Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594)

Alma Redemptoris Mater

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, 
that passage to heaven, gate of the morning, 
and star of the sea, assist the fallen, 
lift up, [you] who cure, the people: 
you who bore to the wonderment of nature, your holy Creator, 
Virgin before and after, who received from Gabriel 
that joyful greeting, have mercy on us sinners.

Dum complerentur

Dum complerentur dies Pentecostes,
erant omnes pariter dicentes, alleluia,
et subito factus est sonus de coelo, alleluia,
tamquam spiritus vehementis,
et replevit totam domum, alleluia.

Now when the day of Pentecost had come,
they were gathered all together, saying: alleluia.
And suddenly they heard a great sound from heaven, alleluia,
like a hurricane in its fury, 
which encompassed all the dwelling, alleluia.

Fuit homo missus a Deo

Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui nomen Joannes erat: 
Hic venit ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine et pararet Domino plebem perfectam.

Haec dies

Haec dies quam fecit Dominus: 
exultemus et laetemur in eia. Alleluia.

Reproaches

What have I done unto thee O my people; 
or wherein have I wearied thee? 
Testify against me. 
Because I brought thee forth from the land of Egypt 
thou hast prepared a cross for thy Saviour. 

Agios O Theos. Sanctus Deus.
Agios is kyros. Sanctus fortis. 
Agios Athanatos eleison imas. Sanctus et immortalis. 
Miserere nobis.

Because I led thee through the desert forty year
and fed thee with manna, 
And brought thee into a land exceeding good
thou hast prepared a cross for thy Saviour.

What more could I have done unto thee that I have not done? 
I indeed did plant thee, O my vineyard, with exceeding fair fruit, 
and thou art become very bitter unto me. 
For vinegar, mingled with gall, thou gavest me when thirst; 
and hast pierced with a spear the side of thy Saviour. 

Sicut Cervus

Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontem aquarum, 
ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus.

Super Flumina Babylonis

Super Flumina Babylonis illic sedimus et flevimus
dum recordaremur tui, Sion:
in salicibus in medio eius suspendimus organa nostra.

Tu es petrus

Tu es petrus, 
et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam; 
et portae inferi non prevalebunt adversus eam; 
et tibi dabo claves regni coelorum.

Roxanna Panufnik (b.1968)

Sleep little Jesus

Sleep, little Jesus, my gentle dove 
Sleep, dearest treasure and precious love 
Sleep, little Lord Jesus, hush don’t you cry, 
Mary will comfort you with her lullaby. 

Lulaj, lulajze Jezniu

Look down from heaven all over this earth,
Bless us with happiness, goodwill and mirth.
Sleep, little Lord Jesus, hush don’t you cry,
Mary will comfort you with her lullaby.

Robert Parsons(d.1570)

Ave Maria

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum: 
benedicta tu in mulieribus, 
et benedictus fructum ventris tui.
Amen.

Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1918)

I was glad

I was glad when they said unto me: 
we will go into the house of the Lord. 
Our feet shall stand in thy gates, O jerusalem. 
Jerusalem is builded as a city: 
that is at unity in itself. 
O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 
they shall prosper that love thee. 
Peace be within thy walls: 
and plenteousness within thy palaces.

My soul, there is a country

My soul, there is a country 
Far beyond the stars, 
Where stands a winged sentry 
All skilful in the wars: 
There, above noise and danger, 
Sweet peace sits crown'd with smiles, 
And one born in a manger 
Commands the beauteous files. 
He is thy gracious friend, 
And (O my soul, awake!) 
Did in pure love descend 
To die here for thy sake. 
If thou canst get but thither, 
There grows the flower of peace, 
The rose that cannot wither, 
Thy fortress, and thy ease. 
Leave then thy foolish ranges; 
For none can thee secure 
But One who never changes -
Thy God, thy life, thy cure. 

R L Pearsall

In dulci jubilo

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.

O Jesu parvule 
I yearn for thee alway 
Listen to my ditty 
O puer optime 
Have pity on me, pity 
O princeps gloriae, 
Trahe me post te.

O patris caritas 
O nati lenitas 
Deeply were we stained 
Per nostra crimina 
But thou hast for us gained 
Coelorum gaudia 
O that we were there.  

Ubi sunt gaudia 
If that they be not there 
There are angels singing 
Nova cantica 
There the bells are ringing 
In regis curia 
O that we were there.

Edgar Pettman

The Angel Gabriel

The angel Gabriel from Heaven came, 
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame; 
'All hail,' said he, 'thou lowly maiden Mary, 
Most highly favoured lady,' Gloria! 

'For known a blessed Mother thou shalt be, 
All generation laud and honour thee, 
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold. 
Most highly favoured lady,' Gloria! 

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head, 
'To me be as it pleaseth God,' she said, 
'My soul shall laud and magnify his Holy Name.' 
Most highly favoured lady, Gloria! 

Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ was born 
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn, 
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say: 
Most highly favoured lady, Gloria! 

Elizabeth Poston

Jesus Christ the apple tree

The tree of life my soul hath seen, 
Laden with fruit and always green:
The tree of nature fruitless be 
Compared with Christ the apple tree. 

His beauty doth all things excel: 
By faith I know, but ne’er can tell, 
The glory which I now can see 
In Jesus Christ the apple tree. 

For happiness I long have sought, 
And pleasure dearly have I bought: 
I missed of all: but now I see 
’Tis found in Christ the apple tree. 

I’m weary with my former toil. 
Here I will sit and rest awhile: 
Under the shadow I will be 
Of Jesus Christ the apple tree. 

This fruit doth make my soul to thrive, 
It keeps my dying faith alive; 
Which makes my soul in haste to be 
With Jesus Christ the apple tree. 

Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)

Quatre motets pour le Temps de Noël

O magnum mysterium 
et admirabile sacramentum 
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum 
jacentem in praesepio. 
Beata Virgo cujus viscera 
meruerunt portare 
Dominum Christum. 

O great wonder  
and miraculous sacrament: 
that the beasts of the field see the Lord, new-born 
and lying in a manger. 
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb 
was worthy to bear 
the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Quem vidistis pastores dicite: 
annuntiate nobis in terris quis apparuit: 
Natum vidimus 
et chorus angelorum collaudantes Dominum. 
Dicite quidnam vidistis 
et annuntiate Christi nativitatem. 

Tell us, O shepherds, whom you have seen, 
tell us who has appeared on earth. 
We have seen the new-born babe 
and choirs of angels praising God. 
Tell abroad what you have seen, 
tell out that Christ is born.

Videntes stellam
Magi gavisi sunt gaudio magno:
et intrantes domum
obtulerunt Domino
aurum thus et myrrham.

When they saw the star
the Wise Men were filled with a great joy
and they went into the house.
There to the Lord they offered
gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Hodie Christus natus est: 
Hodie Salvator apparuit: 
Hodie in terra canunt angeli laetantur archangeli: 
Hodie exsultant justi dicentes: 
Gloria in excelsis Deo. Alleluia. 

This day Christ is born, 
this day is our Saviour made known to us. 
This day on earth do angels sing and archangels rejoice, 
this day shall the righteous triumph, saying: 
Glory to God in the highest. Alleluia. 

Michael Praetorius

Psallite unigenito

Psallite unigenito
Christo, Dei Filio,
Psallite Redemptori,
Domino, puerulo
jacenti in praesepio.
Ein kleines Kindelein liegt in dem Krippelein.
Alle lieben Engelein dienen dem Kindelein
und singen ihm fein.

Sing your psalms to Christ,
the begotten Son of God,
sing your psalms to the Redeemer,
to the Lord, the little Child
lying in a manger bed.
A small Child lies in the manger.
All the blessed angels fall before Him
and sing.

Puer natus

Puer natus in Bethlehem, Bethlehem, 
unde gaudet Jerusalem, Alleluia, Alleluia. 

Hic iacet in praesepio, praesepio, 
qui regnet sine termino, Alleluia, Alleluia. 

Cognovit bos et asinus, asinus, 
quod puer erat Dominus. Alleluia, Alleluia. 

Magi de Saba veniunt, veniunt, 
aurum, thus, myrrham offerunt. Alleluia, Alleluia. 

In hoc natali gaudio, gaudio, 
benedicamus domino. Alleluia, Alleluia. 

Laudetur sancta Trinitas, Trinitas, 
Deo dicamus gratias. Alleluia, Alleluia. 

Quem Pastores

Quem pastores laudavere, 
Quibus angeli dixere: 
Absit vobis iam timere, 
Natus est Rex gloriae. 
Nunc angelorum gloria hominibus 
Resplendulit in mundo, 
Novi partus gaudia virgo Mater produxit, 
Et Sol verus in tenebris illuxit. 
Christus natus hodie ex virgine, 
Sine virili semine est natus Rex. 

Ad quem magi ambulabant, 
Aurum, thus, myrrham portabant, 
Immolabant haec sincere 
Leoni victoriae. 
Culpae datur hodie remissio 
Laetentur homo reus. 
Lux de caelo claruit pace iam reparata. 
Et genitrix permansit illibata. 
Christus natus hodie ex virgine, 
Sine virili semine est natus Rex. 

Christo Regi Deo nato, 
Per Mariam nobis dato, 
Merito resonet vere 
Laus, honor et gloria. 
Magnum nomen Domini, Immanuel, 
Quod est: nobiscum Deus. 
Redemptori Domino, redempti iubilemus, 
Hic est dies et annus iubilaeus. 
Pueri, concinnite et psallite, 
Voce pia dicite et plaudite. 

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Hear my prayer, O Lord

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my crying come unto Thee.

In God's word will I rejoice

In God's word will I rejoice, 
in the Lord's word will I comfort me. 
Yea in God have I put my trust, 
I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 

My beloved spake

My beloved spake, and said unto me, 
Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. 
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; 
The flowers appear on the earth; 
the time of the singing of birds is come, 
and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; 
The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, 
and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. 
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. 

O God, thou art my God

O God, thou art my God: early will I seek thee.
My soul thirsteth for thee, 
my flesh also longeth after thee 
in a barren and dry land where no water is
Thus have I looked for thee in holiness, 
that I might behold thy power and glory. 
For thy loving kindness is better than life itself: 
My lips shall praise thee.
As long as I live will I magnify thee on this manner 
and lift up my hands in thy Name. 
Because thou hast been my jelper, 
therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 
Hallelujah.

O remember not

O remember not our old sins, but have mercy upon us, and that soon :
for we are come to great misery. 

O sing unto the Lord

O sing unto the Lord a new song. Alleluia.
Sing unto the Lord, all the whole earth. Alleluia.
Sing unto the Lord and praise his name :
be telling of his salvation from day to day. 
Declare his honour unto the heathen :
and his wonders unto all people. 
Glory and worship are before him : 
power and honour are in his sanctuary. 
The Lord is great, and cannot worthily be praised :
he is more to be feared than all gods. 
As for the gods of the heathen, they are but idols :
but it is the Lord that made the heavens. 
O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness : 
let the whole earth stand in awe of him. 
Tell it out among the heathen that the Lord is King : 
and that it is he who hath made the round world so fast that it cannot be moved; 
and how that he shall judge the people righteously. 
Alleluia. 

Rejoice in the Lord alway

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 
Be careful for nothing; 
but in evrything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving 
let your requests be made known unto God. 
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, 
shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Remember not, Lord, our offences

Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; 
neither take thou vengeance of our sins: 
spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, 
whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, 
and be not angry with us for ever. 
Spare us, good Lord.

Thou knowest, Lord

Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; 
shut not thy merciful ears unto our prayers; 
but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, 
O holy and most merciful Saviour, thou most worthy judge eternal, 
suffer us not at our last hour, for any pains of death, 
to fall from thee. Amen.

Thy word is a lantern

Thy word is a lantern unto my feet: 
  and a light unto my paths.
I have sworn and am steadfastly purposed:
  to keep thy righteous judgements.
I am troubled above measure:
  quicken me, O Lord, according to thy word. 
The ungodly have laid a snare for me:
  but yet I swerved not from thy commandments.
Thy testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever:
  and why? they are the very joy of my heart.
Hallelujah

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