SCHOLA CANTORUM OF SANTA FE
Santa Fe's Sacred Music Ensemble
Schola Christmas 2024 Program
Psallite, unigenito (Singt und klingt)
Michael Praetorius (Germany, 1571 – 1621)
Written by Michael Praetorius in 1609, this exuberant Christmas song captures the joy that comes at the end of Advent – the Incarnation itself! Praetorius composed bilingual carol (Latin and German!) style that was not uncharacteristic of a few other polyphonies of the early 17th century.
Latin
Psallite, unigenito Christo Dei Filio,
Redemptori Domino, puerulo, jacenti in præsepio.
Sing to Christ, the only begotten Son of God,
the Lord the Redeemer, the child, lying in the manger.
German
Ein kleines Kindelein liegt in dem Krippelein;
Alle liebe Engelein dienen dem Kindelein, und singen ihm fein,
Singt und klingt Jesu, Gottes Kind und Marien Söhnelein,
singt und klingt unserm lieben Jesulein im Krippelein,
beim Öchslein und beim Eselein.
A little child lies in the manger;
All the dear little angels serve the child, and sing sweetly to him,
Sing and ring (our bell for) Jesus, child of God and son of Mary,
sing and ring (our bell) to our dear little Jesus in the manger,
with the little ox and the little donkey.
A woodcut likeness of Praetorius in 1606 at the age of 35, just a few years before he composed Psallite.
Ríu, ríu chíu
Anonymous
Traditional 15th century Spanish villancico
Ríu, ríu, chíu is the sound the shepherds made to call in their flock in this anonymous 15th century Spanish villancico (carol).
Ríu, ríu, chiu, la guarda ribera,
Dios guardó del lobo a nuestra cordera.
Muchas profecías lo har profetizado,
Y aún en nuestros días, lo hemos alcançado,
A Dios humanado vemos en el suelo,
Y al hombre en el cielo porque'l lo quisiera.
Mira bien que os cuadre que ansina lo oyera,
Que Dios no pudiera hazerla más madre;
El qu'era su Padre, oy d'ella nasçió,
Y el que la crió, su Hijo se dixera.
Este qu'es nasçido es el gran monarcha,
Christo patriarcha de carne vestido.
Ha nos redimido con se hazer chiquito,
Aunque era infinito, finito se hiziera.
Ríu, ríu, chíu, the riverside guard,
God saved our lamb from the wolf.
Many prophecies have prophesied it,
And even in our days, we have reached it,
We see God incarnate on the ground,
And to the man in heaven because he wanted it.
Take a good look to make sure that he has heard it,
That God could not make her more of a mother;
He who was her father, he was born from her,
And the one who raised her, her Son was said.
This is the birth of the great monarch,
Christ, God the father, dressed as a man.
He has redeemed us by becoming small,
Although he was infinite, he became finite.
Ave Maria
14th century Gregorian Chant
The “Ave Maria” first existed as a Gregorian chant, or plain chant, derived from the French plein chant, meaning “full singing.” This plein chant prayer is full of the sounds of medieval Europe, praying their intercession to Mary.
Ave, María, grátia plena,
Dóminus tecum.
Benedicta tu in muliéribus,
et benedíctus fructus ventris
tui, Jesus.
Sancta María, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus
nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.
Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death.
And so it shall be.
Ave Maria
Tomás Luis de Victoria (Spain, 1548 – 1611)
This polyphonic setting of Ave Maria is attributed to Spain’s 16th century Tomás Luis de Victoria.
O Magnum Mysterium
Tomás Luis de Victoria (Spain, 1548 – 1611)
O Magnum Mysterium is a responsory from the Holy Matins (Morning Prayer) of Christmas describing the wonderment of the animals as they gaze on Christ: “O great mystery and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the newborn Lord, lying in a manger!”
O magnum mysterium
et admirabile sacramentum
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum
jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare Dominum Christum.
Alleluia
O great mystery
and wonderful sacrament
that animals should see the newborn Lord
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Praise God.
O Magnum Mysterium manuscript for the soprano voice.
The Nativity is an oil on canvas painting by Italian painter Federico Barocci, created in 1597. It depicts the episode of the Nativity of Jesus, with the animals in the manger being the first to see the new born Christ child. It is held in the Museo del Prado, in Madrid, Spain.
O Holy Night
Cantique de Noël
Adolphe Adam (France, 1803 – 1856)
Arr. Michael McGlynn (Ireland, b.1964)
This French carol was set by France’s Adolphe Adam in 1847 to "Minuit, chrétiens," a poem by Placide Cappeau (1808–1877). This poem, and now carol, reflects both on the birth of Jesus and on humanity's redemption.
1. Minuit, chretiens, c'est l'heure solennelle,
Ou l'Homme-Dieu descendit jusqu'a nous
Pour effacer la tache originelle
Et de Son Pere arreter le courroux.
Le monde entier tressaille d'esperance
En cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.
Peuple a genoux, attends ta delivrance.
Noel, Noel, voici le Redempteur,
Noel, Noel, voici le Redempteur!
O holy night…
1. Midnight, Christians, it's the solemn hour,
When God-man descended to us
To erase the stain of original sin
And to end the wrath of His Father.
The entire world thrills with hope
On this night that gives it a Savior.
People kneel down, wait for your deliverance.
Christmas, Christmas, here is the Redeemer,
Christmas, Christmas, here is the Redeemer!
2. De notre foi que la lumière ardente
Nous guide tous au berceau de l'enfant
Comme autrefois, une étoile brillante
Y conduisit les chefs de l'Orient.
Le Roi des rois naît dans une humble crèche
Puissants du jour fiers de votre grandeur,
A votre orgueil, c'est de là qu'un Dieu prèche;
Courbez vos fronts devant le Rédempteur!
Courbez vos fronts devant le Rédempteur!
2. The ardent light of our Faith,
Guides us all to the cradle of the infant,
As in ancient times a brilliant star
Conducted the Magi there from the orient.
The King of kings was born in a humble manger;
0 mighty ones of today, proud of your grandeur,
It is to your pride that God preaches.
Bow your heads before the Redeemer!
Bow your heads before the Redeemer!
3. Le Rédempteur a brisé toute entrave:
La terre est libre et le ciel est ouvert
Il voit un frère où n'était qu'un esclave
L'amour unit ceux qu'enchaînait le fer.
Qui lui dira notre reconnaissance
C'est pour nous tous qu'il naît, qu'il souffre et meurt
Peuple debout chante ta délivrance :
Noël! Noël! Chantons le Rédempteur!
Noël! Noël! Chantons le Rédempteur!
3. The Redeemer has overcome every obstacle:
The Earth is free, and Heaven is open.
He sees a brother where there was only a slave,
Love unites those that iron had chained.
Who will tell Him of our gratitude,
For all ofus He is born, He suffers and dies.
People stand up! Sing of your deliverance,
Christmas, Christmas, sing of the Redeemer,
Christmas, Christmas, sing of the Redeemer!
Maria Matrem
Text from Alma Redemptoris Mater, 13th century
Michael McGlynn (Ireland, b.1964)
Mariam Matrem Virginem,
natura mirante, tu quæ genuisiti.
Ave peccatorum miserere.
Mary, the Virgin Mother,
You, who gave birth to your holy creator, with nature in awe
(after hearing that) “Ave” (from the mouth of Gabriel),
have mercy on us sinners.
Alma Redemptoris Mater
11th century Gregorian chant
Herman Contractus (1013 – 1054), a Benedictine monk on the monastic island of Reichenau Island in the Rhein River (on the boundary of Germany and Switzerland) composed this prayer in the 11th century.
Since then Alma redemptoris mater has been the last Gregorian chant sung at the close of the day in monasteries during Christmastide.
Alma Redemptoris Mater,
quae pervia caeli porta manes, et stella maris,
succurre cadenti surgere qui curat populo:
Tu quae genuisti, natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem:
Virgo prius ac posterius,
Gabrielis ab ore sumens illud Ave,
peccatorum miserere.
Loving mother of the redeemer –
you are an open gate to heaven and Star of the Sea:
help a fallen people who want to rise again.
You, who gave birth to your holy creator, with nature in awe,
a virgin before and after hearing that “Ave” from the mouth of Gabriel,
have mercy on us sinners.
(translation Fr. Joe Vanderholt, S.J.)
Interior of the 7th century monastic church on Reichenau Island. (Photo Wikipedia)
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (Italy, 1525 – 1594)
Schola sings a polyphonic setting of Alma Redemptoris Mater by Italy's Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Palestrina is considered the créme de la créme of Renaissance polyphonic sacred musicians. Palestrina composed this polyphonic setting of Alma Redemptoris Mater in 1584 while at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. This composition would have been the last sounds the Pope heard at the end of in the day in the Sistine Chapel during Christmastide.
Magnificat octave toni
Magnificat according to Gregorian chant tone eight
Dufay, Guillaume (b. near Beersel, Belgium 1397; died Cambrai, France
1474)
Dufay, the brilliant early Renaissance composer, set this three-part magnificat for use during Vespers in Old St. Peter's in Rome. With the construction of the "new" Sistine Chapel in the early 1500s, Dufay's Magnificat octave toni was copied for Vespers in this new chapel that was exclusively for the pope's use.
And Mary said…"my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…"
1. “Magníficat ánima méa Dóminum,
My soul magnifies (proclaims the greatness of) the Lord,
2. Et exultávit spíritus méus in Déo salutári méo.
And my spirit rejoiced in God my Savior.
3. Quia respéxit humilitátem ancíllæ súæ,
ecce enim ex hoc beátam me dícent ómnes generatiónes.
For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
4. Quia fécit míhi mágna qui pótens est :
et sánctum nómen éjus.
For he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
5. Et misericórdia éjus a progénie in progénies
timéntibus éum.
And his mercy on those who fear him in every generation.
6. Fécit poténtiam in bráchio súo :
dispérsit supérbos ménte córdis súi.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud, even the arrogant of heart.
7. Depósuit poténtes de séde,
et exaltávit húmiles.
He has deposed the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the status of the lowly.
8. Esuriéntes implévit bónis :
et dívites dimísit inánes.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
9. Suscépit Israël púerum súum,
recordátus misericórdiæ súæ.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
10. Sicut locútus est ad pátres nóstros,
Abraham et sémini éjus in saécula.
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
11. Glória Pátri et Fílio et Spirítui Sáncto.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
12. Sicut érat in princípio, et nunc, et sémper,
et in saécula sæculórum. Amen.
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. And so it shall be.
Dufay's Magnificat manuscript in the 1473 Vatican choir book that was readied for use in the new Sistine Chapel.
Dufay portrait.
Tollite Hostias
Oratorio de Noël, Op. 12 – Tollite hostias
Camille Saint-Saëns (France, 1835 – 1921)
While an organist at La Madeleine in Paris, Saint-Saëns wrote the complete Christmas Oratorio de Noël in less than two weeks, completing it in ten days before its premiere on Christmas night in 1858 in the church of La Madeleine.
The chorale Tollite hostias closes out the Oratorio's 10 movements.
Tollite hostias, et adorate Dominum in atrio sancto eius.
Laetentur coeli, et exultet terra
a facie Domini, quoniam venit.
Alleluia.
Bring offerings, and adore the Lord in his holy place.
Rejoice, heaven, and exult, all the earth,
before the Lord, for he comes.
Praise God.
Camille Saint-Saëns in the 1850s at the time of the composition of Tollite Hostias.
Lullay My Liking
Gustav Holst (England, 1874 – 1934)
Composed 1916
Lullay My Liking is a 15th century middle English poem. It frames an encounter of the nativity where the Virgin Mary sings this song to the infant Christ. Although it was originally intended to be sung, no manuscript survives. This musical setting was composed during World War I by Gustav Holst (1916) for a Whitsun (Pentecost) festival in the 4th century town of Thaxted,
England.
Chorus
Lullay my liking,
My dear son, my sweeting;
Lullay my dear heart,
Mine own dear darling
1.
I saw a fair maiden
Sitten and sing:
She lulléd a little child,
A sweeté lording.
Chorus
2.
That eternal lord is he
That made allé thing;
Of allé lordés he is Lord
Of allé kinges King.
Chorus
3.
There was mickle melody
At that childés birth:
Though the songsters were heavenly
They madé mickle mirth.
Chorus
4.
Angels bright they sang that night
And saiden to that child,
"Blessed be thou and so be she
That is both meek and mild."
Chorus
5.
Pray we now to that child,
And to his mother dear,
God grant them all his blessing
That now maken cheer.
Chorus
An 1832 engraving of Thaxed where Lullay My Liking was first performed.
Gustav Holst
I Sing the Birth
Music: Sir Edward Elgar (England,1857 – 1934)
Text: Ben Jonson (England, ca.1572 – 1637)
Published December 1, 1928
Edward Elgar was born the son of a piano-tuner that had a music shop in the English West Midlands. He taught himself to play a wide variety of instruments, and was largely self-taught as a composer. His long struggle to establish himself as a pre-eminent composer of international repute was described by himself as hard and sometimes bitter. For many years he had to contend with the prejudices of the entrenched musical establishment, with religious bigotry (he was a member of the Roman Catholic minority in a Protestant majority England) and with a late Victorian provincial society where class consciousness pervaded everything. Elgar dedicated I Sing the Birth to his hometown friend Rev. Harcourt Boyes Snowden Fowler.
Ben Jonson, born the son of a clergyman at Westminster in 1573 and educated at Cambridge, was hopeful his own writings would carry through for ‘remembrance with posterity’. He had good reason for this confidence. In his lifetime and throughout the century following his death Jonson was commonly regarded as the greatest of all English writers, living or dead. By the late eighteenth century, however, his reputation was already being eclipsed by the great genius that Romantic critics were busily discovering: Shakespeare!
1. I sing the birth was born tonight,
The Author both of life and light:
The angels so did sound it;
And like the ravished shepherds said,
Who saw the light and were afraid,
Yet searched, and true they found it.
2. The Son of God, th'eternal King,
That did us all salvation bring,
And freed the world from danger,
He whom the whole world could not take,
The Word, which heav'n and earth did make,
Was now laid in a manger.
3. The Father's wisdom willed it so,
The Son's obedience knew no "No,"
Both wills were in one stature;
And, as that wisdom hath decreed,
The Word was now made flesh indeed,
And took on Him our nature.
4. What comfort by Him do we win,
Who made Himself the price of sin,
To make us heirs of glory!
To see this Babe, all innocence,
A martyr born in our defense -
Can man forget this story?
Edward Elgar in 1931, three years after composing I Sing the Birth.
Ben Jonson
The Three Kings
Die Könige
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
'How lovely shines the morning star"
Phillip Nicolai (Germany, 1556-1608)
Arr. for piano and voice: Peter Cornelius (Germany, 1824 – 1874)
Arr. for choir: Sir Ivor Atkins (Wales, 1869 – 1953)
The Three Kings combines two pieces of music, both originally written and sung in German. Peter Cornelius wrote Die Könige (the Three Kings) as a solo piece to tell the Christmas story. Franz Liszt is said to have convinced Cornelius to accompany the solo piece with the well-known Lutheran hymn: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (How Brightly Shines the Morning Star). Phillip Nicolai’s 16th century hymn is an advent hymn foretelling the coming of Christ, the Morning star. Thus this piece combines both advent and Christmas interlacing the Morning star and the star which the Three Kings follow to find the Christ child. Sir Ivor Atkins arranged this English setting for choir.
Three Kings from Persian lands afar
To Jordan follow the pointing star:
And this the quest of the travellers three,
Where the new-born King of the Jews may be.
Full royal gifts they bear for the King;
Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.
How brightly shines the morning star!
With grace and truth from heaven afar
Our Jesse tree now bloweth.
The star shines out with a steadfast ray;
The kings to Bethlehem make their way,
And there in worship they bend the knee,
As Mary’s child in her lap they see;
Their royal gifts they show to the King;
Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.
Of Jacob’s stem and David’s line,
For thee, my Bridegroom, King divine,
My soul with love o’erfloweth.
Thou child of man, lo, to Bethlehem
The Kings are travelling, travel with them!
The star of mercy, the star of grace,
Shall lead thy heart to its resting place.
Gold, incense, myrrh thou canst not bring;
Offer thy heart to the infant King.
Thy word, Jesu, Inly feeds us,
Rightly leads us, Life bestowing.
Praise, O praise such love o’erflowing.
Phillip Nicolai (Germany, 1556 - 1608)
Peter Cornelius (Germany, 1824 - 1874)
Sir Ivor Atkins (Wales, 1869 - 1953)
Mañanitas a la Virgen de Guadalupe
Trad. of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
Las Mañanitas a la Virgen de Guadalupe is the traditional song of the ‘Patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe.’ Las Mañanitas is our song of greeting to 'her,' where we celebrate Juan Diego’s encounter with the Virgin Mary in 1531, greeting her as 'Guadalupana'. The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on December 12th.
1.
Oh Virgen, la más Hermosa del Valle del Anáhuac,
tus hijos muy de mañana te vienen a saludar.
O Virgin, the most beautiful of the Valley of Anahuac,
your children come to greet you very early in the morning.
Estribillo
Despierta, Madre, despierta, mira que ya amaneció,
mira este ramo de flores que para ti traigo yo.
Refrain
Wake up, Mother, wake up, look at the dawn,
look at this bouquet that I bring to you.
2.
Recibe, Madre querida, nuestra felicitación,
hoy por ser el día tan grande de tu tierna aparición.
Receive, dear Mother, our congratulations,
For today being the great day of your tender appearance.
3.
Recibe, Madre querida, nuestra felicitación;
míranos aquí postrados y danos tu bendición.
Receive, dear Mother, our congratulations;
see at us here prostrate and give us your blessing.
4.
Tú brillaste, Virgen Santa, como estrella matinal,
anunciando la alborada que iba pronto a comenzar.
You shone, Holy Virgin, as the morning star,
announcing the dawn that was soon to begin.
5.
Ya viene alborando el día, qué linda está la mañana,
saludemos a María: buenos días, Guadalupana.
El cerro del Tepeyac escogiste por morada,
por eso te saludamos, buenos días, Guadalupana.
Ya viene amaneciendo, ya la luz del día nos dio,
levántate, Virgencita, mira que ya amaneció.
The day is already dawning, how beautiful the morning is,
Let’s say hello to Mary. ‘God morning Guadalupana!’
You chose the Tepeyac hill as your home,
so we greet you; Good morning, Guadalupana!
Dawn is coming, and the light of day is upon us.
Get up, little Virgin, look and see that it is already dawn!
Santuario de Nuestro Señora de Guadalupe, Santa Fe.
Photo: Billy Turney
Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah
George Frideric Handel (b. 1685 Germany, died 1759 England)
Handel composed Messiah in an astounding interlude, somewhere between three and four weeks in August and September 1741. The Hallelujah chorus is the last song in part two of this magnificent oratorio.
Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord,
and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever.
King of kings, and Lord of lords.
Hallelujah!
The last page of the Hallelujah chorus.
A statue of George Frederic Handel, posing with his Hallelujah in London's Westminster Abbey. Handel's one posthumous present to himself was £600 for his own monument at Westminster Abbey, final resting place for British monarchs and their most accomplished subjects. Three years after Handel's death, the monument by French sculptor Louis François Roubillac, was installed.
El Burrito Sabanero
Hugo Blanco (Venezuela, 1940-2015)
Aguinaldo (Venezuelan Christmas music)
Con mi burrito sabanero, voy camino de Belén
Si me ven, si me ven
Voy camino de Belén
Si me ven, si me ven
Voy camino de Belén
El lucerito mañanero ilumina mi sendero
Si me ven…
Con mi cuatrico voy cantando, mi burrito va trotando
Si me ven…
Tuki tuki tuki tuki
Tuki tuki tuki ta
Apúrate, mi burrito
Que ya vamos a llegar
Tuki tuki tuki tuki
Tuki tuki tuki tu
Apúrate mi burrito
Vamos a ver a Jesús
1. With my burrito from the Savannah*, I'm on my way to Bethlehem
Chorus
If you see me I'm on my way to Bethlehem
2. The morning light illuminates my path
3. With my four-stringed (guitar) I'm singing, my little donkey is trotting
Tuki tuki tuki tuki
Tuki tuki tuki ta
Hurry up, my donkey, we're going to get there
Tuki tuki tuki tuki
Tuki tuki tuki tu
Hurry up my little donkey, let's go see Jesus
*Savannah is a large, flat area of land covered with grass, usually with few trees, that is found in hot countries, especially in Africa.
Christmas 2024 Schola singers
Anna George - alto/percussion
Denise Moore - soprano
Jackie Mattos - alto/soprano
Susan Roller Whittington - alto/soprano
Siiri Sanchez - alto
Lucinda Sydow - alto/soprano/trumpet
Maestro Billy Turney - baritone/accordion