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Holiday Lights SAN FRANCISCO BERKELEY November 28, 8:00pm November 29, 8:00pm St. Mark’s Lutheran Church St. Mark's Episcopal Church Listen and learn more at clerestory.org Welcome to Holiday Lights! The turkey’s done and now, ’tis the season…for holiday music! Welcome to Clerestory’s Holiday Lights, a festive tour of seasonal music from across the British Isles. We are delighted you chose to join us tonight, and we hope this concert offers you a peaceful hour to relax and luxuriate in these gorgeous medieval, Renaissance, and contemporary Christmas carols. It’s hard to believe that we are midway through our tenth season. Who knew back in 2006 that the singers would still be planning, rehearsing, and performing together a decade later? The bonds of creative brotherhood and a shared artistic vision are powerful, indeed! Now is the time to mark your calendar for our season-ending capstone, featuring premiere works from many long-time contemporary composer friends to the ensemble. Don’t miss New Lights, March 5 in San Francisco and March 6 in Berkeley. The men of Clerestory know well that your support—by attending concerts, donating to the organization, and spreading the word—is crucial to the group’s continued success. From Clerestory’s board and the singers, we thank you. Warmly, Nancy Roberts President, Clerestory Board of Directors Save the Date for Our Next Performances: New Lights Clerestory closes its tenth anniversary season with a program of luminous and exciting contemporary music. Works by Eric Whitacre, Jake Heggie, and Aaron Jay Kernis will be sung alongside new songs written for Clerestory’s tenth anniversary by composer friends dear to the ensemble. SAN FRANCISCO BERKELEY Saturday, March 5, 8:00 p.m. Sunday, March 6, 4:00 p.m. St. Mark’s Lutheran Church David Brower Center Tickets and more info available at clerestory.org. 1 Holiday Lights CLERESTORY Jesse Antin, Kevin Baum, John Bischoff, Dan Cromeenes, Christopher Fritzsche, David Kurtenbach, James Monios, Justin Montigne, Daniel Pickens-Jones Saturday, November 28, 8:00 p.m., St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, San Francisco Sunday, November 29, 8:00 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Berkeley Goday My Lord, Sire Christëmas! Anonymous English Hodie Nobis Caelorum Thomas Tallis A Sound of Angels Christopher Tye Quid Petis, O Fili? Richard Pygott I Am the Day Jonathan Dove The Little Road to Bethlehem Michael Head The Shepherd’s Carol Bob Chilcott The Three Kings Healey Willan Sing Lullaby Herbert Howells Here is the Little Door Herbert Howells A Spotless Rose Herbert Howells I Saw a Fair Maiden Peter Warlock In the Bleak Midwinter Harold Darke Wexford Carol arr. John Rutter I Saw Three Ships arr. David Willcocks What Child is This? arr. David Willcocks See Amid the Winter’s Snow arr. David Willcocks 2 Goday My Lord, Sir Christëmas! Anonymous 15th Century English Goday, goday Goday, Sire Christëmas, our king, Gödes Son so much of might, my lord Sire Christëmas, goday! for every man, both old and ying, from heaven to earthë down is light, is glad and blithe of your coming; Goday! and born is of a maid so bright; Goday! Hodie Nobis Caelorum Rex Music by Thomas Tallis (1505 - 1585) Responsory at Matins on Christmas Day, Sarum Rite Hodie nobis caelorum rex Today for us the king of heaven is born, de virgine nasci dignatus est, worthy to be born of a virgin, ut hominem perditum so He might restore ruined man ad regna caelestia revocaret. to the heavenly kingdom. Gaude exercitus angelorum: The host of angels rejoices: Quia salus aeterna humano generi apparuit. for eternal salvation has appeared for the human race. Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory to God in the highest, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis: and on earth peace and to men of good will: quia salus eterna humano generi apparuit. because eternal salvation has appeared for humanity. A Sound of Angels Music by Christopher Tye (1505 - 1572) A sound of angels from afar The shepherds run to Bethlem town Yea, Christ is born, our heav’nly king, Fills all the quiet air, To see a wondrous sight. Salvation now is nigh, And Ah! how full of gladness are The Lord of Lords to earth come down So all mankind with angels sing The tidings that they bear. Is born for men tonight. Glory to God on high. Quid Petis, O Fili? Music by Richard Pygott (1482 - 1552) Text from the time of Henry VII and VIII Quid petis, o fili? The mother, full mannerly I mean this by Mary, Musing on her manners (What do you seek, son?) and meekly as a maid, our Maker’s mother of might, So nigh marr’d was my main Mater dulcissima ba ba. looking on her little son, full lovely looking on our Lord Save it pleased me so passingly (Sweetest mother.) so laughing in lap laid, the lantern of light. That past was my pain; O pater, o fili, so prettily, so pertly, Thus saying to our Saviour: Yet softly to her sweet son (O Father, O Son,) so passingly well apay’d this saw I in my sight, Methought I heard her sain: Mihi plausus oscula da da. full softly and full soberly this reason that I read you now, Now gracious God (Clapping hands, kisses.) unto her sweet son she said: I read it full right. and good sweet babe Yet once this game again. 3 I Am the Day Music by Jonathan Dove (b. 1959) First line of text from The legend of St. Christopher; then Revelation, 22:16, 13 I am the day soon to be born. I am the sprig from the root of David and the bright star of the morning I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee. O come, o come, Emmanuel. The Little Road to Bethlehem Music by Michael Head (1900 - 1976) Text by Margaret Rose (d. 1958) As I walked down the road at set of sun, She sang about the lambs at close of day The lambs were coming homewards, one by one, And rocked her tiny King among the hay. I heard a sheep-bell softly calling them Across the air the silver sheep-bell rang, Along the little road to Bethlehem. “The lambs are coming home,” sweet Mary sang, Beside an open door, as I drew nigh, “Your Star of Gold is shining in the sky, I heard sweet Mary sing a lullaby. So sleep, my little King, go lullaby.” The Shepherd’s Carol Music by Bob Chilcott (b. 1956) Traditional English Text We stood on the hills, Lady, There was a star, Lady, And so we have come, Lady, Our day’s work done, Shone in the night, Our day’s work done, Watching the frosted meadows Larger than Venus it was Our love, our hopes, ourselves, That winter had won. And bright, so bright. We give to your son. The evening was calm, Lady, Oh, a voice from the sky, Lady, The air so still, It seemed to us then Silence more lovely than music Telling of God being born Folded the hill. In the world of men. The Three Kings Music by Healey Willan (1880 - 1968) Text by Laurence Housman (1865 - 1959) “Who knocks tonight so late?” The serving man bowed down, A light the manger lit; They loosed their latchet strings, the weary porter said. the Inn was full, he knew. there lay the Mother meek. so stood they all unshod. Three kings stood at the gate, Said he, “In all this town Said they, “This place is fit: “Come in, come in, ye kings, each with a crown on head. is no fit place for you.” Here is the rest we seek.” and kiss the feet of God.” 4 Sing Lullaby Music by Herbert Howells (1892 - 1983) Text by F.W. Harvey (1888 - 1957) Sing lullaby, sing lullaby, Sing lullaby to Jesus, Sing lullaby, sing lullaby While snow doth gently fall, Born now in Bethlehem, While thickly snow doth fall, Sing lullaby to Jesus The naked blackthorn’s growing Sing lullaby to Jesus Born in an oxen-stall. To weave His diadem. The Saviour of all. Here is the Little Door Music by Herbert Howells (1892 - 1983) Text by Frances Chesterton (1869 – 1938) Here is the little door, Bend low about His bed, lift up the latch, oh lift! For each He has a gift; We need not wander more, See how His eyes awake, but enter with our gift; Lift up your hands, O lift! Our gift of finest gold. For gold, He gives a keen-edged sword. Gold that was never bought nor sold; (Defend with it thy little Lord!) Myrrh to be strewn about His bed; For incense, smoke of battle red, Incense in clouds about His head; Myrrh for the honored happy dead; All for the child that stirs not in His sleep, Gifts for His children, terrible and sweet; But holy slumber hold with ass and sheep. Touched by such tiny hands, and Oh such tiny feet. A Spotless Rose Music by Herbert Howells (1892 - 1983) Text: Es ist ein’ Ros’ entsprungen (anon. German), translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827 – 1878) A spotless Rose is blowing The Rose which I am singing, Sprung from a tender root, Whereof Isaiah said, Of ancient seers’ foreshowing, Is from its sweet root springing Of Jesse promised fruit; In Mary, purest Maid; Its fairest bud unfolds to light For through our God’s great love and might Amid the cold, cold winter The Blessed Babe she bare us And in the dark midnight.