BellevueChamberChorus@yahoo.com

December 2005: Nowell Sing We

Veni, veni, Emanuel               medieval chant

Nova! nova!                          15^th c. carol

       soloists – Gene Buchholz, David Williams, Gordon Buck,

                     Larry Richardson, Dennis Defotis

Dadme albricias hijos d’Eva    16^th c. villancico

       soloists – Laura Every, Jeni Merilatt, Marc Popkin-Paine, Shawna Shapiro

Gaudete!                              16^th c. carol

       soloists – Frank Trujillo, Debra Nielsen, Vanessa Bradford, Mike Grube

O magnum mysterium           Tomás Luis de Victoria (1549-1611)

O magnum mysterium           Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)

Hodie Christus natus est          Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (ca.1525-1594)

A Hymn to the Virgin Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

       solo quartet - Marcia Olmsted, Melanie Grube, Marc Popkin-Paine, Frank Trujillo

Lux Aurumque                       Eric Whitacre (b.1970)

       soloist – Maria Bayer

Magnificat                             Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)

       Norma Aamodt-Nelson – organ

       soloists – Susan Stehl-Stohs, Denice Dameron

INTERMISSION

Wexford Carol                                Irish carol, arr. Dale Warland

       Louise Baldwin – flute

I Saw Three Ships                          English carol, arr. Mark Riese

       Denice Dameron – piano

Pastoral Dance on "Sussex Carol" Robin Milford (1903-1959)

       Norma Aamodt-Nelson – organ

Audience carol – O Come, All Ye Faithful arr. David Willcocks

There Is No Rose of Such Virtue  John Joubert (b.1927)

Lullay, My Liking                            Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

       Soloists – Meredith Selfon, Larry Richardson, Denice Dameron , Mike Grube

Audience carol – The First Noel     arr. David Willcocks

Fum, Fum, Fum Catalonian carol, arr. Mack Wilberg 

       Denice Dameron, Jeni Merilatt – piano

       Louise Baldwin – flute

El Rorro Mexican carol,              arr. Jeffrey Van

       Marlin Saner – guitar

Audience carol – What Child Is This? arr. Dale Warland

       Louise Baldwin – flute; Denice Dameron – piano

Prelude on "God rest you merry, gentlemen" John Rutter (b. 1945)

       Norma Aamodt-Nelson – organ

Sir Christèmas                                  William Mathias (1934-1992)

       Norma Aamodt-Nelson – organ

Program Notes

The text of the Advent song Veni, veni, Emanuel was in use as early as the 13^th century.  However, the familiar melody was first published in a 19^th century English collection, which claimed it had come from an ancient source; it was long thought by scholars to be a Victorian invention until this two-voiced version (albeit with different text) was discovered some forty years ago in a 15^th century manuscript from a French convent.

Come, o come, Emmanuel!  Redeem captive Israel,

That into exile has gone, far from God’s Son.

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Come, o come, Eastern Light; shine on our poor souls,

Dispel the darkness of night, and pierce the shadows of death.

Come, Key of David; open the way to heaven,

Make safe the road on high, and close the path to death.

Come, o come, Adonai, who in glorious majesty

Gave to your people on Sinai the old Law.

The rousing medieval English Annunciation carol Nova! nova! may have been based on a popular song of the time.  Its Latin refrain (“News! News! ‘Ave’ is made from ‘Eva’”) reflects the belief that the Virgin Mary was the new Eve, with the angelic “Ave Maria” signaling the coming end of the reign of original sin.

An anonymous Spanish Christmas song, the charming Dadme albricias hijos d’Eva is found along with many similar pieces in the collection Villancico de diversos autores, published in Venice in 1556.  It displays the dance-like rhythms and rustic poetry common to the villancico genre.

Bring me glad tidings, children of Eve!
Pray tell, whence do they come?
The new Adam is born.
Oh, Son of God, what glad tidings these are!

Bring the news and be glad,
For tonight has been born the promised Messiah,

God and man conceived of a woman!

And his birth frees us from our sins and all anxiety.
The new Adam is born.
Oh, Son of God, what glad tidings these are!

A famous Finnish collection of sacred songs (Piae Cantiones, 1582) is the source of the exuberant Gaudete! (as well as the popular Good King Wenceslas), though the song also carries a wide-ranging pedigree.  The refrain uses music that was sung as a Lutheran table grace in Germany, while the text and music of the verses are based on medieval Bohemian sources.

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Christ is born of the Virgin Mary; rejoice!
The time of grace has come for which we have prayed;

let us devoutly sing songs of joy.  Rejoice…
God is made human, while nature wonders;

the world is renewed by Christ the King.  Rejoice…
The closed gate of Ezekiel has been passed through;

from where the light has risen, salvation is found.  Rejoice…
Therefore let our assembly sing praises at this time of purification;

let it bless the Lord: greetings to our King!  Rejoice…

Though there are no biblical references to animals at the manger, they have been depicted by artists and poets from very early on, including the marvelous liturgical text of O magnum mysterium.  We present perhaps the two most well-known musical settings, separated by some 400 years of time but remarkably compatible in mood: Victoria’s sublime Renaissance version, and Poulenc’s alternately tender and dramatic 20^th century rendition, from his “Quatre Motets pour le temps de Noël” of 1952.

O great mystery and wondrous sign,

that animals should see the birth of the Lord, lying in the manger.

O blessed virgin, whose womb was worthy

to carry the Lord Jesus Christ: Alleluia.

A paraphrase of Luke 2:11ff. and Psalm 33, the text of Hodie Christus natus est is appointed for the second evening service of Christmas Day in the Roman rite, where it precedes the Song of Mary, the Magnificat.  Palestrina’s version for double chorus provides an especially jubilant setting.

Today Christ is born.  Noe!

 Today the Savior has appeared.  Noe!

 Today on earth the angels sing, the archangels rejoice.

 Today the righteous exult, saying:

 Glory to God in the highest!   Noe!

Written in 1930 while the composer was still a student, A Hymn to the Virgin was one of Britten’s earliest published works.  The English sections of the 13^th century text are sung by the full chorus, while a solo quartet intones the Latin phrases in antiphonal response.  Britten’s music skillfully combines a medieval modal flavor with some striking contemporary harmonies.

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 being 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]

Lady, flow'r of ev'rything,
    Rosa sine spina, [rose without thorn]
Thou bare Jesu, Heaven's King,
    Gratia divina: [by grace divine]
Of all thou bear'st the prize,
Lady, queen of paradise.
    Electa: [chosen]
Maid mild, mother es Effecta.
    Effecta. [you are fulfilled]

American composer Eric Whitacre composed his Lux Aurumque in 2001.  Its languid, dense chords and subtle word painting create an ethereal sound picture of the elegantly simple text by Edward Esch.  (Originally in English, it was translated into Latin at the composer’s request by the celebrated American poet Charles Anthony Silvestri.)

Light, warm and heavy as pure gold,

and the angels sing softly

to the new-born baby.

British composer Gerald Finzi’s sumptuous setting of the well-known Magnificat text (Luke 1:46ff.) was composed in 1952 for the choirs of Smith and Amherst Colleges in Massachusetts.  The long, supple vocal lines, lush harmonies, and effective text painting (note especially “He hath scattered the proud…” and “He hath put down the mighty…”) combine to form a stunningly beautiful and dramatic rendering of Mary’s song of praise.

Among the traditional carols of the second half of the program are three original carols by 20^th century British composers setting medieval and Renaissance texts.  South African born John Joubert provides a beautifully simple rendition of There Is No Rose of Such Virtue (1954).

 There is no rose of such virtue

As is the rose that bare Jesu: Alleluia.

     For in this rose contained was

     Heaven and earth in little space: Res miranda. [A thing of wonder]

By that rose we may well see

There be one God in Persons Three: Pares forma. [Equal in form]

     Then leave we all this worldly mirth

     And follow we this joyous birth: Transeamus. [Let us go]

Holst’s equally simple and lovely Lullay My Liking tenderly depicts Mary’s lullaby to her newborn son.  Finally, the lively conclusion to our program, Sir Christèmas (1970) by Welsh composer Mathias, sets a wonderful text with a delightful mix of secular and sacred themes as well as both English and French phrases (“The Lord protect you, good sirs.” and “Drink well, your entire company!”).  It also brings our good wishes to all for a joyous holiday season.  Nowell!