Marina Harris, guest soloist • Peter L. Bates, organist
– Program –
Fantasy on “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by W. T. Best (1826-1897)
O Little Town of Bethlehem [St. Louis] (selected stanzas) by Lewis Henry Redner
O Little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us; abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel! [Phillips Brooks]
In the Bleak Midwinter with Largo from The New World Symphony arr. by Jeff Perks (b. 1962)
Angels We Have Heard on High [Gloria] French Carol
Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo! [French Carol; tr. James Chadwick]
Livre de Noëls by Louis-Claude D’aquin (1694-1772)
X. Noël Grand Jeu et Duo
Pastorale on “In dulci jubilo” by Paul Manz (1919-2009) (To follow the text of this organ carol, see below:)
Good Christian Friends, Rejoice [In dulci jubilo] German folk melody
Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
give ye heed to what we say: Jesus Christ is born today;
ox and ass before him bow, and he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today! Christ is born today!
Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
now ye hear of endless bliss: Jesus Christ was born for this!
He has opened heaven’s door, and we are blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!
Good Christian friends, rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
now ye need not fear the grave: Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all to gain the everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!
[Medieval Latin; tr. and paraphrased by John Mason Neale]
The Virgin’s Slumber Song (Mariä Wiegenlied) by Max Reger (1873-1916); Marina Harris, soprano
Amid the roses Mary sits and rocks her Jesus-child, while amid the treetops sighs the breeze so warm and mild. And soft and sweetly sings a bird upon the bough: ah, baby, dear one, slumber now! Happy is thy laughter, holy is Thy silent rest, lay Thy head in slumber, fondly on Thy Mother’s breast! Ah, baby, dear one, slumber now! [Martin Boelitz; tr. Ed Teschemacher]
Christmas Cradle Song by Alfred Hollins (1865-1942) (To follow the text of this organ carol, see below:)
O Come, All Ye Faithful [Adeste Fideles] by John Francis Wade
O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant;
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come and behold him Born the King of Angels!
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
True God from true God, Light from light eternal,
born of a virgin, a mortal he comes;
Very God, begotten, not created!
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation;
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, All glory in the highest!
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given; Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing!
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord! [John Francis Wade; tr. Frederick Oakeley]
Prelude on “Greensleeves” (from “Four Carol Preludes”) Richard Purvis (1913-1994)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing [Mendelssohn] by Felix Mendelssohn
Hark! The herald angels sing “Glory to the newborn King.
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful all ye nations rise; join the triumph of the skies;
with th’angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come, offspring of the virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the God-head see; Hail th’incarnate deity,
pleased in flesh with us to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!” [Charles Wesley]
Berceuse sur le nom de SWANN George Baker (b. 1951)
Silent Night, Holy Night! [Stille Nacht] (selected stanzas) Franz Xaver Gruber
Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright
‘round yon virgin mother and child!
Holy infant, so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight;
glories stream from heaven afar,
heavenly hosts sing “Alleluia:
Christ the Savior is born; Christ the Savior is born!”
Silent night, holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. [Joseph Mohr; tr. John Young]
Poèmes Ėvangéliques by Jean Langlais (1907-1991)
II. La Nativité
Joy to the World [Antioch] (selected stanzas) by George Frederick Handel
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her king;
let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love, and wonders, and wonders of his love. [Isaac Watts]
Merry Christmas! We hope you have enjoyed hearing and singing these beloved carols today.
If you wish to make a contribution to the Minister of Music’s Discretionary Fund, you can send a check to Covenant at 607 E. 3rd St. Long Beach, CA 90802 and on the memo line write MMDF. Thank you!
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