It’s nearly Christmas Day, and if you feel you haven’t had a good carol singalong yet, today’s programme is just for you. Plenty of well-known carols, including a couple that will really stretch your vocal cords!
Portinari Altarpiece, central panel - Hugo van der Goes Photo: Public Domain
SONG: O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL
Artist: Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge
Words/Music: Anon trans Oakeley/Anon
Recording: Chandos CHSA 5096
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;
Refrain:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!
God of God, Light of Light eternal,
lo, he abhors not the virgin’s womb;
Son of the Father, begotten, not created;
Refrain:
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all ye citizens of heaven above:
“Glory to God, all glory in the highest!”
Refrain:
SONG: ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH
Artist: Handel and Haydn Society, Harry Christophers (dir)
Words/Music: Trad
Recording: Coro COR 16117
Angels we have heard on high
Singing sweetly o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Refrain:
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be?
Which inspire your heavenly songs?
Refrain:
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.
Refrain:
SONG: IN DULCI JUBILO
Artist: Chorus of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London
Words/Music: attrib Heinrich Seuse/Trad
Recording: Philips 442151
In dulci jubilo
Let us our homage shew:
Our heart’s joy reclineth
In praesepio;
And like a bright star shineth
Matris in gremio,
Alpha es et O!
Alpha es et O!
O patris caritas!
O Nati lenitas!
Deeply were we stained.
Per nostra crimina:
But Thou for us hast gained
Coelorum gaudia,
O that we were there!
O that we were there!
Ubi sunt gaudia,
If that they be not there?
There are Angels singing
Nova cantica;
And there the bells are ringing
In Regis curia.
O that we were there!
O that we were there!
SONG: GOOD KING WENCESLAS
Artist: Canadian Brass
Words/Music: Trad
Recording: Philips 426835
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath'ring winter fuel
"Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know'st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes' fountain."
"Bring me bread and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither."
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather
In his master's steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, every man, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing
SONG: O HOLY NIGHT
Artist: Elora Festival Singers
Words/Music: Cappeau trans Dwight/Adam
Recording: Naxos 8.573421
Oh, holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices!
Oh, night divine, oh, night when Christ was born!
Oh, night divine, oh, night, oh, night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend!
He knows our need – to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother,
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! Oh, praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
SONG: WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED THEIR FLOCKS
Artist: Musica Sacra, Indra Hughes (dir)
Words/Music: Nahum Tate/attrib George Kirbye
Recording: Atoll ACD 207
While shepherds watched their flocks by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around.
"Fear not", said he, for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled mind
"Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind".
"To you, in David's town this day
Is born of David's line
The Saviour who is Christ the Lord
And this shall be the sign".
"The heavenly Babe you there shall find
To human view displayed
All meanly wrapped in swathing bands
And in a manger laid".
Thus spake the seraph, and forthwith
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels praising God, who thus
Addressed their joyful song:
"All glory be to God on high
And on the earth be peace
Goodwill henceforth from heaven to men
Begin and never cease"
SONG: THE VIRGIN MARY HAD A BABY BOY
Artist: Oxford Pro Musica Singers, Michael Smedley (dir)
Words/Music: Trad/Trad arr Blackwell
Recording: Proud Sound PROU CD134
The Virgin Mary had a baby boy,
the Virgin Mary had a baby boy,
the Virgin Mary had a baby boy,
and they say that his name is Jesus.
Refrain:
He come from the glory,
he come from the glorious kingdom.
He come from the glory,
he come from the glorious kingdom.
O yes, believer! O yes, believer!
He come from the glory,
he come from the glorious kingdom.
The angels sang when the baby born,
the angels sang when the baby born,
the angels sang when the baby born,
and they say that his name is Jesus.
Refrain:
The shepherds came where the baby born,
the shepherds came where the baby born,
the shepherds came where the baby born,
and they say his name is Jesus.
Refrain:
SONG: DING DONG! MERRILY ON HIGH
Artist: Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge, Andrew Nethsingha (dir), John Challenger (organ), Freddie James (second organ part)
Words/Music: Trad arr Mack Wilberg
Recording: Atoll ACD 308
Ding dong! Merrily on high,
In heaven the bells are ringing:
Ding dong! verily the sky
Is riven with angel singing.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis! [Repeat]
E'en so here below, below,
Let steeple bells be swungen,
And io, io, io,
By priest and people sungen:
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis! [Repeat]
Pray you, dutifully prime
Your matin chime, ye ringers;
May you beautifully rime
Your evetime song, ye singers.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis! [Repeat]
SONG: HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING
Artist: Festival Singers, Philip Walsh (organ)
Words/Music: C Wesley/Mendelssohn
Recording: Festivity Productions FRTCD 2007
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born 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 new-born King!
Christ, by highest heaven adored:
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the favoured one.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail, th'incarnate Deity:
Pleased, as man, with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel!
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King!
Hail! the heaven-born
Prince of peace!
Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the son of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born King!"
