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Programme

We began the search for music for this recording by reminiscing on the carol services of our childhood—since it was here we were first exposed to most of these gems. Celebrated carols like Away in a manger and Veni, veni Emmanuel needed new arrangements to make them suitable for us, but we resolved to preserve their simple beauty in our new interpretations. Other old works are recorded in their original forms: the Coventry Carol remains most poignant in its authentic 16th Century version, and the beloved Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen (recognised by many as A Great and Mighty Wonder) by Praetorius needs no embellishment. As the list of pieces grew, the question of where and how to record it became easier to answer: we needed natural acoustics with no technical trickery. Having grown accustomed to purpose-built studios and six separate microphones, we felt a renewed connection to our English choral roots as we stood around a stereo pair in the nave of St Michael’s, Highgate, ready to begin.

Even though nearly every piece on this disc could be heard in an English church carol service, the variety of musical styles within is immense. Five centuries and seven languages are represented, in works which encompass all the themes of Christmas, from the piety of the Virgin Mary to the joy of that birth on Christmas morning, and the agony of the innocents slaughtered by Herod shortly after.

As a group that spends much of its life on the road, we are fortunate to be able to gather music from many cultures and traditions beyond our own. Several pieces collected on our travels have found their way on to this playlist, including La Peregrinaçion by the Argentinian Ariel Ramirez, and the Polish-Ukrainian song Szczo to za prediwo, which we first heard performed by a choir from Warsaw at a King’s Singers workshop. Anyone who has thumbed through the carol books popular with English choirs, or who has listened to the annual broadcast from King’s College, Cambridge will know that English is far from the only language of English Christmas music. The French carol Noël nouvelet is set to an instantly recognisable French melody, while Gruber and Mohr’s Stille Nacht is perhaps the most popular Christmas tune in the world.

For several of the leading choral institutions in England, the commissioning of new carols has become a familiar part of Christmas. Consequently the twentieth century saw a number of carols written by the leading composers of the day: Britten, Walton, Howells, Tippett, Maxwell Davies, McCabe and Rutter amongst others. We have chosen pieces by Peter Warlock, John McCabe, John Rutter, Bo Holten and our very own Philip Lawson to represent this living tradition, as well as two works commissioned for the Christmas broadcast from King’s College: Bogoroditsye Dyevo by Arvo Pärt, and The Lamb by John Tavener.

Finally, we have included two works that stand in categories of their own. The Crown of Roses, by Tchaikovsky, has been cleverly transformed by the great jazz arranger Jeremy Lubbock into the version presented here. And to conclude matters, we present a new version, with Christmas words by Philip Lawson, of the perennial King’s Singers favourite You are the New Day, sung to the accompaniment of a string quartet.

The King’s Singers

Texts and Translations

1 Veni, veni Emmanuel (Trad. arr. Lawson)

Veni, veni Emmanuel
Captivum solve Israel,
Qui gemit in exilio
Privatus Dei filio.
Gaude! Gaude!
Emmanuel nascetur pro te Israel.

Veni, o Jesse virgula
Ex hostis tuos ungula,
Despectum tuos tartari
Deduc et antro barathri.
Gaude! Gaude!
Emmanuel nascetur pro te Israel.

Veni, veni o Oriens
Solare nos adveniens;
Noctis depelle nebulas
Dirasque noctis tenebras.
Gaude! Gaude!
Emmanuel nascetur pro te Israel.

Veni, clavis Davidica
Regna reclude caelica;
Faciter tutum superum
Et claude vias inferum.
Gaude! Gaude!
Emmanuel nascetur pro te Israel.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
Redeem thy captive Israel,
That into exile drear is gone,
Far from the face of God’s dear son.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou branch of Jesse, draw
The quarry from the lion’s claw,
From the dread caverns of the grave,
From nether hell, thy people save.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, thou dayspring bright!
Pour on our souls thy healing light;
Dispel the long night’s lingering gloom,
And pierce the shadows of the tomb.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Lord of David’s key!
The royal door fling wide and free;
Safeguard for us the heav’nward road,
And bar the way to death’s abode.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

2 Angelus ad Virginem (Trad. ed. the KS)

Angelus ad Virginem subintrans in conclave.
Virginis formidinem demulcens, inquit ‘Ave!’
‘Ave regina virginum, caeli terraeque Dominum
Concipies, et paries intacta, salutem hominum,
Tu porta caeli facta, medela criminum.’

Quomodo conciperem, quae virum non cognovi?
Qualiter infringerem quod firma mente vovi?’
‘Spiritus sancti gratia, perficiet haec omnia;
Ne timeas, sed gaudeas secura quod castimonia
Manebit in te pura Dei potentia.’

The angel came secretly to the virgin’s chamber And, soothing her fear, he said, ‘Hail!’ ‘Hail, Queen of women; you, untouched by man, Will conceive and bear the Lord of heaven and earth, The salvation of mankind. You have been made the gate of heaven, the redemption of sin.’

‘How may I conceive, since I have not known a man? How may I break the promise which I made with firm intent?’ ‘The grace of the Holy Spirit will bring about all these things. Fear not, but rejoice in the knowledge that your virtue will remain pure, Through the power of God’.

3 This is the truth sent from above (Trad. arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams)

This is the truth sent from above,
The truth of God, the God of love;
Therefore don’t turn me from your door,
But hearken all, both rich and poor.

The first thing which I do relate,
Is that God did man create;
The next thing which to you I’ll tell,
Woman was made with man to dwell.

Thus we were heirs to endless woes
Till God the Lord did interpose;
And so a promise soon did run:
That he would redeem us by his Son.

And at this season of the year
Our blest Redeemer did appear,
And here did live, and here did preach,
And many thousands he did teach.

Thus he in love to us behaved,
To show us how we must be saved;
And if you want to know the way,
Be pleased to hear what he did say.

4 Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (Praetorius)

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
Voll Gnad und Wahrheit von dem Herrn,
Die süße Wurzel Jesse.

Du Sohn Davids aus Jakobs Stamm,
Mein König und mein Bräutigam,
Hast mir mein Herz besessen.

Lieblich, freundlich, schön und herrlich,
Groß und ehrlich, reich an Gaben,
Hoch und sehr prächtig erhaben.

How brightly beams the morning star
With truth and blessing from the Lord,
The sweet root of Jesse!

Thou, David’s son of Jacob’s stem,
My king and my bridegroom,
Hast bewitched my heart.

Lovely, kindly, bright and glorious,
Great and righteous, rich in blessings,
High and most richly exalted.

5 Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen (Praetorius)

Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen aus einer Wurzel zart,
Als uns die Alten sungen: von Jesse kam die Art.
Und hat ein Blümlein bracht mitten im kalten Winter
Wohl zu der halben Nacht.

Das Röslein, das ich meine, davon Jesajas sagt,
Hat uns gebracht alleine Marie, die reine Magd.
Aus Gottes ew’gem Rat hat sie ein Kind geboren,
Welches uns selig macht.

O Jesu, bis zum Scheiden aus diesem Jammertal
Laß Dein Hilf uns geleiten hin in den Freudensaal,
In Deines Vaters Reich, da wir Dich ewig loben.
O Gott, uns das verleih.

A spotless rose is growing, sprung from a tender root,
Of ancient seers’ foretelling, of Jesse promised fruit.
Its fairest bud unfolds to light amid the cold, cold winter,
And in the dark midnight.

The rose which I am singing, whereof Isaiah said,
Is from its sweet root springing in Mary, purest maid;
Through God’s great love and might the blessed babe she bare us In a cold, cold winter’s night.

O Saviour, child of Mary, who felt our human woe;
Saviour, king of glory, who dost our weakness know,
Bring us at length, we pray,
To the bright courts of heaven and to the endless day.

6 There is no rose (Anon. ed. Stevens)

There is no rose of such virtue
As is the rose that bare Jesu.
Alleluia.
For in this rose contained was
Heaven and earth in little space.
Res miranda.
By that rose we may well see
That He is God in persons three.
Pares forma.

The angels sungen the shepherds to:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gaudeamus.
Leave we all this worldly mirth,
And follow we this joyful birth.
Transeamus.
Alleluia, res miranda,
Pares forma, gaudeamus,
transeamus.

7 Coventry Carol (Anon.)

Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child,
By, by, lully lullay.
Thou little tiny child,
By, by, lully lullay.

O sisters too,
How may we do,
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling,
For whom we do sing,
By, by, lully lullay?

Herod, the king,
In his raging,
Chargèd he hath this day
His men of might,
In his own sight,
All young children to slay.

That woe is me,
Poor child for thee!
And ever morn and day,
For thy parting
Neither say nor sing
By by, lully lullay!

Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child,
By, by, lully lullay.
Thou little tiny child,
By, by, lully lullay.

8 Nowell sing we now (Bo Holten ed. the KS)

In Bethlehem, in that fair city,
A child was born of a maiden free,
That shall a Lord and Prince be
Alleluia.

A solis ortus cardine
Jam lucis orto sidere
Hic jacet in praesepio
Qui regnat sine termino.

O Lord and prince of high degree,
Alleluia, Alleluia.

And children were slain full great plenty,
Hostes Herodes impie,
O Jesu for the love of Thee,
Wherefore here soulès savèd be.

Herod, the king, in his raging,
Chargèd he hath this day
His men of might, in his own sight,
All young children to slay.

Nowell sing we now all and some,
For Rex Pacificus is come,
O lux beata trinitas.
Alleluia.

(NB texts are used simultaneously)

9 Remember, O thou man (Ravenscroft)

Remember, O thou man,
O thou man, O thou man!
Remember, O thou man,
Thy time is spent.
Remember, O thou man,
How thou art dead and gone,
And I did what I can:
Therefore repent!

Remember Adam’s fall,
O thou man, O thou man!
Remember Adam’s fall
From heaven to hell!
Remember Adam’s fall,
How we were condemnèd all,
In hell perpetual, there for to dwell.

Remember God’s goodness,
O thou man, O thou man!
Remember God’s goodness,
And his promise made!
Remember God’s goodness;
How he sent his Son, doubtless,
Our sins for to redress:
Be not afraid!

In Bethlehem he was born,
O thou man, O thou man!
In Bethlehem he was born,
For mankind dear;
In Bethlehem he was born,
For us that were forlorn,
And therefore took no scorn
Our sins to bear.

10 In dulci jubilo (Trad. harm. J.S.Bach)

In dulci jubilo, nun singet und seid froh!
Unsers Herzen Wonne leit in praesepio,
Und leuchtet als die Sonne matris in gremio.
Alpha es et O!

In dulci jubilo, let us our homage show!
Our heart’s joy reclineth in praesepio,
And like a bright star shineth matris in gremio.
Alpha es et O!

11 Lullay my liking (Philip Lawson)

Refrain:
Lullay my liking,
My dear son, my sweeting;
Lullay my dear heart,
My own dear darling.

I saw a fair maiden
Sytten and sing:
She lullèd a little child,
A sweete lording.
Refrain

That eternal Lord is he
That made allè thing;
Of allè Lordes he is Lord,
Of allè Kingès King.
Refrain

There was mickle melody
At that childès birth:
Although they were in heaven’s bliss
They made mickle mirth.

Angels bright they sang that night
And saiden to that child:
‘Blessed be Thou and so be she
That is so meek and mild.’
Refrain

Pray we now to that child,
As to his mother dear,
God grant them all his blessing
That now maken cheer.
Refrain

12 Bogoroditsye Dyevo (Arvo Pärt)

Virgin Mother of God,
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;
Blessed are you among women,
And blessed is the fruit of your womb,
For you gave birth to the saviour of our souls.

13 The Lamb (John Tavener)

Little Lamb who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Gave thee life & bid thee feed,
By the stream & o’er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing woolly bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little Lamb who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb I’ll tell thee,
Little Lamb I’ll tell thee:
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb:
He is meek & he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child and thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb God bless thee!
Little Lamb God bless thee!

14 Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging (Trad. arr. Lawson)

Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging.
Kyrie eleison!
Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging,
Der hatte in sieb’n Jahr’n kein Laub getrag’n.
Jesus und Maria.

Was trug Maria unter ihrem Herzen?
Kyrie eleison!
Ein kleines Kindlein ohne Schmerzen,
Das trug Maria unter ihrem Herzen.
Jesus und Maria.

Da haben die Dornen Rosen getragen.
Kyrie eleison!
Als das Kindlein durch den Wald getragen,
Da haben die Dornen Rosen getragen.
Jesus und Maria.

Wer soll dem Kind sein Täufer sein?
Kyrie eleison!
Das soll der Sankt Johannes sein,
Der soll dem Kind sein Täufer sein.
Jesus und Maria.

Wie soll dem Kind sein Name sein?
Kyrie eleison!
Der Name der soll Christus sein
Das war von Anfang der Name sein.
Jesus und Maria.

Wer hat erlöst die Welt allein?
Kyrie eleison!
Das hat getan das Christkindlein,
Das hat erlöst die Welt allein.
Jesus und Maria.

Mary walks amid the thorns,
Kyrie eleison!
Mary walks amid the thorns
Which seven years no leaf have borne.
Jesus and Mary.

What ‘neath her heart doth Mary bear?
Kyrie eleison!
A little child doth Mary bear,
Beneath her heart he nestles there.
Jesus and Mary.

Lo! Roses on the thorns appear,
Kyrie eleison!
And as the two are passing near,
Roses on the thorns appear.
Jesus and Mary.

Who should baptise the child?
Kyrie eleison!
That should indeed Saint John be,
Who should baptise the child.
Jesus and Maria.

What should the child be named?
Kyrie eleison!
His name should be Christ,
As his name has been from the beginning.
Jesus and Mary.

Who alone has redeemed the world?
Kyrie eleison!
That indeed is the Christchild,
Who has alone the world redeemed.
Jesus and Mary.

15 O little one sweet (Trad. harm. J.S.Bach)

O little one sweet, O little one mild,
Thy Father’s purpose thou hast fulfilled;
Thou cam’st from heav’n to mortal ken,
Equal to be with us poor men.
O little one sweet, O little one mild.

O little one sweet, O little one mild,
With joy thou hast the whole world filled;
Thou camest here from heav’n’s domain,
To bring men comfort in their pain,
O little one sweet, O little one mild.

16 Bethlehem Down (Peter Warlock)

‘When he is King we will give him the Kings’ gifts,
Myrrh for its sweetness, and gold for a crown,
Beautiful robes’, said the young girl to Joseph,
Fair with her firstborn on Bethlehem Down.

Bethlehem Down is full of the starlight,
Winds for the spices, and stars for the gold,
Mary for sleep, and for lullaby music
Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.

When he is King, they will clothe him in gravesheets,
Myrrh for embalming, and wood for a crown,
He that lies now in the white arms of Mary,
Sleeping so lightly on Bethlehem Down,

Here he has peace and a short while for dreaming,
Close huddled oxen to keep Him from cold,
Mary for love, and for lullaby music,
Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.

17 The Crown of Roses (Tchaikovsky arr. Lubbock)

When Jesus Christ was yet a child,
He had a garden small and wild,
Wherein he cherished roses fair,
And wove them into garlands there.

Now once as summertime drew nigh,
There came a troop of children by,
And seeing roses on the tree
With shouts they plucked them merrily.

‘Do you bind roses in your hair?’
They cried in scorn to Jesus there.
The boy said humbly ‘Take I pray
All but the naked thorns away.’

Then of the thorns they made a crown,
And with rough fingers pressed it down
Till on his forehead fair and young
Red drops of blood like roses sprung.

18 To us in Bethlem City (John McCabe)

To us in Bethlem City
Was born a little son;
In him all gentle graces
Were gathered into one.
Eia! Eia!
Were gathered into one.

And all our love and fortune
Lie in his mighty hands;
Our sorrows, joys, and failures,
He sees and understands.
Eia! Eia!
He sees and understands.

O Shepherd, ever near us,
We’ll go where thou dost lead;
No matter where the pasture
With thee at hand to feed.
Eia! Eia!
With thee at hand to feed.

No grief shall part us from thee,
However sharp the edge:
We’ll serve and do thy bidding,
O take our hearts in pledge!
Eia! Eia!
Take thou our hearts in pledge!

19 Szczo to za prediwo (Trad. arr. Barwinski)

You are the new day.
Meekness, love, humility
Come down to us this day:
Christ your birth has proved to me
You are the new day.

Quiet in a stall you lie,
Angels watching in the sky
Whisper to you from on high
‘You are the new day’.

When our life is darkest night
Hope has burned away;
Love, your ray of guiding light,
Show us the new day.

Love of all things great and small
Leaving none, embracing all,
Fold around me where I fall,
Bring in the new day.
This new day will be
A turning point for everyone.
If we let the Christ-child in, and
Reach for the new day.

Christ the Way, the Truth, the Life;
Healing sadness, ending strife;
You we welcome, Lord of life,
Born on a new day.
You are the new day.