VOXmas

Veni, veni Emmanuel – arr. Christopher Mason

 

Veni, veni Emmanuel!

Captivum solve Israel!

Qui gemit in exilio,

Privatus Dei Filio.

 

Refrain

Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel

nascetur pro te, Israel. 

 

Veni o Jesse virgula!

Ex hostis tuos ungula,

De specu tuos tartari

Educ, et antro barathri. Refrain

 

Veni, veni o Oriens!

Solare nos adveniens,

Noctis depelle nebulas,

Dirasque noctis tenebras. Refrain

 

Veni clavis Davidica!

Regna reclude coelica,

Fac iter Tutum superum,

Et claude vias Inferum. Refrain

      -Advent Hymn

 

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel;

That mourns in lonely exile here,

Until the Son of God appear.

 

Refrain

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

 

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save,

And give them victory o'er the grave. Refrain

 

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer,

Our Spirits by Thine Advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death's dark shadows put to flight. Refrain

 

O come, Thou Key of David, come

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery. Refrain

​

Now may we Singen – Cecilia McDowall

​

The Babe to us that now is born,
Wonderful works He hath ywrought,
He would not loss what was forlorn,
But boldly again it bought;

 

Refrain:
And thus it is Forsooth ywis,
He asketh nought but that is His.
Now may we singen as it is.
Quod puer natus est nobis.

​

This bargain loved He right well,
The price was high and bought full dear.
Who would suffer and for us feel
As did that Prince withouten peer? Refrain

​

His ransom for us hath ypaid;
Good reason have we to be His.
Be mercy asked and He be prayed,
Who may deserve the heavenly bliss. Refrain

​

To some purpose God made man;
I trust well to salvation.
What was his blood that from him ran
But fence against damnation? Refrain

​

Almighty God in Trinity,
Thy mercy we pray with whole heart,
Thy mercy may all woe make fell
And dangerous dread from us to start. Refrain

      -15th century English carol

​

Drop down, Ye Heavens, from Above – Judith Weir

 

Drop down ye heavens from above,

And let the skies pour down righteousness.

Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people;

My salvation shall not tarry.

I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions.

Fear not, for I will save thee;

For I am the Lord thy God,

The holy one of Israel, thy redeemer.

Drop down ye heavens from above,

And let the skies pour down righteousness.

      -Antiphon for Matins in Advent

​

Est ist ein Ros – Jan Sandström

​

Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming

From tender stem hath sprung!

Of Jesse's lineage coming

As men of old have sung.

It came, a flower bright,

Amid the cold of winter

When half-gone was the night.

 

Isaiah 'twas foretold it,

The Rose I have in mind:

With Mary we behold it,

The virgin mother kind.

To show God's love aright

She bore to men a Savior

When half-gone was the night.

 

This Flower, whose fragrance tender

With sweetness fills the air,

Dispels with glorious splendor

The darkness everywhere.

True man, yet very God,

From sin and death He saves us

And lightens every load

      -German carol, trans. Theodore Baker

​

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly – arr. David Willcocks

 

Infant holy, infant lowly,

for his bed a cattle stall;

oxen lowing, little knowing

Christ the babe is Lord of all.

Swiftly winging angels singing,

bells are ringing, tidings bringing:

Christ the child is Lord of all!

Christ the child is Lord of all! 

      -Polish carol, trans. Edith M. G. Reed

​

I Wonder as I Wander – arr. John Rutter

​

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,

How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.

For poor on'ry people like you and like I...

I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

 

When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall,

With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.

But high from God's heaven a star's light did fall,

And the promise of ages it then did recall.

      -John Jacob Niles

​

Lo How a Rose/The Rose – arr. Craig Hella Johnson

 

Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming 

From tender stem hath sprung.

 

Some say love, it is a river that drowns the tender reed;

 

Of Jesse's lineage coming 

As men of old have sung.

 

Some say love, it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed;

 

It came, a Flow'ret bright,

 

Some say love, it is a hunger; an endless aching need;

 

Amid the cold of winter

 

I say love, it is a flower; and you, its only seed. 

 

When half-spent was the night.

 

It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance; 

It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance; 

It's the one who won't be taken who cannot seem to give;

And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.

 

This Flow'r, whose fragrance tender 

With sweetness fills the air,

 

When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long;

 

Dispels with glorious splendor 

The darkness ev'rywhere.

​

And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong;

 

True Man, yet very God,

 

Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snow;

 

From sin and death He saves us

 

Lies the seed that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes the rose.

 

And lightens ev'ry load.

 

       -Michael Praetorius and Amanda McBroom

​

Duerme Negrito - arr. Emile Solé

 

Duerme, duerme negrito,

que tu mama e’ta en el campo negrito.

Drume, drume mobila.

 

Te va a traé’ codonise para tí,

Te va a traé’ fruta fre’ca para tí,

Te va a traè’ ca’ne de ce’do para tí,

Te va a traé’ mucha’ cosa’ para tí.

 

Y si negro no se duerme,

viene e’ diablo blanco y zàs

le come la patica chica bú,

aprua chica bú.

 

Duerme, duerme negrito,

que tu mama e’ta en el campo negrito.

 

Trabajando duramente, trabajando si,

trabajando y no le pagan, trabajando si,

Trabajando y va tosiendo, trabajando si,

P’al negrito chiquitito,

P’al negrito si.

 

Sleep, sleep little black one,

your mama’s in the fields, little one.

Sleep, sleep little one.

 

She’s going to bring quail for you,

she’s going to bring fresh fruit for you,

she’s going to bring pork for you,

she’s going to bring many things for you.

 

And if the black one doesn’t go sleep,

the white devil will come and zap!

he’ll eat your little foot, chica bú;

hurry, chica bú!

 

Sleep, sleep little black one,

your mama’s in the fields, little one.

 

She’s working hard, working, yes,

working and they don’t pay her, working, yes,

working and she’s coughing, working, yes,

for her sweet little black one,

for her little one, yes.

      -Latin American lullaby, trans. Carlos López

​

Desvelado Dueño mio – Tomás de Torrejón y Velasco

​

Desvelado dueño mio, que a tantos rigores naces.

Duerme al arro, al arrullo que tiernas entonan las aves.

Duerme al arro, al arrullo instrumento de plata suave.

Cese mi niño desvelo tan grande,

Cese al arro, al arrullo instrumento de plata suave.

Cese al arro, al arrullo que tiernas entonan las aves.

 

Duerme soberano Niño neto aljófar

No derrames que de esos que lloras néctares

Nácares son tus mejillas rosadas fragantes.

Al arro…

      -Carol from Baroque Peru

 

Sleepless Lord, born to suffer.

Hushabye, let the soft murmuring of birds lull you.

Hushabye, let the sweetness of silver calm you.

Let your crying stop and sleep now,

Quieted by sweet silver and tender birds.

 

Sleep sovereign child, clear jewel,

Let no pearly tears fall on your rosy cheeks.

Hushabye…

 

We are Held – Susan LaBarr

 

As the sunset by the sky,

And as all the birds that fly,

By His arms, both you and I,

We are held.

 

As the ship is by the sea,

And the nest upon the tree,

Ever cradled, ever free,

We are held.

 

As a tune rung clear and fair,

And the silence trailing there,

As this music by the air,

We are held.

 

As our life is by its span,

So we rest in God’s own hand,

And are bold to sing again:

We are held!

      -Robert Bode

 

Hail Mary! – William Dawson

 

Mary had a lit’l’ baby born in Bethlehem,

Ev’ry time the lit’l’ baby cried, 

She rock’d Him in a weary lan’.

 

Refrain

Ain’t that arockin’ for the worl’

Ain’t that arockin’ for the worl’

Ain’t that arockin’ for the worl’

Oh, she rock’d an’rock’d,

She rock’d Him in a weary lan’.

 

He was born in a lowly manger,

‘Cause there was foun’ no room in the Inn;

Ev’ry time the lit’l’ baby cried,

She rock’d Him in a weary lan’. Refrain

 

Yes, there were shepherds abidin’ in the field,

Keepin’ watch o’er their flock by night.

“Unto you a Babe is born this day,”

Said the angel of the Lord to the shepherds in the field.

Angel call’d Him “Christ the Lord,”

But I call my Jesus “King Emmanuel.”

Ev’ry time the lit’l’ baby cried,

She rock’d Him in a weary lan’.

 

Hail! Mary, Virgin Mary,

Hail! Mary, Virgin Mary,

Hail! “Chile of God.”

 

There were shepherds abidin’ in the field,  

Keepin’ watch o’er their flock by night.

“Unto you a Babe is born this day,”

Said the angel of the Lord to the shepherds in the field.

Angel call’d Him “Christ the Lord,”

But I call my Jesus “King Emmanuel.”

Ev’ry time the lit’l’ baby cried,

She rock’d Him in a weary lan’. Hail! Refrain

 

Oh, she rock’d and rock’d all night long.

       -African American spiritual

​

Dormi, Jesu – Edmund Rubbra

 

Dormi, Jesu! Mater ridet

Quae tam dulcem somnum videt,

Dormi, Jesu! blandule!

 

Si non dormis, Mater plorat,

Inter fila cantans orat,

Blande, veni, somnule.

 

Sleep, Jesus! Mother smiles

Who sees such sweet sleep,

Sleep, Jesus, gentling!

 

If you sleep not, Mother weeps,

While she spins, in song she prays,

Come, gentle little sleep.

      -Hieronymus Wierix 

 

Joy and Woe are Woven Fine – Cecilia McDowall

​

It is right it should be so;
Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.

Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine.
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.
      -William Blake

 

There’s Still my Joy – Beth Neilsen Chapman

 

I took my tree down to the shore,

The garland, and the silver star,

To find my peace, and grieve no more,

To heal this place inside my heart.

 

On every branch I laid some bread,

And hungry birds filled up the sky.

They rang thy bells around my head.

They sang my spirit back to life.

 

Refrain

One tiny child can change the world.

One shining light can show the way.

For all my tears, for what I've lost,

There's still my joy.

There's still my joy,

For Christmas day.

 

The snow comes down on empty sand.

There's tinsel moonlight on the waves.

My soul was lost, but here I am.

So this must be amazing grace. Refrain

      -Melissa Manchester, Matt Rollings, and Beth Chapman

 

In dulci jubilo – arr. Matthew Culloton

 

In dulci jubilo (in sweet joy)

Let us our homage show,

Our heart’s joy reclineth

In praesepio (in a manger)

And like a bright star shineth

Matris in gremio (in your mother’s lap)

Alpha es et O. (Beginning and ending)

 

O Jesu parvule! (O infant Jesus)

I year for thee alway!

Hear me, I beseech thee,

O Puer optime! (O best of boys)

My prayer let it reach thee,

O Princeps gloriae; (Prince of Glory)

Trahe me post te. (Draw me after you to heaven)

 

O Patris caritas! (O love of the Father)

Nati lenitas! (O mercy of the Son)

Deeply were we stained,

Per nostra crimina; (through our sins)

But thou has for us gained

Coelorum gaudia! (the joys of heaven)

O that we were there!

 

Ubi sunt gaudia, (Where are joys)

Where, if they be not there?

There are angels sing

Nova cantica! (new songs)

There the bells are ringing

In Regis curia. (in the King’s courts)

O that we were there!

      -Carol from the German Middle Ages

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La Peregrinación – arr. Peter Knight

​

A la huella, a la huella

José y María

Por las pampas heladas

Cardos y ortigas.

 

A la huella, a la huella

Cortando campo

No hay cobijo ni fonda

Sigan andando.

 

Florecita del campo,

Clavel del aire

Si ninguno te aloja

¿A dónde naces?

 

¿Donde naces, florcita?

Que estas creciendo,

Palomita asustada,

Grillo sin sueño.

 

A la huella, a la huella

José y María

Con un dios escondido

Nadie sabía.

 

A la huella, a la huella

Los peregrinos

Préstenme una tapera

Para mi niño.

 

A la huella, a la huella

Soles y lunas

Los ojitos de almendra

Piel de aceituna.

 

Ay burrito del campo

Ay buey barcino

Mi niño esta viniendo

Háganle sitio.

 

Un ranchito de quincha

Solo me ampara

Dos alientos amigos

La luna clara

 

A la huella, a la huella

José y María

Con un dios escondido

Nadie sabía.

      -Ariel Ramírez

 

Follow the trail, follow the trail
Joseph and Mary
Across the frozen Pampas (South American plains)
Thistles and nettles. 

Follow the trail, follow the trail
Cutting through the fields
There is no shelter, no inn
Keep on walking. 

 

Little flower in the field,
Carnation of the air
If no one puts you up
Where will you be born?

Where will you be born, little flower?
Now that you are growing
Frightened dove,
Sleepless cricket.

 

Follow the trail, follow the trail
Joseph and Mary
With a hidden god
Nobody knew

Follow the trail, follow the trail
The pilgrims
Lend me a ruined house
For my child

Follow the trail, follow the trail
Through suns and moons
The little almond eyes
Olive skin. 

 

Oh, little donkey in the field
Oh, reddish-grey ox
My child is coming
Make some space for him

A thatched hut
Is the only shelter I have
Two friendly breaths (the ox and the donkey)
The bright moon 

Follow the trail, follow the trail
Joseph and Mary
With a hidden god
Nobody knew

 

O magnum mysterium – César Carillo

 

O magnum mysterium,

et admirabile sacramentum,

ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,

iacentem in praesepio!

 

Beata Virgo, cujus viscera

meruerunt portare

Dominum Iesum Christum.

Alleluia!

      -Third and Fourth Responsories from Matins on Christmas Day

 

O great mystery,

and wonderful sacrament,

that animals should see the newborn Lord,

lying in a manger!

 

Blessed is the virgin whose womb

was worthy to bear

the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Alleluia!

​

The Work of Christmas – Dan Forrest

When the song of the angels is stilled, 

When the star in the sky is gone, 

When the kings and princes are home, 

When the shepherds are back with their flock, 

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among others,

To make music in the heart.

      -Howard Thurman

 

Litany – John Musto

​

Gather up

In the arms of your pity

The sick, the depraved,

The desperate, the tired,

All the scum

Of our weary city.

 

Gather up

In the arms of your pity.

Gather up

In the arms of your love–

Those who expect

No love from above.

      -Langston Hughes

 

Mary’s Lullaby – Fredrik Sixton 

​

Sleep, my star, sleep, my child,

Sleep, my little flower,

Sleep little bird above in the sky.

All is calm, the sky is alight.

Sleep, my star, hush, my child,

Sleep my starbird flower.

      -Bo Setterlind, Trans. Fredrik Gildea

 

Silent night, holy night!

All is calm, all is bright

round yon virgin mother and child.

Holy Infant, so tender and mild,

sleep in heavenly peace, 

sleep in heavenly peace.

 

Silent night, holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight.

Glories stream from heaven afar,

heav’nly hosts sing, Alleluia!

Christ, the Savior, is born! 

Christ, the Savior, is born!

 

Silent night, holy night!

Son of God, love’s pure light

radiant beams from thy holy face

with the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

​

One Sweet Little Baby – Shawn Kirchner

​

O Mary, shining glory! The lord smiles upon you.
What a blessing is this little baby that you brought to our world,

​

Chorus
O all for the love of one sweet little baby, All for the love of one sweet baby child, All for the love of one sweet little baby, We have come so far.

O, a good old man named Simeon said, “I’m never gonna rest
‘Til I see that Messiah child and hold him to my breast.” Chorus

​

Many gonna speak against you, child, they’ll crucify all that’s true.
And your mother Mary she will bear a pain that will pierce her heart through. Chorus

​

O Jerusalem, your children are so tired of war.
My Lord, it’s time to walk with your children once more. Chorus

      -Glenn McClure and Wes Kennison