Music & Art @ Trinity presents

Ross W. Duffin,Artistic Director Carols forQuire from the Old & NewWorlds Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland December 22-23, 2011 — Please hold your applause until the end of each set. —

Out from lands of Orient (Orientis partibus) Anonymous French, 13th century Gabriel from heaven’s king (Angelus ad virginem) Anonymous English, 13th century There is no rose Anonymous English, 15th century Ave rex angelorum Anonymous English, 15th century Nowell sing we Anonymous English, 15th century Quid petis, o fili? Richard Pygott (ca.1485–1549) E la don don Anonymous (Cancionero de Upsala, 1556) Dadme albricias Anonymous (Cancionero de Upsala, 1556) A solis ortus cardine Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–1594) This day Christ was born William Byrd (ca.1540–1623) — Intermission — Joseph est bien marié French 17th century, arr. R. Duffin Quelle est cette odeur agréable? French ca.1700, arr. RD Tous les bourgeois de Châtre French 17th century, arr. RD Tous les bourgeois de Châtre (noël pour orgue) Claude-Bénigne Balbastre (1727–1799) Jonathan William Moyer, organ Canite tuba in Sion Jakob Handl (1550–1591) Personent hodie Anonymous (Piae cantiones, 1582), arr. RD Puer natus in Bethlehem Anonymous (Piae cantiones, 1582), arr. RD Verbum caro factum est Anonymous (Piae cantiones, 1582), arr. RD Gaudete Anonymous (Piae cantiones, 1582), arr. RD Quiet Promise (2011) Jennifer Conner (b.1962) In the bleak midwinter Gustav Holst (1874–1934) The holly and the ivy arr. Henry Walford Davies (1869–1941) A spotless rose Herbert Howells (1892–1983) ABOUT Q UIRE Quire Cleveland is a professional choral ensemble founded in 2008 to perform the glorious choral masterpieces of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras, and beyond. Members of the ensemble are highly-trained musicians, collectively representing nearly 500 years of choral experience. In addition to being soloists and choral leaders at many of the major churches in the Greater Cleveland area, including the Cathedral of St. John, Church of the Covenant, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and Trinity Cathedral, among others, they have sung together in historically-informed ensembles, such as the Case Western Reserve University Early Music Singers and Apollo’s Singers of Apollo’s Fire. Quire performs nine centuries of a cappella repertoire. The ClevelandPlain Dealer has praised “the inspired voices of Quire Cleveland” and the group’s “exceptional purity of pitch” and, according to Cool Cleveland, “the joyful sounds could easily have soared to the very heavens.”

Q UIRE CLEVELAND Sopranos: Donna Fagerhaug, Elena Mullins, Judith Overcash, Lisa Rainsong, Sian Ricketts, Gail West Altos: Tracy Cowart, John McElliott, Debra Nagy, Beverly Simmons Tenors: Evan Bescan, Frank Blackman, Peter Hampton, Tyler Skidmore Basses: Jonathan F. Cooper, Ian Crane, José Gotera, Nathan Longnecker, Ray Lyons, Jonathan Moyer Board of Directors: John West, esq, President; Ross W. Duffin,dma , Artistic Director; Beverly Simmons, dma, Executive Director; John McElliott, Secretary/Treasurer; Richard Rodda, ph.d. Quire Cleveland is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit organization.

Artistic Director and tenor Ross W. Duffin was born in London, Ontario, and attended the University of Western Ontario there. He received his master’s and doctoral degrees from Stanford University, where he specialized in the performance practice of early music. He came to Case Western Reserve University in 1978 to direct the nationally recognized historical performance program there. Ross has made a name for himself as a scholar in a wide range of repertoires, publishing articles on music from the 13th to the 18th centuries. His edition of DuFay chansons won the Noah Greenberg Award from the American Musicological Society for work of benefit to both scholars and performers, and his Shakespeare’s Songbook won the inaugural Claude Palisca Prize, also from the AMS. Other “vocal” publications include his edition of Josquin motets from Oxford University Press, an edition of motets from the Jacobean period, and a reconstruction of the early Tudor St. Matthew Passion by Richard Davy, both from A-R Editions. Ross’s love of vocal ensemble singing has a familial background, since his grandfather, William Nelson, was a professional countertenor in London, England, and was soloist for Harold Darke and later Herbert Murrill, and his mother conducted her church choir, making him a third-generation choral conductor. He has sung with Apollo’s Fire since its inception in 1992. He also directs the Early Music Singers at CWRU. Composer Jennifer Conner was a Regents scholar at the University of California Irvine, where she received three undergraduate degrees in music, dance, and fine arts disciplinary. She did her master’s and doctoral work at the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying under Donald Erb. She also studied with New York composer George Tsontakis and participated in the Aspen Music Festival Center for Advanced Compositional Studies under Bernard Rands. Her orchestral music has been performed by the Cleveland Orchestra, as well as the Oregon, Akron, Canton, and Grand Rapids Symphonies; she has had performances by soloists and chamber ensembles, including Panaramicos, Cleveland Chamber Collective, Myriad, and Epicyle New Music Ensemble; and several of her works appear on CD. Jennifer teaches theory and composition at the Cleveland Institute of Music and is head of the Suzuki music theory program there. She is also on the faculty at Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music. She is author of the theory curriculum, Foundations in Music. A member of ASCAP, her works are published through Imaginings Publishing. P ROGRAM NOTES by Ross W. Duffin Christmas has traditionally been a feast of music, and we hope that, after performances in 2009 and 2010, our audiences are looking forward to a third serving of Christmas fare from Quire Cleveland. Once again, we bring you a cornucopia of musical works expressing the joy and hope of the season, from chant and sophisticated solemn motets to danceable villancicos, from Medieval and Renaissance Europe all the way to Cleveland, Ohio, in 2011! Since around the middle of the nineteenth century, the medieval carol Orientis partibus has been popularly known as the “Song of the Ass.” It tells the story of the donkey on which Mary rode into Bethlehem, and was apparently sung as part of the Epiphany celebrations at Beauvais, France, from the Middle Ages to at least the seventeenth century. A manuscript with the musical setting as used in Beauvais survives in the British Library and seems to have been copied in the thirteenth century. Six stanzas survive in that manuscript, each with slight musical variants (though these are typically ignored in modern editions and performances), and another four stanzas of text in other manuscripts of the period. Our performance presents the music to the entire song as it appears in the original manuscript, but we are using the rhyming English translation by Henry Copley Greene. Greene wrote an article about the piece in 1931 and included such a delightful translation that I decided to use it for our performance as an alternative to the original Latin. Dating from around the same time as Orientis partibus but from across the Channel is Gabriel from Heven King, which also exists in Latin, as Angelus ad virginem. That title is actually named by Chaucer in The Canterbury Tales, as sung by Nicholas the Clerk in “The Miller’s Tale.” The song tells the story of the dialog between Mary and the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation, and we are highlighting the dialog by having men sing Gabriel’s part and women sing Mary’s. The Middle English text is comprehensible but slightly hard to follow, so we are fortunate that the romantic poet, Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844–1889), made a rendering of it that has formed the basis of our singing version. The musical text is taken from two manuscripts of the fourteenth century. From the next century in England come several Christmas songs in a popular form for lyric works at the time—the carol. In fact, so common did the use of this form become for Christmas works that nowadays we use the term “carol” by itself to denote a Christmas song, although it did not originally have that connotation. The typical carol uses a refrain, or “burden,” which alternates with several verses, as can be heard in the first and third of these selections. Another feature of these delightful English carols is what is called “macaronic” text, meaning lyrics that move back and forth between Latin and another language—in this case, English. They also feature use of a fauxbourdon texture, where the outer voices are frequently in parallel at a distance of a sixth, and the middle voice is exactly a fourth below the top, making a texture of sweet, parallel first-inversion triads that we strongly associate with late-Medieval polyphony, and that seems related to what the French writer Martin le Franc referred to ca.1440 as “La contenance angloise”—the English Guise. An English carol from the early sixteenth century is Quid petis, o fili?, which survives as the most substantial musical work in a manuscript copied for the court of Henry VIII. Like the earlier Gabriel from Heven King, it uses imagined details and dialog to tell the story. Here, the long, Latin “burden” for the chorus alternates with florid soloists’ verses in English that tell the story of Mary interacting tenderly with the baby Jesus. The next set features two Spanish works from a collection of anonymousvillancicos printed in Venice in 1556, which includes a special section of Christmas songs. The volume survives in only a single copy, now in the University Library in Uppsala, Sweden, so it has been dubbed the Cancionero de Upsala. One of its handful of Christmas songs is E la don don, in which monophonic verses for men alternate with a polyphonic refrain sung by the full group. The second piece, Dadme albricias, features soprano solos and duets with tenor, alternating with the chorus. Palestrina’s A solis ortus cardine is a setting of a chant hymn for Christmas morning, at the service of Lauds. One highly unusual feature of the piece is that Palestrina sets a version of the chant that follows the contour of the well-known Gregorian melody, but puts it in a different mode (Dorian rather than Phrygian), even though such a version does not survive in any period chant books. We have used a reconstruction of this apparent source melody for our chant. Palestrina’s setting uses alternatim technique, where verses of the chant alternate with polyphonic verses variously for three, four, and ultimately five voices. It was published in 1589, during which time Palestrina was maestro di cappella at St. Peter’s in Rome, but two of its other sources are manuscripts copied by Palestrina himself, so it seems to be a work of which he was especially fond. William Byrd’s This day Christ was born is “A Carroll for Christmas Day” from his Psalmes, Songs, and Sonnets of 1611. In keeping with Byrd’s Catholic background in Protestant England, the text is a translation of the antiphon to the Magnificat for the Second Vespers of the Nativity. However, rather than sounding like a stately motet, it is instead in a full madrigalian style, with angelic voices entwining, and thrilling alleluias. Around 1694, Marc Antoine Charpentier composed his Messe de Minuit pour Noel (Midnight Mass for Christmas), which used popular tunes as themes for the movements of the mass. The firstKyrie is based on the tune of Joseph est bien marié, which, unlike some of the other tunes Charpentier borrowed, at least was originally a Christmas song to begin with! Our arrangement is based on harmonizations in the Messe de Minuit. One lovely French Christmas song that did not make it into Charpentier’s mass—probably because it wasn’t yet composed—is Quelle est cette odeur agréable. It began to appear around 1700, and by 1728, in fact, had been hijacked by John Gay as the melody for the drinking song, “Fill every glass,” from his ballad-based Beggar’s Opera. It’s a sweet tune and perfectly suited to its original Christmas setting. The last song from the set is also from the Messe de Minuit, though in a somewhat modified form in the Laudamus te section of the Gloria. Charpentier also did more straightforward arrangements of it as a “noel,” meaning a Christmas work for organ solo or for an ensemble of instruments, and those have formed the basis of our harmonization. From the second half of the eighteenth century, we also present a delightful organ “noel” based on this tune by Claude-Bénigne Balbastre. Jakob Handl (also known as “Gallus”) was born in Slovenia and worked mainly in Austria before spending his last few years in Prague. His Canite tuba in Sion is a based on an Office antiphon for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and features an unusual scoring for low voices which interweave in close counterpoint. It was published in 1586 in the first volume of Handl’s monumental four-volume edition of his own motets, which he began to publish shortly after his arrival in Prague. The next set consists of four works that were published in the 1582 Latin collection Piae Cantiones though there was also a Finnish version published in 1616, reflecting the apparent origin of the collection. Personent hodie, which is monophonic in the original print, appears in the Oxford Book of Carols in an arrangement by Gustav Holst (which is what I grew up with), but the four-voice harmonization for this evening’s performance is my own, based on Medieval and Renaissance contrapuntal procedures. The set continues with Puer natus in Bethlehem, a strophic hymn based on the Introit for Christmas Day, set in the Piae Cantiones as a rather unusual duo. I have expanded the texture to include a four-voice arrangement, though our performance will show an array of textures in presenting the many stanzas, with solos, duos, and quartets. Verbum caro is another hymn based on a famous Christmas chant. This charming, lilting work is again monophonic in the original source, and I have harmonized it using period contrapuntal techniques. The vigorous last work of the set, Gaudete, is given in Piae Cantiones only as a four-voice refrain. The lyrics to the stanzas are printed in the source but, oddly, there is no music for them at all, so I have created a monophonic verse, and harmonized it to match the refrain for our last stanza. In 2011, Quire Cleveland held a competition for members of the Cleveland Composers Guild to compose a work for possible performance on this program. Quiet Promise by Jennifer Conner was the winner of that competition, and this performance is its world premiere. Here are the composer’s notes on the piece: Each year at Christmas, I usually make my own cards with the message that speaks to me most that year. Being a composer, my cards have often been short compositions. Thus, several years ago I wrote a short poem entitled Quiet Promise which I then set as a solo for piano and voice. The idea I wanted to communicate that year was the incredible simplicity, humility, and lack of fanfare behind the birth narrative, in light of the insatiable need for the spotlight that permeates our present culture. This past summer I decided to expand this poem, adding several more verses to the narrative—but still with the same thematic intent. I then set this work as a Carol specifically for Quire Cleveland’s Christmas concerts. This newa cappella setting retains the melodic theme in all of the verses but with different counterpoints and textures with each new occurrence. The work gradually builds reaching a climax of divisi voices in the penultimate verse where the Magi mistakenly search for the new King at the center of power. Following this build, the work closes with a simple restatement of the original verse and tune. Our final set includes three works from twentieth-century England, a choral tradition that we explored in our recent concerts under the British guest conductor Timothy Brown. First is the touching In the bleak midwinter by Gustav Holst, a 1906 setting of a Christmas poem by Christina Rossetti (sister of the artist/poet, Dante Gabriel Rossetti), published originally in Scribner’s Monthly magazine in January 1872. The setting of the same poem by Harold Darke (my grandfather’s long-time choral director) was voted the most beloved Christmas work by choral directors in the US and UK in 2008, but Holst’s setting is the one I remember most fondly from my youth, and Darke clearly took the rhythm of his setting directly from Holst’s of five years earlier. The second piece is H. Walford Davies’s memorable 1913 carol, The holly and the ivy, with its captivating solo-duo verse opening. We conclude with Herbert Howells’s 1919 carol, A spotless rose, in which he sets an English version of Praetorius’s Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, that was published in 1869 by the English translator and hymnwriter, Catherine Winkworth (1827– 1878). (The Praetorius setting can be heard on ourCarols for Quire CD.) With its soaring baritone solo verse in the middle, A spotless rose is quite simply one of the most exquisite carols for choir from the twentieth century. — Ross W. Duffin SINGERS BIOGRAPHIES Tenor Evan Bescan holds a Bachelor of Music degree Cantores Cleveland. She serves as choir director at Celebration from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, along with Lutheran Church in Chardon. Donna resides in Richmond a Methodology Diploma from the Kodály Institute in Heights with her husband and three children. Kecskemét, Hungary. He sings with the Cathedral Choir Baritone José Gotera began his choral training at age eight at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and is currently at St. Michael’s Choir School in Toronto. He sang with the a member of Cantores Cleveland and Trinity Chamber Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and Tafelmusik while completing Singers. He has also performed with Opera Columbus and degrees at the University of Toronto. In Cleveland, he has sung the Kecskeméti Fesztival Korous. Evan is currently a full- with Apollo’s Fire, Cleveland Opera on Tour, Opera Circle, time elementary/middle school music teacher at Stockyard Opera Cleveland, and the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus. He Community School in Cleveland. completed an MA in Early Music at CWRU. At present, José Tenor Frank Blackman is currently in the second year of is a music instructor at Hiram College, where he teaches voice his undergraduate degree, studying Music Education at Case and directs opera/musical theater workshop and the Hiram Western Reserve University. At Case, Frank studies voice men’s chorus. He is also the baritone section leader for the with Marla Berg and has participated in the Case Concert chancel choir at Plymouth Church in Shaker Heights. Choir, Early Music Singers, and Collegium Musicum, as well Tenor Peter Hampton teaches K-5 general music in the as the Church of the Covenant choir. Lakewood Public Schools. He also sings with the Cathedral Baritone Jonathan F. Cooper is in his final year studying Choir of St. John the Evangelist and the early music and at Baldwin-Wallace College. He has performed the roles of arts ensemble Cantores Cleveland. Peter has a bachelor’s Mr. Gobineau in Menotti’s The Medium, Unnamed Bass in degree in music education (vocal emphasis) from Otterbein Too Many Sopranos by Edwin Penhorwood, Dr. Gibbs in College in Westerville, Ohio, where he studied voice with Ned Rorem’s Our Town (Ohio premiere), and Colline in La Robert Nims. His choral experience includes singing in the Bohème. He will sing Leporello in Mozart’s Don Giovanni United States premier of the Lord of the Rings Symphony at B-W this spring. Locally, Jonathan has performed with with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Howard Shore the Trinity Chamber Orchestra, Trinity Chamber Singers, conducting; and tours with choral ensembles to Austria, the Cantores Cleveland, Opera Cleveland, and Apollo’s Fire. Czech Republic, Switzerland, and France (which included a He has been featured on the emerging artist recital series at performance in Notre Dame Cathedral). Trinity Cathedral, and has been heard live on WCLV. Bass Nathan Longnecker also sings with Apollo’s Singers and Praised by the New York Times as “the real attraction” with a Cantores Cleveland. When not singing, Nathan is proprietor voice that is “light and lithe,” mezzo-soprano Tracy Cowart of The Quiet Gardener, providing gardening service to has performed with many period ensembles, including homeowners. Apollo’s Fire, La Donna Musicale, the Newberry Consort, Baritone Ray Lyons does statistical programming Opera Lafayette, Trinity Cathedral Chamber Orchestra, and independent consulting in library performance Washington Bach Consort, and the choir of the Church of measurement. He has performed in a number of local choral the Advent. Also known for her interpretations of new music, groups, including the Old Stone Singers, Cleveland Orchestra Tracy recently performed the world premiere of Armando Chorus, Cleveland Opera Chorus, CWRU Early Music Bayolo’s Kaddish: Passio: Rothko and the role of “Hadewijch” Singers, Cleveland Music School Settlement Vocal Chamber in Louis Andriessen’s Die Materie, both with the Great Noise Ensemble, and in church choirs at the Cathedral of St. John Ensemble. She is currently pursuing a DMA in Historical the Evangelist, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Temple Emanu Performance Practice at CWRU. El, Church of the Covenant, Immaculate Conception, and Bass Ian Crane is a high school music teacher and performer. St. James Anglican Church, as well as the Church of the He teaches choir and band at Holy Name High School in Ascension and St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York. Parma, and previously spent five years on faculty at Edinboro Baritone Jonathan William Moyer maintains a dynamic University of Pennsylvania, as instructor of bagpipes. He has career as organist, pianist, harpsichordist, and conductor. performed with many local groups, including Apollo’s Fire, the He is organist and director of music of the Church of the Cleveland Carolers, and the Choir of the Cathedral of St. John Covenant in University Circle and a lecturer in organ and the Evangelist. Ian earned a bachelor’s degree in music education harpsichord at the Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory from Cleveland State University and his master’s in conducting of Music. Currently pursuing an artist diploma in organ at from Kent State University. He resides in Lakewood, with his the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, he holds a Doctor of wife, Tricia, and children, Phoebe and Alexander. Musical Arts degree in organ from the Peabody Conservatory Soprano Donna Fagerhaug holds a Master of Arts degree in of Music. Winner of second prize in the 2008 International Church Music from Trinity Lutheran Seminary and a Bachelor Musashino Organ Competition in Tokyo, most recently he of Music from the Conservatory at Capital University, both in performed the complete organ works of Olivier Messiaen Columbus, Ohio. Locally, she sings with Apollo’s Singers and in Baltimore. He serves on the executive committee of the Cleveland AGO, and resides in Shaker Heights with his wife, Indiana University Institute of Early Music. As lecturer and organist Kaori Hongo, and two sons. adjunct faculty, she has taught music history, vocal pedagogy, John McElliott, countertenor, holds undergraduate degrees graduate research methods, and applied voice at Hiram in voice and organ performance from the University of Akron College and CWRU. and spent a year abroad as a choral scholar at Winchester Soprano Lisa Rainsong’s musical life integrates composition, Cathedral in the UK. He sings with several choral ensembles education, vocal performance, and natural history. She in Northeast Ohio, including Apollo’s Fire and Trinity earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from Cathedral’s Chamber Singers, in addition to Quire Cleveland. Cleveland Institute of Music and is a member of CIM’s Music John is president of Karen McFarlane Artists, where he Theory faculty. She is also a professional singer who performs manages concert careers for many of the world’s great concert as both a soprano soloist and as a choral musician, singing organists and choirs. A versatile vocalist, he sings alto, tenor, with ensembles including Quire Cleveland and Ensemble and baritone parts in Quire Cleveland, and also serves as the Lautenkonzert. Lisa earned a Naturalist Certificate from organization’s Secretary/Treasurer. the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and now teaches Soprano Elena Mullins is a second-year master’s student in classes on bird song and insect song identification throughout Historical Performance Practice at CWRU, studying voice Northeast Ohio. with Ellen Hargis. Her interest in early music was sparked as Soprano Sian Ricketts is currently pursuing a master’s degree an undergraduate at the Eastman School of Music, where she in Historical Performance Practice from CWRU. She is a performed in the Collegium Musicum under Paul O’Dette soprano section leader at Trinity Cathedral and also sings and the Schola Cantorum under Stephen Kennedy. She in the Trinity Cathedral Chamber Choir. She will make her appeared with the CWRU Baroque Chamber Ensemble at début performance with the Newberry Consort in January. the 2011 Boston Early Music Festival and with the Baroque Dance Ensemble at Cornell University and at Eastman. In Mezzo-soprano Beverly Simmons is a singer, graphic addition to singing with the CWRU Early Music Singers and designer, and Executive Director of Quire Cleveland. Born Collegium, she toured with Apollo’s Fire’s national tour of in Denver, she earned a doctorate in early music at Stanford Monteverdi’s Vespers last fall, and appears with the Newberry University, and moved to Cleveland in 1978. Her career Consort next January. includes stints as a CWRU music professor, WCLV radio Mezzo-soprano Debra Nagy has been called a “musical announcer, international artist manager, executive director, polymath” (San Francisco Classical Voice) for her accomplished and mother of two. She has sung with Apollo’s Fire since its performances as a singer and historical wind player. As one of inception; founded the CWRU Early Music Singers, which she the country’s top baroque oboists, Debra frequently performs directed for 21 years; sang with the Cleveland Opera Chorus with Apollo’s Fire (among other ensembles on both coasts), and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Senior Choir; and also sings is the founder and director of Cleveland-based chamber at Temple Tifereth-Israel. Bev was founder/manager of the ensemble Les Délices, and is a member of Ciaramella. She concert series Chapel, Court & Countryside: Early Music at has also appeared as a guest multi-instrumentalist and singer Harkness and is also half of the cabaret duo, Rent-a-Yenta. with such groups as the Newberry Consort, Piffaro, Baroque Northwest, and Blue Heron Renaissance Choir. Debra has Tenor Tyler Skidmore is an active music educator and recorded for the Capstone, Bright Angel, Naxos, Hänssler, performer. Teaching now at the same high school he Chandos, and ATMA labels, and her live performances have attended, Tyler attempts to share the joys and challenges been featured on radio in North America and Europe. Debra of choral music with the students at Medina High School. currently teaches in the Historical Performance Practice He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Program and conducts the Collegium Musicum at CWRU, Mount Vernon Nazarene University and a master’s in voice where she earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree. performance from Kent State University. Tyler has performed Praised for her “excellence of style and ease of expression” with other area choral ensembles, including Opera Cleveland, (Austin-American Statesman), soprano Judith Overcash is The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Chorus, and known for a repertoire which ranges from medieval song Apollo’s Singers of Apollo’s Fire. to opera and oratorio to American musical theater. She has appeared across North America and abroad, as featured Soprano Gail West has worked with such eminent artists as soloist with leading period and modern ensembles and Julianne Baird, Emma Kirkby, Suzie LeBlanc, Paul Hillier, and at international workshops and festivals. In addition to Benjamin Bagby. Currently a voice student of Ellen Hargis, appearing as soloist in large oratorio and dramatic works, she has been a member of Apollo’s Singers since its founding. she is celebrated for her interpretations of early music and Gail has been a member of CWRU’s Early Music Singers for chamber works, and is also active in musical theater. Judith over 20 years and is a soprano soloist at Church of the Good holds both master’s and doctoral degrees in Early Music Shepherd. She lives in Cleveland Heights with her husband Performance Practices from CWRU, with additional post- and three children. graduate work at the University of Texas at Austin and the Some simple math:

A New CD: Madigalian Motets + + = sung by Quire Cleveland You Quire Cleveland has just been awarded a grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture to record music that hasn’t been heard since the beginning of the 17th century and we need your help. In order to match the CAC grant, we need to raise $5,000 in donations to make this project work.

Here’s what’s so exciting: The music is by leading madrigal composers from the time of King James I of England — such celebrated masters as William Byrd, Thomas Weelkes,and Thomas Ravenscroft — but most of the music has never been professionally performed or recorded. It’s beautiful sacred music with Latin texts, the original partbooks for some are held in Special Collections at Case Western Reserve University. Not all the parts survived the centuries, but — lucky for Quire — artistic director Ross Duffin is an internationally recognized expert in the repertoire, so he has reconstructed them.

Quire Cleveland is in a perfect position to bring this exquisite repertoire to the ears of modern-day music-lovers. Since 2008 the ensemble has earned popular and critical acclaim for “inspired voices,” “sophisticated artistry,” and “joyful sounds.”

Won’t you help Quire meet this challenge by making a tax-deductible donation, to match the CAC grant? You’ll feel richly rewarded for your participation. But you’ll also BE richly rewarded with bonuses: • Donors of $250 or more will receive an autographed copy of the recording; • Donors of $500 or more will receive an autographed CD and be invited to dinner with the artists; • Donors of $1,000 or more will have their names listed as a sponsor in the CD booklet, of which they’ll receive an autographed copy, and be invited to dinner with the artists.

But every gift, in any amount, is valuable and appreciated — and brings us one step closer to make this project a reality.

Please use the remittance envelope in your program or go to our website QuireCleveland.org and donate through PayPal. Thank you for your generosity!

With YOUR HELP, this equation adds up to SUCCESS! T EXTS & TRANSLATIONS

1. Out from lands of Orient 6. Higher leaped than goats can bound, Was the Ass divinely sent. Doe and roebuck circled round, Strong and very fair was he, Median dromedaries’ speed Bearing burdens gallantly. Overcame, and took the lead. Heigh, oh heigh, Sir Ass, oh heigh. 7. Red gold from Arabia, 2. Hey, Sir Ass, you sing hee-haw, Frankincense and, from Sheba, Your fair mouth’s a sulky maw; Myrrh he brought and, through the door, You shall have your fill of hay, Into the Church he bravely bore Oats enough to cast away. 8. While he drags long carriages 3. Slow he went on lagging feet Loaded down with baggages, Till the rod began to beat, He, with jaws insatiate, And the pointed goad to prick, Fodder hard doth masticate. Thigh and sides, and make him kick. 9. Chews the ears with barley corn, 4. In the hills of Sichem bred Thistle down with thistle corn. Under Reuben nourished On the threshing floor his feet Jordan stream he traversed Separate the chaff from wheat. Into Bethlehem he sped. 10. Stuffed with grass, yet speak and say 5. With his flapping ears and long Amen, Ass, with every bray: Lo the harnessed son of song. Amen, amen, say again: He is chosen: hear his call, Ancient sins hold in disdain. Ass of asses, lord of all. —tr. Henry Copley Greene

1. Gabriel, from heaven’s king I am, that here above us is: Sent to the maiden sweet, Concerning me fulfilled be thy saw; Brought to her blissful tiding That I, since His will is, And fair ‘gan her to greet. Be, out of nature’s law “Hail be thou, full of grace aright! A maid with mother’s bliss.” For so God’s Son, the heaven’s light, 4. The angel went away thereon Loves man, that He a man will be and take And parted from her sight Flesh of thee, maiden bright, And straightway she conceived a Son Mankind free for to make Through th’ Holy Ghost His might. Of sin and devil’s might.” In her was Christ contain’d anon, 2. Gently to him answer gaveThe gentle maiden then: True God, true man, in flesh and bone; “In what wise should I bear Born of her too when time was due; who then Child, that know not man?” Redeemed us for His own, Th’ angel said to her: “O dread thee nought. And bought us out of pain, ‘Tis through the Holy Ghost that wrought And died for us t’atone. Shall be this thing whereof tidings I bring: Lost mankind shall be bought 5. Filled full of charity, By thy sweet childbearing, Thou matchless maiden-mother, And out of torment brought.” Pray for us to him that He For thy love above other, 3. When the maiden understood Away our sin and guilt should take, And th’ angel’s words had heard, And clean of every stain us make Gently, of her own mild mood, And heaven’s bliss, when our time is to die, The angel she answered: Would give us for thy sake; “Our Lord His handmaiden, I-wis, With grace to serve him by Till He us to him take. —Gerald Manley Hopkins, S.J. (1844–1889) There is no rose of such virtue as is the rose that bare Jesu. 1. There is no rose of such virtue as is the rose that bare Jesu. Alleluia 2. For in this rose contained was heaven and earth in little space; Res miranda. Wonderful things. 3. By that rose we may well see that he is God in persons three, Pari forma. In such fashion. 4. The angels sungen the shepherds to: Gloria in excelsis deo: Glory to God in the highest. Gaudeamus. Let us rejoice. 5. Leave we all this worldly mirth, and follow we this joyful birth; Transeamus. Let us cross over.

Ave rex angelorum, Ave rexque caelorum, Ave, princepsque polorum. Hail, king of the angels, and hail, king of the heavens, and hail, prince Hail, most mighty in thy working, hail, thou lord of all thing; from pole to pole. I offer thee gold as to a king; Ave, rex angelorum.

Ave rex angelorum, Ave rexque caelorum, Ave, princepsque polorum.

Nowell sing we, both all and some, now Rex pacificus is y-come. King of peace-making. 1. Exortum est in love and lysse. It arose … Now Christ, his grace he gan us gysse, and with his body us bought to bliss, both all and some. 2. De fructu ventris of Mary bright, Of the fruit of the womb … both God and man in her alight, out of disease he did us dight, both all and some. 3. Puer natus to us was sent, A boy born … to bliss us bought, fro bale us blent, and else to woe we had ywent, both all and some. 4. Lux fulgebit with love and light, The light will shine … in Mary mild his pennon pight, in her took kind with manly might, both all and some. 5. Gloria tibi ay and bliss, Glory to thee … God unto his grace he us wysse, the rent of heaven that we not miss, both all and some.

Quid petis, O fili? mater dulcissima, ba, ba. What do you seek, O my son? says the sweetest mother, kiss, kiss. O pater, O fili, michi plausus oscula, da, da. O father, O son, give me, give me kisses of praise. The mother, full mannerly, and meekly as a maid, Looking on her little son, so laughing in lap laid, So prettily, so pertly, so passingly well apay’d, Full softly and full soberly unto her sweet son she said : Quid petis, o fili? … I mean this by Mary, our Maker’s mother of might. Full lovely looking on our Lord, the lantern of light, Thus saying to our Saviour ; this saw I in my sight; This reason that I rede you now, I rede it full right. Quid petis, o fili? … Musing on her manners so nigh marr’d was my main, Save it pleasëd me so passingly that past was my pain; Yet softly to her sweet son, me-thought I heard her sain : Now gracious God and good sweet babe, yet once this game again : Quid petis, o fili? … E la don don, verges Maria, e la don don, And the lady lady, virgin Mary, and the lady lady, peu cap de sanque que nos dansaron. How we will dance! 1. O garçons, aquesta nit una verges na parit 1. Oh friends, this night a virgin gave birth un fillo qu’es tro polit que non aut au en lo mon. to a child so fine, there’s no equal on earth. E la don don … And the lady lady … 2. Digas nos qui t’ho la dit, que verges n’haja parit, 2. Tell us who told you that a virgin gave birth, que nos may havem ausit lo que tu diu, girantom. for we never heard such a thing, good sir. E la don don … And the lady lady … 3. A eo dian los argeus, que cantaven altas veus 3. The angels sang glory to God in the highest, la grolla n’ecelsis Deus, qu’en Belem lo trobaron. for in Bethlehem town the child was found. E la don don … And the lady lady … 4. Per señau nos an birat, que verets embolicat 4. Through signs we were told that truth would be wrapped de drapets, molt mal faxat, lo ver diu petit garçon. in a very skimpy blanket, a small boy, the true God. E la don don … And the lady lady … 5. Vin Perot i a Diu veray, i a la Verges sa may, 5. Peter approaches the true God and the Virgin, un sorron li portarai, que sera ple de coucom. he brings them a bundle that is full of treats. E la don don … And the lady lady … 6. Ara canta tu Beltran, per amor deu Sant Infan 6. Now Beltran, sing for love of the Holy Child i apres cantara Joan, i donar nos an coucom. and after, John will sing, and then they’ll give us sweets. E la don don … And the lady lady … 7. I be cantare sus dich per Jesus mon bon amich, 7. He will sing his song for Jesus my good friend, que nos sauvara la nit de tot mal qu’an hom se dorm. who will save us from all harm while we sleep through the night. E la don don … And the lady lady …

1. Dadme albricias, hijos d’Eva! 1. Sons of Eve, reward my tidings! Di, de que dartelas han? Why should we make gifts to you? Qu’es nascido el nuevo Adam. Born is He, the Adam new. Oh, hí de Dios, y que nueva! Almighty God, what glad tidings! 2. Dadmelas y haved plazer, 2. Pay my boon, and sing for joy, Pues esta noche es nascido For tonight is born our Savior, 3. El Mexías prometído, 3. The Messiah promised to us, Dios y hombre de mujer. Man and God, a virgin’s boy 4. Y su nacer nos releva 4. By his birth, he gives us pardon Del peccado y de su afan. For the sin and wrong we do. Qu’es nascido el nuevo Adam. Born is He, the Adam new. O hí de Dios, y que nueva! Almighty God, what glad tidings! 5. Dadme albricias … 5. Sons of Eve …

1. A solis ortus cardine 1. From the rising of the sun Ad usque terrae limitem, to the ends of the earth, Christum canamus principem, let us sing of Christ the Prince, Natum Maria Virgine. born of the Virgin Mary. 2. Beatus auctor saeculi 2. The blessed creator of the world Servile corpus induit: put on a servant’s body, Ut carne carnem liberans, so that, liberating the flesh through taking flesh, Ne perderet quos condidit. he would not lose what he had made. 3. Castae parentis viscera 3. The virgin mother’s belly coelestis intrat gratia, is filled with heavenly grace; venter puellae bajulat, the girl’s womb carries secreta, quae non noverat. secrets which she has not known. 4. Domus pudici pectoris 4. The modest dwelling of her body Templum repente fit Dei: becomes God’s new temple; Intacta nesciens virum, untouched, not knowing a man, Concepit alvo Filium. at a word she conceived the Son in her womb. 5. Enixa est puerpera 5. By her birth pangs she brought forth quem Gabriel praedixerat, the one whom Gabriel had foretold, quem matris alvo gestiens and whom the Baptist, leaping within the womb, clausus Joannes senserat. had recognised as Lord. 6. Foeno jacere pertulit, 6. He consented to lie in the hay; Praesepe non abhorruit: he did not shrink from the manger; Et lacte modico pastus est, and with little milk he was fed, Per quem nec ales esurit. who does not allow even the birds to hunger. 7. Gaudet chorus coelesium, 7. The heavenly chorus rejoices, et Angeli canunt Deo: and the angels sing God’s praise, palamque fit pastoribus, and to the shepherds is now made known pastor, creator omnium. the Shepherd who is the creator of all. 8. Jesu, tibi sit gloria, 8. Jesus, to you be glory, Qui natus es de Virgine, who are born of a virgin, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, with the Father and the loving Spirit, In sempiterna saecula. Amen. for eternal ages. Amen. —tr. Mick Swithinbank

This day Christ was born, This day our Savior did appear, This day the Angels sing in earth, the Archangels are glad. This day the Just rejoice, saying: Glory be to God on high. Alleluia.

1. Joseph est bien marié à la fille de Jesse. 1. Joseph is well married to a girl of Jesse’s line. C’etait chose bien nouvelle d’être mère et pucelle. It’s something new to be a mother and girl. Dieu y avait operé: Joseph est bien marié. God made it happen: Joseph is well married. 2. Et quand ce fut au premier que Dieu voulut nous sauver 2. And when this was at the beginning that God wanted to save us Il fit en terre descendre son seul fils Jésus He made descend to earth his only son, Jesus, to take pour prendre en Marie humanité: Joseph est bien marié. human form in Mary: Joseph is well married. 3. Quand Joseph eut aperçu que la femme avait conçu, 3. When Joseph had perceived that the woman had conceived, Il ne s’en contenta mie, fâché fut contre Marie, He was not a happy husband, was angry with Mary, Et se voulut en aller: Joseph est bien marié. and wanted her to go away: Joseph is well married. 4. Mais l’ange si lui a dit: Joseph n’en aie point dépit, 4. But the angel said unto him: Joseph, don’t be spiteful. Ta sainte femme Marie est grosse du fruit de vie. Your saintly wife, Mary, is pregnant with the fruit of life. Elle a conçu sans peché: Joseph est bien marié. She has conceived without sin: Joseph is well married. 5. Les anges y sont venus voir le Rédempteur Jésus. 5. The angels came there to see the redeemer Jesus. De très belle compagnie, puis à haute voix jolie With a very beautiful chorus, then with loud and pretty voices, Gloria ils ont chanté: Joseph est bien marié. “Gloria,” they sang: Joseph is well married. 6. Or prions devôtement de bon coeur et humblement. 6. Now pray we devotedly with good heart and humbly, Que paix, joie et bonne vie impêtre Dame Marie that peace, joy, and good life to implore lady Mary à notre necessité: Joseph est bien marié. to our necessity: Joseph is well married. —tr. R. Duffin 1. Quelle est cette odeur agréable, 1. What is this agreeable fragrance, bergers, qui ravit tous nos sens? shepherds, that ravishes our senses? S’exhale t’il rien de semblable Does it not exhale something more au milieu des fleurs du printemps? than the mingling of spring flowers? Quelle est cette odeur agréable bergers, … What is this agreeable fragrance … 2. Mais quelle éclatante lumière 2. But what a blinding light Dans la nuit vient frapper nos yeux. in the night that comes to strike our eyes. L’astre de jour, dans sa carrière, The star of day, without his chariot, Fut-il jamais si radieux! was he ever so radiant? Mais quelle éclatante lumière … But what a blinding light… 3. Voici beaucoup d’autres merveilles! 3. Here are many other wonders! Grand Dieu! qu’entends-je dans les airs? Great God, what hear I in the strains? Quelles voix! Jamais nos oreilles What voices! Never have our ears N’ont entendu pareils concerts. heard concerts so beautiful. Voici beaucoup d’autres merveilles!… Here are many other wonders!… 4. Ne craignez rein, peuple fidèle, 4. Fear not, ye faithful, Écoutez l’Ange du Seigneur; listen to the angel of the Lord; Il vous annonce une merveille He tells of a mystery Qui va vous combler de bonheur. that will fill you with joy. Ne craignez rein, peuple fidèle … Fear not, ye faithful, … 5. A Bethléem, dans une crêche 5. At Bethlehem, in a manger Il vient de vous naitre-un Sauveur. has just been born for you a saviour. Allons, que rien ne vous empêche Let us go, that nothing prevents you D’adorer votre rédempteur from adoring your redeemer. A Bethléem, dans une crêche, … At Bethlehem, in a manger… 6. Dieu tout puissant, gloire éternelle 6. God all-powerful, glory eternal vous soit rendue jusqu’aux cieux, be rendered to you to the heavens, Que la paix soit universelle, so that peace will be universal, que la grace abonde en tous lieux. so that grace abounds everywhere, Dieu tout puissant, gloire éternelle… God all powerful, glory eternal… —tr. R.D.

1. Tous les bourgeois de Châtre, et ceux de Montlhéry 1. All the citizens of Châtres and those of Montlhéry s’en allaient quatre à quatre, en chassant le souci. they all went four by four, in chasing cares away Cette journée ci, que la Vierge Marie, On this particular day, on which the Virgin Mary près le boeuf et l’ânon, don, don, near the ox and ass—don, don— de Jésus accoucha, la, la, dans une bergerie. laid Jesus down—la, la—in a stable. 2. Des anges de lumière ont chanté divers tons 2. The angels of radiance sang a lot of songs aux bergers, aux bergères qui gardaient leurs moutons. to the shepherds and shepherdesses who watched their flocks. Parmi tous ces cantons tout alentour de l’onde, Among all these regions, and all across the waves disant que ce mignon don, don, saying that the darling boy—don, don— était né près de là, la, la, pour le salut du monde was born nearby,—la, la—to save the world. 3. Lorsqu’on visait la coupe un nommé des Aveaux 3. When they had finished drinking, a fellow from Aveaux faisait de bonnes soupes avec force naveaux. made a good soup with plenty of turnips! Poulets et pigeonneaux pour faire grande chère, Chickens, also pigeons, to make good cheer outre des halebrans, faisans and ducklings, too, and pheasants qu’apporta Jean Rabot, pas sot, à Jésus et sa mère. were brought by Jean Rabot—smart lad—to Jesus and his mom. 4. Comme on était à table un garçon de Nevers 4. When everyone was seated, a young boy from Nevers sur un luth agréable chanta mille beaux airs upon a pleasant lute sang a thousand lovely airs. Sur tous les tons divers mêlant sa chanterie In all the diverse keys, mixing his serenading de trompette et clairon don, don, with trumpet and bugle—don, don— avec l’alleluya, la, la, à Joseph et Marie. with Alleluia—la, la—to Joseph and Mary. —tr. R.D. Canite tuba in Sion, vocate gentes, Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, call together the nations, annuntiate populis et dicite: tell it out among the people, and say: ecce, Deus, salvator noster adveniet; Behold, God our Savior cometh. annuntiate et auditum facite, loquimini et clamate: Tell it out and make it to be heard, speak aloud and cry ecce, Deus, salvator noster adveniet. Behold, God our Savior cometh.

1. Personent hodie voces puerulae, 1. On this day earth shall ring with the song children sing laudantes jucunde qui nobis est natus, to the Lord, Christ our King, born on earth to save us; summo Deo datus, him the Father gave us, Et de virgineo ventre procreatus. from the virgin’s womb was he procreated. 2. In mundo nascitur, pannis involvitur 2. He is born in this world, in swaddling clothes is he furled praesepi ponitur in a manger doth abide, ox and ass by his side Stabulo brutorum, rector supernorum. ruler of the heavens. Perdidit spolia princeps infernorum. Thus was lost all the spoils of the prince of darkness. 3. Magi tres venerunt, munera offerunt, 3. Wise Men three to him led, to lay their gifts by his bed, parvulum inquirunt, stellulam sequendo, seek the child from afar, following a little star, ipsum adorando, only him adoring. Aurum, thus, et myrrham ei offerendo. Frankincense, gold, and myrrh were their offerings for him. 4. Omnes clericuli, pariter pueri, 4. All the clerics there be, all the children with thee cantent ut angeli: advenisti mundo, sing like angels that he by the world unbounded laudes tibi fundo. praises now be sounded. Ideo gloria in excelsis Deo. Let there be to our God glory in the highest. —Jane M. Joseph/R. Duffin

1. Puer natus in Bethlehem, unde gaudet Jerusalem, alleluia. 1. A boy was born in Bethlehem, and so Jerusalem rejoices, alleluia. 2. Assumsit carnem hominis, verbum patris altissimi, alleluia. 2. He assumes the flesh of man, the most high Word of the Father, alleluia. 3. Per Gabrielis nuncium, virgo concepit filium, alleluia. 3. By Gabriel the messanger, a virgin conceived a son, alleluia. 4. De matre natus virgine, sine virili semine, alleluia. 4. Born of a virgin mother, without the seed of man, alleluia. 5. Sine serpentis vulnere, de nostro venit sanguine, alleluia. 5. Without the wound of the serpent, he came out of our blood, alleluia. 6. In carne nobis similis, peccato sed dissimilis, alleluia. 6. Like us in flesh, but unlike us in sin, alleluia. 7. Tanquam sponsus de thalamo, processit matris utero, alleluia. 7. Like a bridegroom coming out of the chamber, he went forth from his mother’s womb, alleluia. 8. Hic iacet in præsepio, qui regnat sine termino, alleluia. 8. He lies in a manger, who reigns without end, alleluia. 9. Cognovit bos et asinus, quod puer erat Dominus, alleluia. 9. The ox and ass knew that the child was the Lord, alleluia. 10. Et angelus pastoribus, revelat quis sit Dominus, alleluia. 10. And the angel to the shepherds, reveals who is the Lord, alleluia. 11. Magi de longe veniunt, aurum, thus, myrrham offerunt, alleluia. 11. The Magi come from afar; gold, frankincense, and myrrh they offer, alleluia. 12. Intrantes domum invicem, natum salutant hominem, alleluia. 12. Entering in each other’s houses, salute him who is born, alleluia. 13. In hoc natali gaudio, Benedicamus Domino, alleluia. 13. Rejoice in this birthday, bless the Lord, alleluia. 14. Laudetur sancta Trinitas, Deo dicamus gratias, alleluia. 14. The Holy Trinity be praised, let us say thanks to God, alleluia. —tr. R.D.

Verbum caro factum est de virgine, verbum caro factum est Word was made flesh of a virgin, the word was made flesh of de virgine Maria. the Virgin Mary. 1. In hoc anni circulo vita datur seculo nato nobis parvulo 1. On this day, as the year goes round, life is given to all mankind de virgine Maria. with the birth of a little son of the virgin Mary. 2. O beata femina, cuius ventris gloria mundi lavat crimina: 2. Oh, happy woman, the glory of whose womb de virgine Maria. washes the crimes of the world: of the Virgin Mary. 3. Stella solem protulit, sol salutem contulit, carnem veram abstulit 3. The star brought forth the sun, the sun conferred salvation, de virgine Maria. true flesh he took out of the Virgin Mary. 4. Fons de suo rivulo nascitur pro populo, quem tulit de vinculo 4. The fountain of streams is born of its own accord for the people, de virgine Maria. whom he released form bondage: of the Virgin Mary. 5. Laus, honor, virtus Domino Deo Patri et Filio, Sancto simul 5. Praise, honor, power to the Lord God, the Father and the Son, Paracleto: de virgine Maria. the Holy One and Comforter together: of the Virgin Mary. —tr. R.D.

Gaudete, gaudete Christus est natus ex Maria virgine, gaudete. Rejoice, rejoice, Christ is born of the Virgin Mary, rejoice. 1. Tempus adest gratia, hoc quod optabamus, Carmina laetitiae 1. The time of grace is present, the truth for which we hoped, devotè reddamus. Gaudete. devoutly render songs of joy. Rejoice. 2. Deus homo factus est, Natura mirante, Mundus renovatus est à 2. God has become man, astounding nature, the world is renewed Christo regnante. Gaudete. by the reign of Christ. Rejoice. 3. Ezechielis porta clausa pertransitur, Unde lux est orta, salus 3. Ezechiel’s closed gate is traversed, whence light arose, salvation invenitur. Gaudete. is found. Rejoice. 4. Ergo nostra concio psallat iam in lustro, Benedicat Domino, salus 4. Therefore, friends, sing now in the light, bless the Lord, salvation Regi nostro. Gaudete. through our King. Rejoice. —tr. R.D.

1. In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan; 1. The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown. Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer, In the bleak midwinter, long ago. The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir. 2. Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain; 2. The holly bears a blossom as white as lily flower, Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign: And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our sweet savior. In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. Oh, the rising … 3. Enough for him, whom cherubim, worship night and day, 3. The holly bears a berry as red as any blood, A breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay; And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good. Enough for him, whom angels fall down before, Oh, the rising … The ox and ass and camel which adore. 4. The holly bears a prickle as sharp as any thorn, 4. Angels and archangels may have gathered there, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ on Christmas Day Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; in the morn. But only his mother, in her maiden bliss Worshipped the beloved with a kiss. Oh, the rising … 5. What can I give Him, poor as I am? 5. The holly bears a bark as bitter as any gall, If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ for to redeem us all. If I were a wise man, I would do my part, Oh, the rising … Yet what I can I give him, give my heart.

1. A spotless rose is blowing, sprung from a tender root, of ancient seers’ foreshowing, of Jesse promis’d fruit; Its fairest bud unfolds to light, amid the cold, cold winter, and in the dark midnight. 2. 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. Q UIET P ROMISE by Jennifer Conner

A tiny babe. A lowly stall. This fragile life, the Lord of all. A quiet prayer marks the infant’s birth. God come down from Heav’n to earth.

A promise made in yesteryear ’twixt God above and His people dear. Though you my flock shall soon scattered be, I will call you back to me.

The message came to Mary mild. Most favored one, thou shalt bear God’s child. In awe she answered most faithfully, as thou hast said so shall it be.

Cold winter’s night. Lone star above, a beacon of God’s unfailing Love. Thus beckons to those wise men of old: come and see what God foretold.

Fine gifts they brought to the King’s estate, in honor of this new potentate. To Bethlehem went they soon away to where the humble Christ child lay.

A tiny babe. A lowly stall. This fragile life, the Lord of all. A quiet prayer marks the infant’s birth. God comes down from Heav’n to earth. A CKNOWLEDGMENTS Quire Cleveland is grateful to Music & Art @ Trinity, the Mr. & Mrs. Harry Pollock, Gay & Quentin Quereau, Richard Very Rev. Tracey Lind, Dean, and Todd Wilson, Director of Rodda & Jan Curry; Justin T. Rogers, David Saffron, Diane Music and Worship, for hosting Quire Cleveland. & Lewis Schwartz, Shirley Simmons, Mr. & Mrs.‡ Seymour In addition, we thank Rev. J. Mark Hobson and Diane Lionti, Simmons, Jr., Tyler Skidmore, Deborah Smith, Richard Snyder, Church of the Resurrection; Gregory Heislman, Cathedral of St. Jordan Sramek, Tim & Linda Tuthill, Robert & Diane Walcott, John the Evangelist; David Rothenberg and Oxford University John West, W. Lane Wofford. Press; Rev. T. Conrad Selnick and Yuri Sato, Church of St. Thanks also to the Cleveland Composers Guild and Jeffrey Christopher’s by the River, Gates Mills; Tyler Skidmore, Medina Quick; CWRU Music Department; Church of the Covenant; High School; and Hristo Popov, Chagrin Valley Chamber Music. 90.3 WCPN Ideastream; 104.9 WCLV; Ωort∞simo design; We also wish to thank our generous donors: Edward Alix, Beth Segal Photography; Thomas Knab; Armin Karim; Peter Bennett, Rev. Catherine G. Borchert, Mary R. Bynum & J. David Simmons-Duffin; and the ushers. Philip Calabrese, David Carver, Kathleen Cerveny, Anne Cook, The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program with state tax Gayle Crawford, Ross W. Duffin & Beverly Simmons, Mary dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, C. Gerhart, Robert E. & N. Sue Hanson, Jeremiah Heilman, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. Donald Hoffman, F. Jenkins, Dr. & Mrs. J. Adin Mann, Geraldine McElliott, John McElliott, James & Virginia Meil, Jewel Moulthrop & Evan Komito, Duncan Neuhauser, Charlotte Newman, Russell Oberlin, Joanne Poderis, Peter Pogacar,

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