The Complete Weihnachts-oratorium of JS Bach, Part I:II-IV

2. Recitativo (T)

[Evangelist]

Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit,

dass ein Gebot von dem Kaiser Augusto ausging,

dass alle Welt geschätzet würde.

Und jedermann ging,

dass er sich schätzen ließe,

ein jeglicher in seine Stadt.

Da machte sich auch auf Joseph aus Galiläa,

aus der Stadt Nazareth,

in das jüdische Land zur Stadt David,

die da heißet Bethlehem;

darum, dass er von dem Hause und Geschlechte David war:

auf dass er sich schätzen ließe mit Maria,

seinem vertrauten Weibe,

die war schwanger.

Und als sie daselbst waren,

kam die Zeit,

dass sie gebären sollte.

~

It occurred, however, at the time

that a decree from the Emperor Augustus went out

that all the world should be enrolled.

And everyone then went forth

to be enrolled,

each person unto his own city.

And then as well went up Joseph from Galilee

from the city of Nazareth

into the land of Judea to David's city

which is called Bethlehem,

because he was of the house and of the lineage of David

to be enrolled there with Mary,

who was betrothed to be his wife,

and she was pregnant.

And while they were in that place,

there came the time

for her to be delivered.

~~~~~

3. Recitativo (A)

Nun wird mein liebster Bräutigam,

Nun wird der Held aus Davids Stamm

Zum Trost, zum Heil der Erden

Einmal geboren werden.

Nun wird der Stern aus Jakob scheinen,

Sein Strahl bricht schon hervor.

Auf, Zion, und verlasse nun das Weinen,

Dein Wohl steigt hoch empor!

~

Now is my dearest bridegroom rare,

Now is the prince of David's stem

As earth's redeeming comfort

Here born in time amongst us.

Now will shine bright the star of Jacob,

Its beam e'en now breaks forth.

Rise, Zion, and abandon now thy weeping,

Thy fortune soars aloft.

~~~~~

4. Aria (A)

Bereite dich, Zion, mit zärtlichen Trieben,

Den Schönsten, den Liebsten bald bei dir zu sehn!

Deine Wangen

Müssen heut viel schöner prangen,

Eile, den Bräutigam sehnlichst zu lieben!

~

Prepare thyself, Zion, with tender affection,

The fairest, the dearest soon midst thee to see!

Thy cheeks' beauty

Must today shine much more brightly,

Hasten, the bridegroom to love with deep passion.

~~~~~

~~~~~

The complete Christmas Oratorio is featured on All for Hymn
beginning at 6:00 PM ET on December 24, 2011
and running every 3 hours.

English Translation © Z. Philip Ambrose, translator,

Web publication: http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/faculty/bach.

Used by permission.

Special thanks to counterpoint85 over on youtube
for posting the complete work.

The Complete Weihnachts-oratorium of JS Bach, Part I:I

1. Coro (S, A, T, B)

Jauchzet, frohlocket! auf, preiset die Tage,
Rühmet, was heute der Höchste getan!
Lasset das Zagen, verbannet die Klage,
Stimmet voll Jauchzen und Fröhlichkeit an!

Dienet dem Höchsten mit herrlichen Chören,
Lasst uns den Namen des Herrschers verehren!

~~~~~

Triumph, rejoicing, rise, praising these days now,
Tell ye what this day the Highest hath done!
Fear now abandon and banish complaining,
Join, filled with triumph and gladness, our song!

Serve ye the Highest in glorious chorus,
Let us the name of our ruler now honor!

~~~~~

~~~~~

The complete Christmas Oratorio is featured on All for Hymn
beginning at 6:00 PM ET on December 24, 2011
and running every 3 hours.

English Translation © Z. Philip Ambrose, translator,

Web publication: http://www.uvm.edu/~classics/faculty/bach.

Used by permission.

Special thanks to counterpoint85 over on youtube
for posting the complete work.

Beginning this evening: The Complete Weihnachts-oratorio

Starting this evening at 6:00 PM EDT, All for Hymn will present the complete Weihnachts-oratorio of JS Bach.  A new post will hit every 3 hours until 11:59 PM EDT on December 26.

Special thanks to counterpoint85 over on youtube for posting the complete work and to Z. Philip Ambrose who granted permission to use his translations over here at All for Hymn.  He has the translations of the entire vocal works over at the University of Vermont's website.  Check it out here.

For now, here's the instrumental work at the beginning of Movement II.

Nine Lessons and Carols, Part II: The First Reading

The first reading is recited by one of the boys in the choir. Each reading is preceded by a sentence or two about the text and a carol that relates to the reading follows.

~~~~~

God tells sinful Adam that he has lost the life of Paradise and that his seed will bruise the serpent’s head.

GENESIS 3:8-19 (ESV):

8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God
walking in the garden
in the cool of the day,
and the man and his wife hid themselves
from the presence of the Lord God
among the trees of the garden.

9 But the Lord God called to the man
and said to him,

“Where are you?”

10 And he said,

“I heard the sound of you in the garden,
and I was afraid, because I was naked,
and I hid myself.”

11 He said,

“Who told you that you were naked?
Have you eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you not to eat?”

12 The man said,

“The woman whom you gave to be with me,
she gave me fruit of the tree,
and I ate.”

13 Then the Lord God said to the woman,

“What is this that you have done?”

The woman said,

“The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 The Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.

15 "I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”

16 To the woman he said,

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you.”

17 And to Adam he said,

“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
‘You shall not eat of it,’
cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

18 "thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.

19 "By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”

THANKS BE TO GOD.

~~~~


Boris Ord, "Adam Lay Ybounden"

Adam lay ybounden
Bounden in a bond;
Four thousand winter,
Thought he not too long.

And all was for an apple
An apple that he took.
As clerkes finden,
Written in their book.

Ne had the apple taken been
The apple taken been,
Ne had never our ladie,
Abeen heav'ne queen.

Blessed be the time
That apple taken was,
Therefore we moun singen.
Deo gracias!

~~~~~


JS Bach, BWV 637, "Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt"

Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt
Menschlich Natur und Wesen,
Dasselb Gift ist auf uns errebt,
Daß wir nicht mocht'n genesen
Ohn' Gottes Trost, der uns erlöst
Hat von dem großen Schaden,
Darein die Schlang Eva bezwang,
Gotts Zorn auf sich zu laden.

~~~~~


JS Bach, BWV 641, "Wenn wir in höchsten Nöten sein"

All mankind fell in Adam’s fall,
One common sin infects us all;
From sire to son the bane descends,
And over all the curse impends.

Through all man’s powers corruption creeps
And him in dreadful bondage keeps;
In guilt he draws his infant breath
And reaps its fruits of woe and death.

From hearts depraved, to evil prone,
Flow thoughts and deeds of sin alone;
God’s image lost, the darkened soul
Nor seeks nor finds its heav’nly goal.

But Christ, the second Adam, came
To bear our sin and woe and shame,
To be our Life, our Light, our Way,
Our only Hope, our only Stay.

As by one man all mankind fell
And, born in sin, was doomed to hell,
So by one Man, who took our place,
We all received the gift of grace.

We thank Thee, Christ; new life is ours,
New light, new hope, new strength, new powers:
This grace our every way attend
Until we reach our journey’s end!

~~~~~

The English translation into verse of "Durch Adam's Fall" is "All Mankind Fell." The English version is in a different meter, so the English speaking church uses a different tune.

Nine Lessons and Carols, Part I: Processional, Prayers and Blessing

The Service of Nine Lessons and Carols is a tradition that started at King's College in Cambridge, England, and has been adapted for denominations across the Christian spectrum.

On this Christmas Eve and Day, All for Hymn will present carols and lessons from one of these services. The 2010 service at King's College can be found here. Here on All for Hymn, the carols may differ, but the lessons will be the same.

The tradition is for the service to open with Once in Royal David's City. The first verse is sung as a solo by one of the boys in the choir. Each boy must be prepared for this, as he is chosen for the honor right before the procession.

"Once in Royal David's City"

Once in royal David’s city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a Mother laid her Baby
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that Mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.

He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Savior holy.

And through all His wondrous childhood
He would honor and obey,
Love, and watch the lowly Maiden,
In whose gentle arms He lay;
Christian children all must be
Mild, obedient, good as He.

For He is our childhood’s pattern,
Day by day like us He grew,
He was little, weak, and helpless,
Tears and smiles like us He knew;
And He feeleth for our sadness,
And He shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love,
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above;
And He leads his children on
To the place where He is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see Him; but in heaven,
Set at God’s right hand on high;
When like stars his children crowned
All in white shall wait around.

~~~~~

A priest leads the congregation in the Bidding Prayer, the Lord's Prayer and a blessing. You can find them on pages 10 and 11 of this service folder.  After the blessing and before the first reading, a carol is sung. This carol sets the stage for the readings, which take us from the Fall of Man to the Birth of Christ.

"The Truth from Above"

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.

Then after this ’twas God’s own choice
To place them both in Paradise,
There to remain from evil free,
Except they ate of such a tree.

And they did eat, which was a sin,
And thus their ruin did begin;
Ruined themselves, both you and me,
And all of their posterity.

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.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Midnight: Getting a Handel on Things

Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23

~~~~~

Isaiah 9:2

~~~~~

Isaiah 9:6

~~~~~

Pastorale



~~~~~

Luke 2:8-11, 13



~~~~~

Luke 2:14

Christmas Eve: Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Part II

Christmas Eve: Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Part I

Christmas Eve: Britten's Ceremony of Carols, Part II

Interlude

~~~~~

Behold, a silly tender babe,

in freezing winter night,

In homely manger trembling lies.

Alas, a piteous sight!

The inns are full; no man will yield

This little pilgrim bed.

But forced he is with silly beasts

in crib to shroud his head.

This stable is a Prince's court,

this crib his chair of State;

The beasts are parcel of his pomp

the wooden dish his plate.

The persons in that poor attire

His royal liveries wear;

The Prince himself is come from heaven;

This pomp is prized there.

With joy approach, 0 Christian wight,

Do homage to thy King,

And highly praise his humble pomp,

wich he from Heaven doth bring.

Pleasure it is

to hear iwis,

the Birdes sing,

The deer in the dale,

the sheep in the vale,

the corn springing.

God's purveyance

for sustenance,

It is for man,

it is for man.

Then we always

to give him praise,

And thank him than.

~~~~~

Deo gracias! Deo gracias!

Adam lay ibounden, bounden in a bond;

Four thousand winter thought he not to long.

Deo gracias! Deo gracias!

And all was for an appil, an appil that he tok,

As clerkes finden written in their book.

Deo gracias! Deo gracias!

Ne had the appil take ben, the appil take ben,

Ne hadde never our lady a ben hevene quene.

Blessed be the time that appil take was.

Therefore we moun singen.

Deo gracias! Deo gracias! Deo gracias! Deo gracias!

Hodie Christus natus est;

Hodie salvator apparuit;

Hodie in terra canunt angeli, laetantur archangeli;

Hodie exultant justi dicentes:

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Alleluja!

Today Christ is born;

Today the Savior has appeared;

Today Angels sing on earth, and Archangels rejoice;

Today the just exult, saying:

Glory to God in the highest!

Alleluia!

Christmas Eve: Britten's Ceremony of Carols, Part I

Hodie Christus natus est;

Hodie salvator apparuit;

Hodie in terra canunt angeli, laetantur archangeli;

Hodie exultant justi dicentes:

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Alleluja!

Today Christ is born;

Today the Savior has appeared;

Today Angels sing on earth, and Archangels rejoice;

Today the just exult, saying:

Glory to God in the highest!

Alleluia!

Wolcum, Wolcum, Wolcum be thou hevenè king,

Wolcum Yole! Wolcum, born in one morning,

Wolcum for whom we sall sing!

Wolcum be ye, Stevene and Jon,

Wolcum, Innocentes every one,

Wolcum, Thomas marter one,

Wolcum be ye, good Newe Yere,

Wolcum, Twelfthe Day both in fere,

Wolcum, seintes lefe and dere,

Wolcum Yole, Wolcum Yole, Wolcum!

Candelmesse, Quene of bliss,

Wolcum bothe to more and lesse.

Wolcum, Wolcum, Wolcum be ye that are here,

Wolcum Yole, Wolcum alle and make good cheer,

Wolcum alle another yere, Wolcum Yole, Wolcum!

~~~~~

There is no rose of such vertu

as is the rose that bare Jesu.

Alleluia, alleluia.

For in this rose conteinèd was

heaven and earth in litel space,

Res miranda, res miranda.

By that rose we may well see

there be one God in persons three,

Pares forma, pares forma.

The aungels sungen the shepherds to:

Gloria in excelsis,

Gloria in excelsis Deo.

Gaudeamus, gaudeamus.

Leave we all this werldly mirth,

and follow we this joyful birth.

Transeamus, transeamus, transeamus.

Alleluia

res miranda

pares forma

gaudeamus

transeamus

transeamus

transeamus

That yongë Child when it gan weep

with song she lulled Him asleep:

That was so sweet a melody

it passèd alle minstrelsy.

The nightingalë sang also:

Her song is hoarse and nought thereto:

Whoso attendeth to her song

and leaveth the first

then doth he wrong.

O my deare hert, young Jesu sweit,

Prepare thy creddil in my spreit,

And I sall rock thee to my hert,

And never mair from thee depart.

But I sall praise thee evermoir

With sanges sweit unto thy gloir;

The knees of my hert sall I bow,

And sing that richt Balulalow.

~~~~~

I sing of a maiden that is makèles:

King of all kings to her son she ches

He came also stille there his moder was,

As dew in Aprille that falleth on the grass.

He came also stille to his moder's bour,

As dew in Aprille that falleth on the flour.

He came also stille there his moder lay,

As dew in Aprille that falleth on the spray.

Moder and mayden was never none but she:

Well may such a lady Goddes moder be.

This little Babe so few days old,

is come to rifle Satan's fold;

All hell doth at His presence quake,

though He himself for cold do shake;

For in this weak unarmed wise

the gates of hell He will surprise.

With tears He fights and wins the field,

His naked breast stands for a shield;

His battering shot are babish cries,

His arrows looks of weeping eyes,

His martial ensigns Cold and Need,

and feeble Flesh His warrior's steed.

His camp is pitched in a stall,

His bulwark but a broken wall;

The crib His trench, haystalks His stakes;

of shepherds He His muster makes;

And thus, as sure His foe to wound,

the angels' trumps alarum sound.

My soul, with Christ join thou in fight;

stick to the tents that He hath pight.

Within His crib is surest ward;

this little Babe will be thy guard.

If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy,

then flit not from this heavenly Boy.

Christmas Eve: Lo, How a Rose