The Gifts of Midwinter Notes and Lyrics

We have been threatening to put together a Christmas If your Latin isn’t what it should be, the verses are as And so to merry England then The whole world trembles with hope album for a ridiculous number of years, but when I was follows: Old Christmas brings his sport again. In this night which gives us a savior moved to write “The Gifts of Midwinter” the project At Christmas broach the mightiest ale; became real. A further ridiculous number of years have The time of grace comes At Christmas tell the merriest tale; People on your knees, await your deliverance passed, but quality takes time. (That’s our story, and we’re That for which we have wished Let chill winds whistle as they will, Noël, Noël, here is your Redeemer sticking to it.) With songs of joy We’ll keep our Christmas merry still. Noël, Noël, here is your Redeemer We the faithful return (God’s) love Since then we have set out to find songs you don’t hear on Words by Sir Walter Scott The Redeemer has broken our bonds EVERY Christmas album, though we couldn’t resist putting God is made man From the introduction to Canto VI of “Marmion,” The earth is free, and Heaven is open our stamp on a couple of personal favorites. So here they By this wonderful birth Dedicated to Richard Heber, Esquire, One now sees a brother where there was a slave are, from the sacred to the secular, from medieval to The world is renewed and set at “Mertoun House, Christmas.” Love unites those once bound in chains of iron modern. Good Yule and Merry Christmas. By Christ who reigns Music, traditional, to “The Sussex Carol,” melody Who will tell him of our gratitude collected from tradition in 1919 by R.V. Williams It is for us all that he was born, that he suffered and died Note: all italicized editor’s notes are by me, Lisa Theriot. Ezekiel’s gate (the original lyric for the Sussex Carol was published in All translations are my own (I have trust issues!). Closed, is passed through Ghent in 1684 in a collection called “Small Garland of Pious People, arise! Sing of your deliverance! Whence light issues from the east and Godly Songs.”) Noël, Noël, sing of your Redeemer And life is found Noël, Noël, sing of your Redeemer Adapted and arranged by Lisa Theriot Gaudete Therefore we shall raise © 2010 Raven Boy Music, ASCAP Words and Music (chorus, 4parts) : Piae CantioCantionesnesnesnes , 1582, 1582 Music now encircling, MusicMusicMusic (verses)(verses):: Jistebnice Cantional , 1420, 1420 (?) Do You HeaHearr What I Hear? Praising the Lord: Life to our King I once heard a fighter say that he had been really inspired Cantique de Noël This is a favorite of mine and of several close friends, so as before a battle because the army was singing together in (Minuit, Chrétiens) much as we tried to avoid modern Christmas songs, we had to make an exception for this one. Ken was happier about Latin. Horribly, they were singing this song, the chorus of Marmion’s Christmas Song it when I told him what I wanted for the drums… which translates as “Rejoice, for Christ is born of the Virgin The original French is far superior to the English Adapted from “Marmion”, 1808,1808 , by Sir Walter Scott Mary!” I’m a little alarmed that they headed off to shed Adapted from “Marmion”, 1808 , by Sir Walter Scott translation of “O Holy Night.” The English version fails to Said the night wind to the little lamb metaphorical blood singing this song, but I suppose it’s capture the emotional transition of the Midnight (Minuit) Do you see what I see? quite the medieval attitude. There is no music for the “Marmion” is an epic poem by Sir Walter Scott set around Mass from awestruck to joyous. The first chorus asks the Way up in the sky, little lamb verses in the Piae Cantiones; the verse melody is usually the time of the Battle of Flodden Field (1513). In the people to kneel in homage, but the second tells them to Do you see what I see? given as from the Bohemian collection referenced above; middle, there is a totally unrelated description of a jolly stand up and sing for joy at their salvation. A star, a star, dancing in the night however, since I have seen at least three different verse Christmas party. I moved a few bits around and decided With a tail as big as a kite melodies all claim the same source, I remain in doubt until that it goes well with the melody from “The Sussex Carol,” Minuit, Chrétiens, c'est l'heure solennelle, With a tail as big as a kite. the Czech National Library sees fit to web the collection. which begins, “On Christmas Night all Christians sing…” Où l'Homme-Dieu descendit jusqu'à nous Pour effacer la tache originelle Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy Chorus: Gaudete! Gaudete! Christus est natus On Christmas Eve the bells are rung Et de Son Père arrêter le courroux. Do you hear what I hear? Ex Maria Virgine, Gaudete! (repeat) On Christmas Eve the mass is sung Le monde entier tressaille d'espérance Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy The damsel dons her kirtle sheen; En cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur. Do you hear what I hear? Tempus adest gratia, The hall is dress’d with holly green; A song, a song, high above the tree Hoc quod optabamus; Forth to the wood the merry-men go, Peuple à genoux, attends ta délivrance. With a voice as big as the sea Carmina laticia All to gather the mistletoe. Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur, With a voice as big as the sea. Devote reddamus. Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur! Then opens wide the Baron’s hall Said the shepherd boy to the mighty King Deus homo factus est, To vassal, tenant, serf, and all; Le Rédempteur a brisé toute entrave: Do you know what I know? Natura mirante; Power lays his rod aside, La terre est libre, et le ciel est ouvert. In your palace warm, mighty King Mundus renovatus est, And Ceremony doffs his pride. Il voit un frère où n'était qu'un esclave, Do you know what I know? A Christo regnante. And to the cottage, as the crown, L'amour unit ceux qu'enchaînait le fer. A child, a child, shivers in the cold Comes good news of salvation down. Qui Lui dira notre reconnaissance, Let us bring him silver and gold Ezechielis porta C'est pour nous tous qu'Il naît, qu'Il souffre et meurt. Let us bring him silver and gold. Clausa pertransitur; The fire, with well-dried logs supplied, Unde lux est orta, Goes roaring up the chimney wide: Peuple debout! Chante ta délivrance, Said the King to the people everywhere Salus invenitur. The wassail round, in good brown bowls, Noël, Noël, chantons le Rédempteur, Listen to what I say! Bedecked with ribbons, blithely trowls. Noël, Noël, chantons le Rédempteur! Pray for peace, people everywhere Ergo nostra concio So mix sobriety with wine, Listen to what I say! Psallat iam in lustro; And good cheer with thoughts divine Words by Placide Cappeau (1808-1877) The child, the child, sleeping in the night Benedicat Domino: Music by Adolphe Adam (1803-1856) He will bring us goodness and light Salus Regi nostro. Then come the merry maskers in, Arranged by Lisa Theriot He will bring us goodness and light. And carols roar with blithesome din; © 2010, Raven Boy Music If unmelodious the song, Arranged by Ken and Lisa Theriot It is a hearty note, and strong. And if your French isn’t what it should be… Words and music by Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne ©2010 Raven Boy Music Listen, and in their mumming see © 1962 Jewel Music Publishing Co. Traces of ancient mystery. Midnight, Christians, it is the solemn hour All rights reserved That God-made-man descended among us Arrangement by Ken and Lisa Theriot To erase original sin ©2010 Raven Boy Music And of His Father end the wrath Mira bien que os quadre que ansina lo oyera, Quand je m’éveillai et j’eus assez dormi Drink to the Holly Berry Que Dios no pudiera hacer la mas madre, Ouvris les yeux, vis un arbre fleuri How Far to Bethlehem? El quera su padre hoy della nascio Dont il sortait un bouton merveillet Y el que la crio su hijo se dixera. I wanted a wassailing song on the album, and when we Noël, noel, o noël nouvelet! I learned this song for a Christmas pageant when I was in looked at all the ones we knew, Ken said, “Why don’t we th the 4 grade, which doesn’t quite make it traditional. O.o write one?” So we did. Hey, we’re musicians—we know how Quand je le vis, mon coeur fut réjoui The words are by Frances Chesterton, wife of author G.K. to beg for booze. Chesterton, but are most often sung to a traditional tune words and music by Mateo Flecha el Viejo (1481-1553) Car sa grand beauté resplendissait en lui known as “Stowey,” not this, the tune I was taught. I have (aka Mateu Fletxa el Vell in Catalan) Comme un soleil qui lève au matinet Chorus: Drink to the holly berry, combed books and the web looking for the provenance of ©2010 Raven Boy Music Noël, noel, o noël nouvelet! With a hey down, hoe down derry! this lovely minor melody, to no avail.

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