Obscure Carols: Noel by Brad Holmes

This carol comes from the Congo region and can be heard on the 2011 Christmas broadcast from St. Olaf College. Special thanks to Jonathan Tan at Cantus Mundi for posting this video and the translation. Below is the honors choir from the Michigan School Vocal Music Association. You can check out 2 other groups over on Jonathan's post.

~~~~~

~

Noel! Noel!

Yesu me kwisa ku zinga ti beto.

Noel! Noel!

Yesu me kwisa ku zinga ti beto

Kana nge zola ku zaba mwana,

Nge fwiti kwisa ku fukama.

Kana nge zola ku zaba mwana,

Nge fwiti kwisa ku fukama.

~

Noel! Noel!

Jesus has come to live with us.

Noel! Noel!

Jesus has come to live with us.

If you want to know the Child,

You have to come kneel.

If you want to know the Child,

You have to come kneel.

Commemoration of the Holy Innocents

Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny Child,

By, by, lully, lullay.

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 sing

By, by, lully, lullay?

Herod the king, in his raging,

Charged 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, lullay, Thou little tiny Child,

By, by, lully, lullay

Today marks the Commemoration of the Holy Innocents

~~~

Then Herod,
when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men,
became furious,
and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem
and in all that region who were two years old or under,
according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

“A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

(Matthew 2:16-18 ESV)

500th Post: St. John the Evangelist

Well, I've reached the 500th post here on All for Hymn on the Commemoration of St. John the Evangelist.

Around this site you will find a few things of interest for today's commemoration.

First, the complete Passion according to St. John begins here and you can hit "Newer Post" to take you to the next section.

Second, two posts on John 3:16 can be found here and here.

~~~~~

God so loved the world

that He gave His only-begotten Son

that whoso believeth in Him

should not parish

but have everlasting life.

For God sent not His Son 

into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world through Him

might be saved.

God so loved the world

that He gave His only-begotten Son

that whoso believeth in Him

should not parish

but have everlasting life.

~~~~~

~~~~~

Thanks to everyone who has been following the blog.  Have a blessed Christmas Season and New Year.  Daily posts can be found on my personal facebook page. If you "friend" me on facebook, please send a PM along with the request noting that you read the blog.

The Complete Weihnachts-oratorium of JS Bach, Part VI:VII-XI

7. Recitativo (T)

 [Evangelist]
Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum,

dass sie sich nicht sollten wieder zu Herodes lenken,

und zogen durch einen andern Weg wieder in ihr Land.

~

And God then warned them in a dream

that they should not go again unto Herod,

and they went by another way back to their country.

~~~~~

8. Recitativo (T)

So geht! Genug, mein Schatz geht nicht von hier,
Er bleibet da bei mir,
Ich will ihn auch nicht von mir lassen.
Sein Arm wird mich aus Lieb
Mit sanftmutsvollem Trieb
Und größter Zärtlichkeit umfassen;
Er soll mein Bräutigam verbleiben,
Ich will ihm Brust und Herz verschreiben.
Ich weiß gewiss, er liebet mich,
Mein Herz liebt ihn auch inniglich
Und wird ihn ewig ehren.
Was könnte mich nun für ein Feind
Bei solchem Glück versehren!
Du, Jesu, bist und bleibst mein Freund;
Und werd ich ängstlich zu dir flehn:
Herr, hilf!, so lass mich Hülfe sehn!

~

Then go! 'Tis well, my treasure leaveth not,
He bideth here with me,
I will not ever let him leave me.
His arm will in his love
With soft affection's warmth
And deepest tenderness embrace me;
He shall remain my faithful bridegroom,
I will my breast and heart assign him.
I know full well he loveth me,
My heart, too, loves him fervently
And shall alway adore him.
What harm to me could any foe
Amidst such fortune do now?
Thou, Jesus, art fore'er my friend;
And when in fear I cry to thee:
"Lord, help!," let me thy help behold!

~~~~~

9. Aria (T)

Nun mögt ihr stolzen Feinde schrecken;
Was könnt ihr mir für Furcht erwecken?
Mein Schatz, mein Hort ist hier bei mir.
Ihr mögt euch noch so grimmig stellen,
Droht nur, mich ganz und gar zu fällen,
Doch seht! mein Heiland wohnet hier.

~

Now may ye boastful foes be frightened;
Ye can in me what fear awaken?
My store, my hoard is here by me.
Be ye unbounded in your fury
And threaten me with utter ruin,
Beware, my Savior dwelleth here!

~~~~~

10. Recitativo (S, A, T, B)

Was will der Höllen Schrecken nun,
Was will uns Welt und Sünde tun,
Da wir in Jesu Händen ruhn?

~

What hope hath hell's own terrors now,
What harm will world and sin us do,
While we in Jesus' hands rest sure?

~~~~~

11. Choral (S, A, T, B)

Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen
An eurer Feinde Schar,
Denn Christus hat zerbrochen,
Was euch zuwider war.
Tod, Teufel, Sünd und Hölle
Sind ganz und gar geschwächt;
Bei Gott hat seine Stelle
Das menschliche Geschlecht.

~

Now are ye well avengéd
Upon your hostile host,
For Christ hath fully broken
All that which you opposed.
Death, devil, hell and error
To nothing are reduced;
With God hath now its shelter
The mortal race of man.

~~~~~

~~~~~

Thank you for listening.

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 VI:II-VI

2. Recitativo (T, B)

[Evangelist]

Da berief Herodes die Weisen heimlich
und erlernet mit Fleiß von ihnen,
wenn der Stern erschienen wäre?
und weiset sie gen Bethlehem und sprach: 

[Herodes]
Ziehet hin und forschet fleißig nach dem Kindlein,
und wenn ihr's findet,
sagt mir's wieder, 
dass ich auch komme und es anbete.

~

[Evangelist]
Then did Herod summon the wise men in secret,
and with diligence he learned from them
when the star was to appear.
And he sent them forth to Bethlehem and said:

[Herod]
Go ye forth and search with diligence for the baby,
and when ye find him,
bring me word,
that I as well may come and worship him.

~~~~~

3. Recitativo (S)

Du Falscher, suche nur den Herrn zu fällen,
Nimm alle falsche List,
Dem Heiland nachzustellen;
Der, dessen Kraft kein Mensch ermißt,
Bleibt doch in sichrer Hand.
Dein Herz, dein falsches Herz ist schon,
Nebst aller seiner List, des Höchsten Sohn,
Den du zu stürzen suchst, sehr wohl bekannt.

~

Thou liar, seek nought but the Lord's destruction,
Lay ev'ry cunning snare
And pitfall for our Savior;
He, whose great pow'r no man can gauge,
Abides in hands secure.
Thy heart, thy lying heart e'en now,
Along with all its guile, to God's own Son
Whom thou dost strive to fell is fully known.

~~~~~

4. Aria (S)

Nur ein Wink von seinen Händen
Stürzt ohnmächtger Menschen Macht.
Hier wird alle Kraft verlacht!
Spricht der Höchste nur ein Wort,
Seiner Feinde Stolz zu enden,
O, so müssen sich sofort
Sterblicher Gedanken wenden.

~

But a wave of his own hand will
Bring down feeble human might.
Here is all dominion mocked!
Speak the Highest but one word,
His opponents' pride to finish,
Oh, then surely must at once
Change its course all mortal purpose.

~~~~~

5. Recitativo (T)

 [Evangelist]
Als sie nun den König gehöret hatten,

zogen sie hin.

Und siehe, der Stern,

den sie im Morgenlande gesehen hatten,

ging für ihnen hin,

bis dass er kam und stund oben über,

da das Kindlein war.

Da sie den Stern sahen,

wurden sie hoch erfreuet

und gingen in das Haus

und funden das Kindlein mit Maria, seiner Mutter,

und fielen nieder

und beteten es an

und täten ihre Schätze auf

und schenkten ihm Gold, Weihrauch und Myrrhen.

~

And as soon as they had heard the king,

they went their way.

And lo, the star,

which in the East they had seen already,

went before their way,

until it came and stood above that place where the baby was.

And when they saw the star,

they rejoiced with great gladness

and went into the house

and found there the baby with Mary, his mother,

and fell before him

and worshipped him

and opened up their treasures then

and gave to him gold, incense, and myrrh.

~~~~~

6. Choral (S, A, T, B)

Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier,
O Jesulein, mein Leben;
Ich komme, bring und schenke dir,
Was du mir hast gegeben.
Nimm hin! es ist mein Geist und Sinn,
Herz, Seel und Mut, nimm alles hin,
Und lass dirs wohlgefallen!

~

I stand before thy cradle here,
O Jesus-child, my being,
I come now, bring and offer thee
What thou to me hast given.
Take all! It is my spirit, will,
Heart, soul and mind, take all to thee,
And let it serve thy pleasure!

~~~~~

~~~~~

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 VI:I

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

Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben,
So gib, dass wir im festen Glauben
Nach deiner Macht und Hülfe sehn!

Wir wollen dir allein vertrauen,
So können wir den scharfen Klauen
Des Feindes unversehrt entgehn.

~

Lord, when our boastful foes blow fury,
Help us to keep our faith unshaken
And to thy might and help to look!

We would make thee our sole reliance
And thus unharmed the cutting talons
And clutches of the foe escape.

~~~~~

~~~~~

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 V:VI-XI

6. Recitativo (T)

 [Evangelist]
Da das der König Herodes hörte,

erschrak er und mit ihm das ganze Jerusalem.

~

And thus when Herod the king had heard this,

he trembled, and with him the whole of Jerusalem.

~~~~~

7. Recitativo (A)

Warum wollt ihr erschrecken?
Kann meines Jesu Gegenwart euch solche Furcht erwecken?
O! solltet ihr euch nicht
Vielmehr darüber freuen,
Weil er dadurch verspricht,
Der Menschen Wohlfahrt zu verneuen.

~

Wherefore would ye be frightened?
Can my dear Jesus' presence then in you such fear awaken?
Oh! Should ye not by this
Instead be moved with gladness,
That he thereby hath pledged
To make anew mankind's well-being!

~~~~~

8. Recitativo (T)

[Evangelist]
Und ließ versammlen alle Hohepriester und Schriftgelehrten

unter dem Volk

und erforschete von ihnen, 

wo Christus sollte geboren werden.

Und sie sagten ihm:

Zu Bethlehem im jüdischen Lande;

denn also stehet geschrieben durch den Propheten:

Und du Bethlehem

im jüdischen Lande

bist mitnichten die kleinest 

unter den Fürsten Juda;

denn aus dir soll mir kommen der Herzog,

der über mein Volk Israel ein Herr sei.

~

And assembling all the high priests and scribes

from amongst the people,

did he then inquire of them,

where the birth of Christ was supposed to happen.

And they said to him:

"In Bethlehem in the land of Judea;

for even thus is it written by the prophet:

'And thou, Bethlehem,

in the land of Judea

art by no means the least 

among the princes of Judah;

for from thee shall to me come the ruler,

who shall over my people Israel be master.'"

~~~~~

9. Aria (S, A, T)

Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen?
Ach, wenn kömmt der Trost der Seinen?
Schweigt, er ist schon würklich hier!

Jesu, ach so komm zu mir!

~

Ah, when will that time appear then?
Ah, when will his people's hope come?
Hush, he is already here!

Jesus, ah, then come to me!

~~~~~

10. Recitativo (A)

Mein Liebster herrschet schon.
Ein Herz, das seine Herrschaft liebet
Und sich ihm ganz zu eigen gibet,
Ist meines Jesu Thron.

~

My dearest ruleth now.
The heart which his dominion loveth
And gives itself to him entirely
Shall be my Jesus' throne.

~~~~~

11. Choral (S, A, T, B)

Zwar ist solche Herzensstube
Wohl kein schöner Fürstensaal,
Sondern eine finstre Grube;
Doch, sobald dein Gnadenstrahl
In denselben nur wird blinken,
Wird es voller Sonnen dünken.

~

Though in truth my heart's poor lodging
Is no lovely royal hall,
Rather but a dreary chamber,
Yet, when once thy mercy's beams
Bring to it the merest glimmer,
It seems as though with sun to shimmer.

~~~~~

~~~~~

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.