made great variance,
Because they loved darkness better than light,
to call my true love to the dance.
Sing oh my love...
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For thirty pence Judas me sold,
His covetousness for to advance;
Mark whom I kiss, the same do hold,
The same is he shall lead the dance.
Sing oh my love...
Before Pilate the Jews me brought,
when Barabbas had deliverance;
They scourged me and set me at nought,
Judged me to die to lead the dance.
Sing oh my love...
When on the cross hanged I was;
When a spear to my heart did glance,
There issued forth both water and blood,
To call my true love to the dance.
Sing oh my love...
Then down to Hell I took my way,
For my true love's deliverance,
And rose again again on the third day,
Up to my true love and the dance,
Sing oh my love...
Then up to Heav'n I did ascend,
Where now I dwell in sure substance,
On the right hand of God
that man may come into the general dance.
Sing oh my love...
-- Traditional Cornish carol from
Sandys, Christmas Carols,
Ancient and Modern (1833)
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Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
Elizabeth Poston
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The tree of life my soul hath seen,
Laden with fruit, and always green:
The trees of nature fruitless be
Compared with Christ the apple tree.
His beauty doth all things excel:
By faith I know, but ne'er can tell
The glory which I now can see
In Jesus Christ the apple tree.
For happiness I long have sought,
And pleasure dearly I have bought:
I missed of all; but now I see
'Tis found in Christ the apple tree.
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I'm weary with my former toil,
Here I will sit and rest awhile:
Under the shadow I will be,
Of Jesus Christ the apple tree.
This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,
It keeps my dying faith alive;
Which makes my soul in haste to be
With Jesus Christ the apple tree.
-- Anonymous
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A Babe is Born
William Mathias
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A babe is born all of a may,
To bring salvation unto us.
To him we sing both night and day.
Veni Creator Spiritus. (Come, Creator
Spirit)
At Bethlehem, that blessed place,
The child of bliss now born he was;
And him to serve God give us grace,
O lux beata Trinitas. (O light, blessed
Trinity)
There came three kings out of the East,
To worship the King that is so free,
With gold and myrrh and frankincense,
A solis ortus cardine. (From the sun's
rising)
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The angels came down with one cry,
A fair song that night sung they
In worship of that child:
Gloria tibi Domine. (Glory to you, O
Lord)
A babe is born all of a may,
To bring salvation unto us.
To him we sing both night and day.
Veni Creator Spiritus. (Come, Creator
Spirit)
Noël!
-- Anonymous (15th c.)
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Messe de Minuit pour Noël
Marc-Antoine Charpentier
| Kyrie |
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Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.
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Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
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| Gloria |
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Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra
pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
Laudamus te, benedicimus te,
adoramus te, glorificamus te.
Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam
gloriam tuam.
Domine Deus, rex coelestis, Deus
pater omnipotens.
Domine fili unigenite Jesu
Christe,
Domine Deus, agnus Dei, filius
patris.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere
nobis.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe
deprecationem nostram.
Qui sedes ad dexteram patris,
miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus
Dominus, tu solus altissimus,
Jesu Christe, cum sancto Spiritu in
gloria Dei patris. Amen.
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Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace to men of good will.
We praise you, we bless you, we worship
you, we glorify you.
We give thanks to you for your great
glory.
O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the
Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jesus
Christ.
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the
Father.
You who take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
You who take away the sins of the world,
hear our prayer.
You who sit at the right hand of the
Father, have mercy on us.
For you alone are holy, you alone are
Lord, you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the
glory of God the Father. Amen.
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| Credo |
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Credo in unum Deum, patrem
omnipotentem, factorem coeli et
terrae, visibilium omnium et
invisibilium.
Et in unum Dominum Jesu Christum,
filium Dei unigenitum, et ex
patre natum ante omnia saecula.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine,
Deum verum de Deo vero,
genitum non factum,
consubstantialem patri, per quem
omnia facta sunt,
qui propter nos homines et propter
nostram salutem descendit de coelis.
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu sancto
ex Maria virgine, et homo factus est.
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis, sub
Pontio Pilato passus et sepultus est,
et resurrexit tertia die secundum
scripturas, et ascendit in
coelum, sedet ad dexteram
patris,
et iterum venturus est cum gloria
iudicare vivos et mortuos, cuius
regni non erit finis.
Et in Spiritum sanctum, Dominum
et vivificantem, qui ex patre
filioque procedit,
qui cum patre et filio simul adoratur
et conglorificatur, qui locutus est
per prophetas.
Et unam sanctam catholicam et
apostolicam ecclesiam.
Confiteor unum baptisma in
remissionem peccatorum,
et expecto resurrectionem
mortuorum, et vitam venturi
saeculi.
Amen.
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I believe in one God, the Father
Almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and
invisible,
and in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the
only-begotten Son of God, born of
the Father before all worlds:
God from God, light from light, true God
from true God,
begotten, not made, of one substance with
the Father, by whom all things were
made;
who for us men and for our salvation
descended from heaven
and became flesh of the Holy Spirit, born
of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
He was crucified for us, suffered under
Pontius Pilate and was buried;
and he rose again on the third day, in
accordance with the scriptures, and
ascended to heaven, and sits at the right
hand of the Father.
And he will return again in glory to judge
the living and the dead, and his
kingdom will know no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, Lord
and Giver of Life, who proceeds from
the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and Son together is
worshipped and glorified, and who spoke
through the Prophets.
And I believe in one Holy Catholic and
Apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the
remission of sins.
And I await the resurrection of the
dead, and the life of the world to
come.
Amen.
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| Sanctus |
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Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus
Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.
Osanna in excelsis.
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Holy, holy, holy Lord God of
Hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
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| Benedictus |
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Benedictus qui venit in nomine
Domini.
Osanna in excelsis.
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Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
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| Agnus Dei |
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Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
dona nobis pacem.
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Lamb of God, who takes away the sins
of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins
of the world, grant us peace.
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