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Home , 1440s, Leonel Power

Chrismas in Medieval Friday & Saturday, 22 & 23, 2017 Firs Church in Cambridge, Congregational Chrismas in Medieval England IV. Christmas Day Dominus dixit ad me DM & men I. Advent Sarum plainchant / Introit for the Mass at Cock-Crow on Christmas Day Nowel! Owt of your slepe aryse JA PD DT DM & men Veni, veni, Emanuel Selden MS () 13th-century French? Gloria !Old Hall MS, no. 27" MN PD JA JM MS II. Annunciation Pycard (?fl. 1410-20) Ecce, quod natura PD OM MB Angelus ad virginem DT SM Selden MS Arundel MS (late 13th century) Gabriel fram Heven-King PD MB SM Sanctus / Missa Veterem hominem th Cotton Fragments (14 century) Anonymous English, c. 1440

Alma redemptoris mater JA OM MS Ave rex angelorum MB DM PG (d. 1453) / for the Blessed Virgin Mary from Advent to Candlemas Egerton MS (15th century)

Hayl Mary, ful of grace JA MN / OM JM / MB MS / SM Agnus dei / Missa Veterem hominem Trinity Roll (early 15th century) Nowel syng we bothe al and som Quam pulcra es MN JM MB Trinity Roll Dunstaple / Processional antiphon for the Blessed Virgin Mary

Gloria (Old Hall MS, no. 21) JM MS OM DM PG Leonel Power (d. 1445)

Ther is no rose of swych vertu DT MB DM SM Trinity Roll cantus Jennifer Ashe, Pamela Dellal, Martin Near, Daniela Tošić Ibo michi ad montem mirre MN OM MS tenor & contratenor Michael Barret, Owen McIntosh, Jason McStoots, Mark Sprinkle Leonel Power / Antiphon for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary bassus Paul Gutry, David McFerrin Scot Metcalfe, , director III. Christmas Eve Pre-concert talk by Daniel Donoghue sponsored in part by The Cambridge Society for Veni redemptor gencium PG & men Sarum plainchant / Hymn for first Vespers of the Nativity on Christmas Eve

INTERMISSION Blue Heron is funded in part by the Massachusets Cultural Council, a sate agency.

Blue Heron 950 Watertown St., Suite 11, Wes Newton, MA 02465 (617) 960-7956 [email protected] www.blueheron.org 3 Chrismas in Medieval England Emanuel. Probably French in origin, the English , Angelus ad virginem. hymn have made its way to England Te song fgures in Chaucer’s Te medieval commemoration of feasts. A polyphonic seting of an item as early as the thirteenth century, when Tales, in the Miller’s Tale, where it is sung Christ’s nativity was introduced by the from the such as the Gloria or Franciscan friars in France and England to a by a poor scholar at Oxford by preparatory and penitential season of Sanctus, replacing the plainchant, might maintained extensive connections and the name of Nicholas: Advent, beginning on the fourth Sunday be considered a purely musical trope. an evangelizing member of the order before Christmas Day. Afer Christmas Fifeenth-century England also evolved might have carried such a song across the And al above ther lay a gay sautrie, On which he made a-nyghtes melodie itself came a series of saints’ days, including its own unique repertoire of texts and Channel. Te text is a metrical version of So swetely that al the chambre rong, those of St. Stephen, St. John the Apostle, music outside or alongside the liturgy, fve of the seven so-called O- And Angelus ad virginem he song… and St. Tomas of Canterbury. Ritual carols, of which some 130 survive. Carols which date back to the eighth century or observances reached another climax on the are found mostly in manuscripts of church earlier. One of the O-antiphons was sung (In the tale, a notably rude one, Nicholas feast of the Circumcision on , the music and were clearly the province before and afer the Magnifcat at Vespers goes on to cuckold his landlord, an elderly Octave or eighth day of Christmas, which of professional musicians and learned on each of the seven days before Christmas carpenter with an eighteen-year-old was the traditional frst day of the New Year clerics, as witness their sophisticated Eve. Tey address the Messiah to come wife named Alison. A medieval reader and, until the thirteenth century, also the musical notation and frequent use of Latin in his various atributes: O Sapientia would presumably have relished the feast day of the Virgin Mary. Celebrations alongside the vernacular. If not exactly (wisdom), O Adonai (Lord), O Radix ironic reference to a song about a virgin continued through Epiphany on , popular music in our sense, however, they Jesse (root of Jesse), O Clavis David (key conceiving a son in the absence of her marking the revelation to the Gentiles and were at least popular in character.cast of David), O Oriens (the morning star), O husband, also a carpenter.) Christopher the Adoration of the Magi, and extended in strophic form and set to simple and Rex (king), O Emanuel (“God with us”). Page has shown that the text of Angelus to Candlemas on 2, the fortieth highly memorable tunes.and “popular Te initial leters, afer the O, spell out ad virginem is probably by the poet and day afer Christmas, when Christians in destination” (in the words of the the promise of redemption in a reverse theologian Philippe (d. 1236), chancellor observed both the feast of the Presentation preeminent twentieth-century student of acrostic, SARCORE, ero cras: “Tomorrow of Paris, nearly all of whose Latin lyrics of Christ in the Temple and the feast of the their texts, R. L. Greene). Tey might have I shall be there.” (Medieval English survive with music. Text and tune Purifcation of the Blessed Virgin. provided entertainment and edifcation tradition added an eighth antiphon, “O probably came to England with travelling to educated cleric and uneducated virgo virginum,” making the acrostic vero Franciscans in the thirteenth century, just Troughout the Christmas season, the congregant alike, within, around, and cras: “Truly, tomorrow!”) as we have imagined happened with Veni, liturgy of the Church was embellished outside of the liturgy, for processions and veni Emanuel. Te song quickly became and expanded with textual and musical banquets and celebrations of all kinds. Te Annunciation is formally popular in England: all of the extant tropes which added color and ceremony to commemorated nine months before sources are British and there are two the festivities while establishing a closer Tis program ofers a small selection Christmas, of course, but the miracle thirteenth-century versions in English connection between the universality of of music for the Christmas season. is remembered and celebrated at the verse, Gabriel fam Heven-King and Te ritual and the particularity of a specifc plainchant, carols, and polyphonic Christmas season with retellings of the angel to the Vergyn said. We sing the former sanctuary or congregation. Textual tropes antiphons and setings of the Mass.that archangel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary, in a two-voice seting from the fourteenth included substitutes for items such as might have been heard in England in the their conversation.brief, yet charged century, inserted between verses of the antiphons and versicles, or for parts of 1440s, when the most modern of the works with import.and the divine conception. monophonic Latin song. the Ordinary of the Mass. In England on the program were composed. We begin Our set of Annunciation music opens a troped Kyrie was the rule for all major with the familiar Advent hymn Veni, veni with one of the most famous songs of the

4 5 Te polyphonic carols on our program later music has lost none of its ability to forth exchange of single notes), the entire and intoxicating odor of frankincense, are drawn from three manuscripts whose dazzle with complex cross-rhythms, as the ensemble locks into a regular patern and all the rest of the liturgical drama of contents overlap somewhat, despite dancing Alleluia demonstrates, but the of fve measures, like waves rising and High Mass on one of the most glorious the two decades between their likely efect is suave and sensuous rather than breaking on the shore. feast days of the Christian year. dates of copying, from afer 1415 to the glitering and prickly. .Scot Metcalfe 1440s. With the exception of the more Te most modern of the works on our ambitiously contrapuntal Epiphany carol Te canonic example of this program are the Sanctus and Agnus Ave rex angelorum, the carols are writen in a quintessentially English sweetness is dei from the Missa Veterem hominem. About the harp robust popular style with graceful melody another addressing the Virgin Composed in the 1440s by an anonymous and simple harmonies and generally take Mary in the words of the Song of Songs, English composer, this Mass was part Te strings on a harp clang by striking the lower nail where they are connected the form of a three-voice refrain with a Dunstaple’s rapturous Quam pulcra es. of the great wave of English works that to the body… In common parlance this two-voice verse. Te rollicking Nowel! Nearly as sweet is Dunstaple’s seting crashed onto the European continent is called “harping” the string. Owt of your slepe aryse inverts the normal of the antiphon Alma redemptoris mater, in the mid-ffeenth century, inspiring a Heinrich Glarean patern, with a brilliant three-voice verse which was sung at Vespers during the host of imitations by French and Flemish Dodecachordon (1547) and a refrain whose two parts roll from entire Christmas season from Advent to composers. It, like Power’s Ibo michi voice to voice. For Nova nova, transmited Candlemas. At least, the piece is probably and Dunstaple’s Alma redemptoris mater Te ffeenth-century as a monophonic song, I have added two by Dunstaple. It survives in fve sources, and, indeed, most mid-century English harp sounds rather parts to the refrain and one to the verse. all of them continental: three lack any music, survives only in continental diferent from its ascription, one atributes it to Dunstaple, copies, the English originals having modern counterparts Te decades between the 1410s and and in the ffh a later hand has cancelled disappeared almost without exception. due to the presence of the 1440s saw striking changes in the the original ascription to “Binchois” and Te Missa Veterem hominem takes as its brays, small wedges compositional style of learned polyphony. replaced it with “Leonelle” (i.e. Power). cantus frmus an antiphon for Lauds at set atop the pins in In some instances we can hear the change the Octave of the Epiphany (“Te Savior the sound board: in the works of a single composer. Listen to Te Gloria by Pycard (whoever he may comes to baptism, bringing renewal to old when the string is the craggy dissonances and bristly cross- have been) is another work from the Old man”), and its Kyrie (not performed on plucked, it vibrates rhythms of Leonel Power’s astonishing Hall manuscript, like Power’s Gloria, and this program) sets the trope Deus creator against the narrow end of the wedge, Gloria from the the rigid construction that underlies it is omnium, which was sung in the Sarum rite creating a buzzy or snappy sound which is of c. 1415, for two, four, and fnally fve typical of an earlier aesthetic, less sweet on all principal and major double feasts, both louder and more sustained than that voices.Christopher Page likens the efect than brilliant. Here two of the upper including Christmas. Tese features of a harp without brays. Te harp played to sticking your head into a beehive.and three voices sing in canon at the distance make it a perfect choice for a festive Mass today was made by Lynne Lewandowski compare it to his Ibo michi ad montem mirre, of fve breves (or measures). Te canon during the Christmas season, while its of Bellows Falls, Vermont, from Vermont transmited in a continental manuscript is complicated and partially obscured vigorous rhythms, dashing melodies, and cherry, and is based on various surviving from the 1440s. Te later work is fuid, by the third voice moving at the same clangorous harmonies ofer an apt musical originals and paintings, especially the tall tuneful, and almost entirely consonant. speed and in the same range. Towards the counterpart to the blazing candles, the and slender portrayed in the sweeter, a ffeenth-century musician would end, when the three upper voices trade bright colors of festal vestments, the paintings of Hans Memling. Its 26 gut probably say, just as Ecce quod natura, Hayl hockets (the term, related to the English fashing gold, silver, and jewels of the strings are tuned diatonically with both Mary, or Ter is no rose are sweet. Power’s hiccup, describes a rapidfre back-and- ceremonial vessels, the swirling smoke B-natural and B-fat.

6 7 Fles of thee, Maide bright, human form from thee, fair Maiden, Texts & Translations Manken free for to make to free mankind Of sen and devles might. of sin and the devil’s might. Veni, veni, Emanuel! Come, O come, Emmanuel! Captivum solve Israel, Redeem captive Israel, Mildelich him gan andswere Te gentle maiden then Qui gemit in exilio, who laments in exile, Te milde maide thanne: gently answered him: Privatus Dei flio. deprived of the son of God. (Wichewise sold ich bere (In what manner should I bear Gaude! gaude! Emanuel Rejoice! rejoice! Emanuel A child withute manne? a child without a husband? nascetur pro te, Israel. shall be born to you, O Israel. T’angel hir seid: (Ne dred tee nout: Te angel said to her: (Fear nothing: Turw th’Oligast sal ben iwrout through the Holy Ghost shall be done Veni, O Jesse Virgula! Come, O Rod of Jesse! Ex hostis tuos ungula, Tis ilche thing warof tiding ich bringe; this very thing of which I bring news; From the enemy’s claws, Al manken wurth ibout all mankind shall be redeemed De specu tuos tartari from the pit of hell Educ, et antro barathri. Turw thine sweet childinge through thy sweet child-bearing lead your people, and from the maw of the abyss. And ut of pine ibrout. and brought out of torment. Veni, veni, O Oriens! Come, come, O Morning Star! Solare nos adveniens, Wan the maiden understood When the maiden understood Console us with your coming, And th’angels wordes herde, and heard the angel’s words, Noctis depelle nebulas, dispel the gloom of night, Dirasque noctis tenebras. Mildelich, with milde mood, gently, with gentle spirit and pierce the nocturnal shadows. To th’angel hie andswerde: she answered the angel: Veni, Clavis Davidica! Come, Key of David! (Ure Lords thewe maid iwis (I am indeed the bond-maid Regna reclude celica, Open wide the heavenly kingdom, Ich am, that heer aboven is; of our Lord, who is above: Fac iter tutum superum, make safe the road above, Anentis me fulfurthed be thi sawe, concerning me may thy words be fulflled, Et claude vias inferum. and bar the ways to hell. Tat ich, sith his wil is, that I, since it is His will, A maid, withute lawe, may, as a maiden, outside natural law, Veni, veni, Adonaï, Come, come, Adonai, Of moder have the blis. have the joy of motherhood. Qui populo in Sinaï who on the mount of Sinai Legem dedisti vertice gave your people the Law Angelus disparuit Te angel disappeared, In maiestate glorie. in glorious majesty. et statim puellaris and at once the girl’s 13th century French? uterus intumuit womb swelled up vi partis salutaris. by the power of the birth of salvation. Angelus ad virginem Te angel, coming secretly Qui, circumdatus utero He, having been contained in the womb subintrans in conclave, to the Virgin, novem mensium numero, for nine months, virginis formidinem calming the Virgin’s hinc exiit et iniit confictum came out from it and entered the confict, demulcens, inquit: (Ave! fear, said: (Hail! afgens humero taking on his shoulder Ave Regina Virginum! hail, Queen of Virgins! crucem, qua dedit ictum the cross, by which he gave a blow Celi terreque Dominum You shall conceive the Lord of Heaven and Earth hosti mortifero. to the mortal enemy. concipies, et paries intacta and give birth, remaining a virgin, Eya, Mater Domini, O Mother of the Lord, salutem hominum; to the salvation of mankind; que pacem reddidisti who restored peace tu porta celi facta, you are made the gateway of heaven, angelis et homini to angels and men medela criminum. the cure for sin. cum Christum genuisti, when you gave birth to Christ, Gabriel, fram Heven-King Gabriel, sent from the King of Heaven tuum exora flium beg of your son Sent to the maide sweete, to the sweet maiden, ut se nobis propicium that he may show himself favorable to us Broute his blisful tiding brought her happy news exhibeat et deleat peccata, and wipe away our sins, And fair he gan hir greete: and greeted her courteously: prestans auxilium ofering help (Heil be thu, ful of grace aright! (Hail be thou, full of grace indeed! vita frui beata to enjoy the blessed life For Godes Son, this Heven-Light, For God’s Son, this Light of Heaven, post hoc exilium. afer this exile. For mannes love will man bicome and take for love of man will become man and take Latin by ? (d. 1236), Translations fom Te New Oxford English version anonymous 13th century Book of Carols

8 9 Alma redemptoris mater, Benefcent mother of the Savior, Quam pulcra es et quam decora, carissima, How beautiful you are, and how fair, dearest, que pervia celi porta manens, who keeps the door of heaven always open, in deliciis. Statura tua assimilata est in your delights! Your stature is like to a et stella maris, succure cadenti and star of the sea: help those falling palme, et ubera tua botris. Caput tuum ut palm tree, and your breasts the clusters of its surgere qui curat populo, people who seek to rise up, Carmelus, collum tuum sicut turris eburnea. fruit. Your head is like Mount Carmel, your tu que genuisti, natura mirante, you who, while nature marvelled, Veni, dilecte mi, egrediamur in agrum, et neck a tower of ivory. Come, my beloved, tuum sanctum genitorem. begot your holy creator. videamus si fores fructus parturierunt, si let us go forth into the feld, let us see if the Virgo, prius ac posterius, Virgin before and aferwards, foruerunt mala punica. Ibi dabo tibi ubera blossoms have budded, if the pomegranates Gabrielis ab ore sumens illud ave, from Gabriel’s mouth hearing that “Hail”: mea. Alleluya. are in fower. Tere I will give you my love. peccatorum miserere. have mercy on us sinners. Alleluia. Processional antiphon for the Blessed Virgin Mary Antiphon for the Blessed Virgin Mary fom Advent to Candlemas Gloria in excelsis deo, et in terra pax Glory to God in the highest, and on earth hominibus bone voluntatis. Laudamus te. peace to all of good will. We praise you. Hayl Mary, ful of grace, Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorifcamus We bless you. We adore you. We glorify moder in virgynyte. te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam you. We give thanks to you for your great gloriam tuam. Domine deus, rex celestis, glory. Lord God, heavenly king, almighty Te Holi Goste is to the sent the thee deus pater omnipotens. Domine fli God the Father, Lord Jesus Christ, only from the Fader omnipotent; unigenite, Jesu Christe. Domine deus, begoten Son, Lord God, lamb of God, Son now is God withyn the went agnus dei, flius patris. Qui tollis peccata of the Father. Who takes away the sins of the Whan the angel seide “Ave.” mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata world, have mercy on us. Who takes away mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Whan the angel “Ave” byganne, Qui sedes ad dexteram patris, miserere Who sits at the right hand of the Father, fesh and blode togedre ranne; nobis. Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus have mercy on us. For you alone are holy, Mary bare bothe God and manne dominus, tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe, you alone are the Lord, the Most High, Jesus throw vertu and throw dyngnyte. throw through cum sancto spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of Amen. God the Father. Amen. So seith the Gospel of Syn Johan: Saint John God and man is made but one in fesch and blode, body and bone, Ter is no rose of swych vertu swych such O God in personys thre. as is the rose that bare Jhesu. Alleluya. Moche joye to us was graunt and in erthe pees yplaunte and peace planted on earth For in this rose conteynyd was whan that born was this faunte faunte infant Heven and erthe in lytyl space, in the londe of Galile. res miranda. a marvellous thing Mary, graunte us the blys Be that rose we may weel see be by means of ther thy Sonys wonynge ys; wonynge dwelling that he is God in personys thre, of that we han ydone amys for what we have done wrong pari forma. of the same form pray for us, pur charite. pur charite “pour charité,” out of love Te aungelys sungyn the shepherdes to: “Gloria in excelsis Deo!” Glory to God in the Highest! Gaudeamus. Let us rejoice.

10 11 Ibo michi ad montem mirre et ad colles I will go into the mountain of myrrh and to Dominus dixit ad me flius meus es tu: ego Te Lord said to me, Tou art my Son: this day libani, et loquar sponse mee: Tota speciosa the hills of Lebanon, and say to my bride: hodie genui te. have I begoten thee. es et macula non est in te. Veni de Libano; You are all beautiful, and there is no faw in Quare fremuerunt gentes: et populi meditati Why do the nations rage, and the people venies et transibimus ad montem Seir et you. Come from Lebanon; you will come sunt inania? imagine a vain thing? Hermon, a cubilibus leonum et a montibus and we will cross to Mount Senir and Mount Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto: sicut Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy leopardorum. Alleluya. Hermon, from the dens of lions and the erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and mountains of leopards. Alleluya. secula seculorum. Amen. forever shall be, world without end. Amen. Antiphon for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Song of Songs 4:6-8 Introit, First Mass at Christmas (Sarum rite); Hebrews 1:5, Psalm 2:1

Veni, redemptor gencium, Come, savior of the gentiles, Ostende partum virginis. And manifest your birth to a virgin. Nowel, nowel nowel! Miretur omne seculum; All the world shall marvel: Talis decet partus Deum. God decreed such a birth. Owt of your slepe aryse and wake, For God mankynd nowe hath ytake, For God has now taken on human nature Non ex virili semine Not of man’s seed Al of a maide without eny make; eny make any spot Sed mistico spiramine But of the Holy Spirit Of al women she bereth the belle. bereth the belle is the most excellent Verbum Dei factum caro, Is the word of God made fesh, Fructusque ventris foruit. And the fruit of the womb fowers. And thorwe a maide fair and wys thorwe through Now man is made of ful grete pris; pris worth Alvus tumescit virginis, Te womb of the virgin did swell, Now angelys knelen to mannys servys, Claustra pudoris permanent; Yet remained a cloister of chastity; And at this tyme al this byfel. this tyme i.e. Christmastime Vexilla virtutum micant; Te banners of virtue shine forth: Versatur in templo Deus. God dwells in his temple. Now man is bryghter than the sonne, Now man in heven an hye shal wone; in heaven on high shall dwell Procedens de thalamo suo, He goes forth from his chamber, Blessyd be God this game is begonne, game action, sequence of events Pudoris aula regia, A royal hall of purity, And his moder emperesse of helle. Gemine gigas substancie A giant of twofold substance, Alacris ut currat viam. Eager to run his course. Tat ever was thralle, now ys he fre; He who was in thrall forever is now free Tat ever was smalle, now grete is she; Deo Patri sit gloria, Glory be to God the Father Now shal God deme bothe the and me deme judge Eiusque soli Filio, And to his only Son, Unto hys blysse, yf we do wel. do wel act righteously Cum Spiritu Paraclito, With the Holy Spirit, Et nunc et in perpetuum. Amen. Now and forevermore. Amen. Now, blessyd brother, graunte us grace blessyd brother i.e. Christ St. Ambrose (c. 340-97) A domesday to se thy face A domesday At Judgement Day And in thy courte to have a place, Tat we mow there synge Nowel! mow may

Gloria (see above)

12 13 Ecce, quod natura Behold, Nature Ave rex angelorum, Hail, King of Angels, Mutat sua jura: changes her laws: Ave rexque celorum, Hail, King of Heaven, Virgo parit pura a pure virgin gives birth Ave princepsque polorum. Hail, Prince of the poles of the earth. Dei flium. to the son of God. Hayl, most myghty in thi werkyng, Hail, most mighty in thy deeds, Ecce novum gaudium, Behold, a new joy, Hayl, thou Lord of all thing, Hail, thou Lord of every thing, Ecce novum mirum: behold, a new wonder: Y ofer the gold as to a kyng. I ofer thee gold, as to a king. Virgo parit flium a virgin gives birth to a son, Que non novit virum. she who knew not man. Ave rex angelorum… Hail, King of Angels… Que non novit virum, She knew not man, Sed ut pirus pirum, but bore as the pear tree bears a pear, Gleba fert saphirum, a clod of earth a sapphire, Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the Rosa lilium. the rose a lily. nobis. world, have mercy on us. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the Mundum Deus febilem Seeing the wretched world nobis. world, have mercy on us. Videns in ruina, in ruin, God Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the Florem delectabilem brought forth a delightful fower nobis pacem. world, grant us peace. Produxit de spina; from a thorn; Produxit de spina from a thorn Virgoque regina, a virgin and queen brought forth Nowel syng we bothe al and som, Let us sing Noel, each and every one, Mundi medecina, healing for the world, Now Rex Pacifcus is ycome. Now the King of Peace is come. Salus gencium. the salvation of the peoples. Exortum est in love and lysse: He is arisen in love and joy: Nequivit divinitas Divinity could not have been Now Cryst hys grace he gan us gysse, now Christ has prepared his grace for us Plus humiliari, more humbled, And with hys body us bought to blysse, and with his body redeemed us unto bliss, Nec nostra fragilitas nor our fragility Bothe al and sum. each and every one. Magis exaltari: more exalted: Magis exaltari more exalted De fuctu ventris of Mary bright, From the fruit of the womb of radiant Mary Quam celo collocari than to be raised to Heaven Bothe God and man in here alyght: both God and man alight in her: Deoque equari and made equal to God Owte of dysese he dyde us dyght, from disease he rescued us, Per conjugium. through this union. Bothe al and sum. each and every one.

Puer natus to us was sent, A boy-child was sent to us, Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, dominus deus Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts. To blysse us bought, fro bale us blent, redeemed us unto bliss, turned us aside from evil, sabaoth. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. And ellys to wo we hadde ywent, and else to woe we would have gone, Pleni sunt celi et terra gloria tua. Osanna in Hosanna in the highest. Bothe al and sum. each and every one. excelsis. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini. Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Lux fulgebit with love and lyght, Te light will shine with love and light; Osanna in excelsis. In Mary mylde hys pynon pyght, in gentle Mary he raised his banner, In here toke kynde with manly myght, in her assumed humanity with manly boldness, Bothe al and sum. each and every one.

Gloria tibi ay and blysse: Glory to Tee always, and bliss: God unto his grace he us wysse, may God guide us to his grace, Te rent of heven that we not mysse, that we shall not lose the reward of heaven, Bothe al and sum. each and every one.

14 15 Nova, nova! Ave ft ex Eva. News, news! “Ave” is made from “Eva.” (i.e. Te angelic salutation “Ave” reverses the About the Artiss Gabriell of hye degre, sin commited by Eve.) He cam down from Trinite To Nazareth in Galile. He met a maydn in a place, He knelyd down afore hir face, He seyd, Heile Mary, ful of grace! When the maiden herd tell of this, Sche was full sore abaschyd iwys, And wened that sche had don amysse. wened thought Ten seid th’angell, Dred not thue, Ye shall conceyve in all vertu. A Chyld whose name shall be Jhesu. Blue Heron has been acclaimed by Te Noah Greenberg Award from the American Boston Globe as “one of the Boston music Musicological Society to support a world It is not yit syx moneth agoon community’s indispensables” and hailed premiere recording of ’s Sen Elizabeth conceyved John, by Alex Ross in Te New Yorker for its frst book of (1542), which it will As it was prophysed beforne. “expressive intensity.” Commited to vivid complete over the next two seasons. Ten seid the mayden verely, live performance informed by the study I am youre servaunt right truely. of original source materials and historical Founded in 1999, Blue Heron presents a Ecce ancilla domini. Behold the handmaiden of the Lord performance practices, Blue Heron ranges concert series in Cambridge, Massachusets, over a wide repertoire from plainchant to and has appeared at the Boston Early Music new music, with particular specialities in Festival; in New York City at Music Before 15th-century Franco-Flemish and early 16th- 1800, Te Cloisters (Metropolitan Museum century English polyphony. Blue Heron’s frst of Art), and the 92nd Street Y; at the Library CD, featuring music by , of Congress, the National Gallery of Art, was released in 2007. In 2010 the ensemble and Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C.; inaugurated a 5-CD series of Music fom the at the Berkeley Early Music Festival; at Yale Peterhouse Partbooks, including many world University; and in San Luis Obispo, Seatle, premiere recordings of works copied c. 1540 St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago, Cleveland, for ; the ffh disc Milwaukee, Pitsburgh, Philadelphia, was released in 2017. Blue Heron’s and Providence. Tis season’s highlights recordings also include a CD of plainchant include an tour to England, with and polyphony to accompany Tomas Forrest performances at Peterhouse and Trinity Kelly’s book Capturing Music: Te Story of College in Cambridge and at Lambeth Palace Notation and the live recording Christmas Library, at the London residence of the in Medieval England. Jessie Ann Owens Archbishop of Canterbury. Blue Heron has (UC Davis) and Blue Heron won the 2015 been in residence at the Center for Early Music

16 17 Studies at Boston University and at Boston Michael Barret is a Boston-based conductor, the US, , and Australia. Passionate has won critical acclaim College, and has enjoyed collaborations with singer, multi-instrumentalist, and teacher. about chamber music, early music, and in a variety of repertoire. A Far Cry, Dark Horse Consort, Les Délices, He has performed with contemporary music, she has appeared His opera credits include Parthenia, Pifaro, and Ensemble Plus Ultra. many professional frequently with Dinosaur Annex, Boston Santa Fe Opera, Seatle In 2015 the ensemble embarked on a multi- early music ensembles, Musica Viva, Ensemble Chaconne, Blue Opera, Florida Grand season project to perform the complete including Blue Heron, Heron, and the Musicians of the Old Post Opera, the Rossini works of (c. 1420-1497). the Boston Camerata, the Road. She has been a regular soloist in the Festival in Germany, and Entitled Ockeghem@600, it will wind up Huelgas Ensemble, Vox Emmanuel Music Bach Cantata series for numerous appearances around 2021, in time to commemorate the Luminis, the Handel & over thirty years and has performed almost all in and around Boston. As composer’s circa-600th birthday. Haydn Society, Boston 200 of Bach’s extant sacred cantatas. She has concert soloist he has sung with the Cleveland Baroque, Nederlandse recorded for Arabesque, Artona, BMG, CRI, Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic, and Boston Mustering up “rock solid technique” and Bachvereniging (Netherlands Bach Society), Dorian, Meridian, and KOCH. Dellal serves Pops, and in recital at the Caramoor, Ravinia, “the kind of vocal velvet L’Académie, Seven Times Salt, Schola on the faculty at the Boston Conservatory at and Marlboro Festivals. Recently Mr. you don’t ofen hear in Cantorum of Boston, and Exsultemus. He can Berklee and at the Longy School of Music of McFerrin was an Adams Fellow at the Carmel contemporary music” be heard on the harmonia mundi, Blue Heron, Bard College. Bach Festival in California, debuted with (Boston Phoenix), soprano and Coro record labels. Michael has served as Boston Baroque (as Achilla in Handel’s Giulio Jennifer Ashe has been music director of Convivium Musicum since Bass-baritone Paul Cesare) and Apollo’s Fire in Cleveland, and praised for performances 2007. He also directs the Meridian Singers, Gutry has performed performed with the Handel & Haydn Society that are “pure bravura, a vocal ensemble based at MIT. Michael throughout the USA in Boston, New York, and California. He riveting the audience with is currently an Assistant Professor at the and internationally with was also runner-up in the Oratorio Society a radiant and opulent Berklee College of Music, where he teaches Sequentia, Chanticleer, of New York’s 2016 Lyndon Woodside Solo voice” (Te Boston Globe). A strong advocate conducting courses for undergraduates, and the Boston Camerata, and Competition. Tis season’s highlights include of new works, she has sung with Boston a Lecturer in Music at Boston University, New York’s Ensemble for the world premiere of Te Nefarious, Immoral, Musica Viva, Sound Icon, Fromm Festival, where he teaches seminars in Early Music. A founding yet Highly Proftable Enterprise of Mr. Burke Boston Microtonal Society, Harvard Group and Baroque choral repertoire for graduate member of Blue Heron, and Mr. Hare with Boston Lyric Opera, a for New Music, New Music Brandeis, New choral conducting students. he has also appeared in and around Boston debut with the Arion Baroque Orchestra in Gallery Concert Series, Guerilla Opera, as soloist with Emmanuel Music, the Handel Montreal, solo appearances with the Handel Ludovico Ensemble, and the Callithumpian Pamela Dellal, mezzo-soprano, has enjoyed & Haydn Society, the Boston Early Music & Haydn Society, and various programs with Consort. Recent projects include Boulez’s a distinguished career Festival, the Tanglewood Music Center, Blue Heron. Le marteau sans maitre with Boston Musica as an acclaimed soloist Cantata Singers, Boston Cecilia, Prism Opera, Viva and Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire with and recitalist. She has Boston Revels, Collage, the Boston Modern Acclaimed as a “lovely, Ensemble Parallax. Ashe holds a DMA and performed in Symphony Orchestra Project, and Intermezzo. Paul can tender high tenor” by Te an MM from the New England Conservatory Hall, the Kennedy Center, be heard on all Blue Heron’s recordings, on New York Times, Owen and a BM from the Hart School of Music. Avery Fisher Hall, and the discs of by Sequentia, Kurt McIntosh enjoys a diverse Formerly on the faculties of the College of the Royal Albert Hall, and Weill’s Johnny Johnson and French airs de cour career of chamber music Holy Cross and Eastern Connecticut State premiered a chamber work with the Boston Camerata, and on Emmanuel and solo performance University, she currently teaches voice, piano, by John Harbison in New Music’s Bach CDs. ranging from bluegrass and ukulele at the Dana Hall School of Music York, San Francisco, Boston, and London. to reggae, heavy metal in Wellesley and preschool music at Music With Sequentia, Dellal has recorded the Hailed for his “voice of seductive beauty” to art song, and opera Together Arlington. music of Hildegard von Bingen and toured (Miami Herald), baritone David McFerrin to oratorio. A native of remote Northern

18 19 California, Mr. McIntosh has shared the Music Guild, Tragicomedia, and Tanglewood . He holds degrees from Brown and ensemble singer under Seiji Ozawa, stage with the country’s fnest ensembles, Music Center. He was proud to appear on University and Harvard University. Christopher Hogwood, William Christie, including Apollo’s Fire, Blue Heron, Boston BEMF’s Grammy-winning 2015 Charpentier Roger Norrington, John Nelson, Andrew Baroque, Carmel Bach Festival, Les Canards recording; other recording credits include Countertenor Martin Near enjoys a varied Parrot, Grant Llewellyn, and Craig Smith. Chantants, New Vintage Baroque, Staunton Lully’s Pysché, Handel’s Acis and Galatea, career exploring his He has appeared as a soloist with Concerto Music Festival, TENET, Trident Ensemble, Blow’s Venus and Adonis, and Charpentier’s twin passions for early Palatino and has sung the Evangelist in Bach True Concord, San Diego Bach Collegium, Acteon with BEMF (CPO), Fischer’s Vespers music and new music. Passions with the Handel & Haydn Society, and the Grammy-nominated Choir of (Toccata Classics), Awakenings with Coro In recent years Mr. Near the Boulder Bach Festival, the Oriana Singers Trinity Wall Street. Recent solo engagements Allegro (Navona), and all of Blue Heron’s sang in the solo quartet of Vermont, Seraphim Singers, Boston’s include Mozart’s Die Zauberföte with Boston recordings. of Arvo Pärt’s Passio with Chorus Pro Musica, and the Andover Choral Baroque, Haydn’s L’isola disabitata with the the Boston Modern Society, among others. Mr. Sprinkle was a American Classical Orchestra, Monteverdi’s Scot Metcalfe has gained Orchestra Project, was member of the Cambridge Bach Ensemble Vespers of 1610 with Apollo’s Fire and with wide recognition as one of the countertenor soloist and a fellow of the Briten-Pears School and Green Mountain Project, Bach’s St. Mathew North America’s leading in the premiere performance of Dominick has recorded for Dorian, Koch, Harmonia Passion with Grand Rapids Symphony, Il specialists in music from DiOrio’s Stabat mater with Juventas New Mundi, Decca, Arabesque, and Telarc. ritorno d’Ulisse in patria with Opera Omnia the ffeenth through Music Ensemble, sang the role of Hamor in and Boston Baroque, and the Evangelist in seventeenth centuries Handel’s Jephtha with Boston Cecilia, and was Mezzo-soprano Daniela Tošić, praised for Bach’s St. John Passion with Tucson Chamber and beyond. Musical and noted for his “fne work” in Buxtehude’s Heut her “burnished and warm Artists. artistic director of Blue triumphieret Gotes Sohn with Boston Baroque. sound” (Boston Musical Heron, he was music He sings regularly with Emmanuel Music, Intelligencer), is a soloist Described by reviewers as “the consummate director of New York City’s Green Mountain Boston Baroque, and the Handel & Haydn and chamber musician artist, wielding not just a sweet tone but Project (Jolle Greenleaf, artistic director) Society. Mr. Near was Music Director of who specializes in early, also incredible technique and impeccable from 2010-2016 and has been guest director Exsultemus from 2009 to 2012. contemporary, and world pronunciation” (Cleveland Plain Dealer), with of TENET (New York), the Handel & Haydn music repertories. She an “alluring tenor voice” (ArtsFuse), Jason Society (Boston), Emmanuel Music (Boston), Tenor Mark Sprinkle’s singing has has performed in concerts McStoots is a respected interpreter of early the Tudor Choir and Seatle Baroque, Pacifc been described as “expressive,” “very throughout the U.S., music whose recent solo Baroque Orchestra (Vancouver, BC), Quire rewarding,” “outstanding,” “vivid,” and Europe, and South America. Ms. Tosic is appearances include Les Cleveland, the Dryden Ensemble (Princeton, “supremely stylish.” He a founding member of the internationally plaisirs de Versailles by NJ), and Early Music America’s Young has collaborated with renowned vocal ensemble Tapestry, winners Charpentier, Orfeo, Il Performers Festival Ensemble. Metcalfe the Boston Early Music of the Echo Klassik and Chamber Music ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, also enjoys a career as a baroque violinist, Festival, the Boston America Recording of the Year awards. and the Vespers of 1610 by playing with Les Délices (dir. Debra Nagy), Camerata, the Mark Most recently she has joined Rumbarroco, a Monteverdi, Te Abduction Montreal Baroque (dir. Eric Milnes), and Morris Dance Group, Boston-based Latin-Baroque fusion ensemble fom the Seraglio by Mozart, other ensembles, and directing the baroque Emmanuel Music, Boston using period, folk, and contemporary popular Bach’s Christmas Oratorio orchestra at Oberlin Conservatory. He taught Baroque, the Handel & instruments. Ms. Tosic can be heard on and St. Mark Passion, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, vocal ensemble repertoire and performance Haydn Society, and many Telarc, MDG, and several independent labels. and Handel’s Messiah. He has performed with practice at Boston University from 2006- others, performed at festivals in Bergen Boston Lyric Opera, Emmanuel Music, Pacifc 2015, taught a class in vocal ensemble (Norway), Vancouver, Edinburgh, and MusicWorks, TENET, San Juan Symphony, performance at Harvard University this fall, Aldeburgh (UK), and worked as a soloist Bach Ensemble, Casals Festival, Seatle Early and is at work on a new edition of the songs of

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