The Nativity of Our Lord
SATB a cappella, also Mvmt. IV,
Angelus ad Pastores, available
for SA / piano
Traditional Christmas texts in
Latin
Difficulty rating (1-5): 3
This piece has
not yet been premiered. Please
e-mail me if you are interested
in premering this piece.
I. Puer Natus est Nobis
II. Laetentur Caeli
III. Dixit Angleus
IV. Angelus ad Pastores
V.
O Magnum Mysterium
VI. Viderunt Omnes
I wrote Angelus ad Pastores
while staying at the home of
Raymond Fahrner and Elizabeth
Green. Ray is the very fine
music director of the Cambridge
(MA) Madrigal Singers. Sherri,
Aidan and I were in Boston for
the premiere of my piece Esta
Tarde,
mi bien, which was the winning composition of the Cambridge Madrigal Singers 2004
Composition Competition. Ray and
Elizabeth have twin daughters,
Genevieve and Carolyn, who were
four years old at the time, and
quite fun little characters –
so
I thought I would like to write
them a little piece (Angelus
ad Pastores).
I
later decided to write more short
Christmas pieces with Latin texts
and put them together for concert
or church use. Thus the piece is
bigger now, but each movement has
its own intimacy.
Complete perusal score available
upon request.
Note: This piece, intended for
concert or church use, can either
be used in its entirety or
excerpted. When used intact, the
six sections tell the Nativity
story beginning with Isaiah’s
prophecies through Luke to the
Christmas Day responsory O Magnum
Mysterium. When used in sequence
the settings connect either
thematically or harmonically from
one to another.
TEXT
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I. Puer Natus est Nobis
Puer natus est nobis,
et filius datus est nobis.
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(Isaiah 9:6)
Unto us a child is born
Unto us a son is given.
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II. Laetentur Caeli
Laetentur caeli,
et exsultet tera
ante facimen Domini:
quoniam venit.
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(Psalm 96:11,13)
Let the heavens rejoice
and let the earth be glad
before the face of the Lord:
for He is coming.
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III. Dixit Angelus
Dixit angelus ad Mariam:
“Ecce concipies et paries
Filium,
et vocabis nomen ejus
Jesum.” |
III. Dixit Angelus
(Luke 1:30,31)
The angel said unto Mary:
“Behold, Thou shalt conceive
and bring forth a son,
and shalt call
his name Jesus.” |
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IV. Angelus ad
Pastores
Angelus ad pastores ait,
annuncio vobis gadium magnum:
quia natus est vobis hodie
Salvator mundi,
Alleluia; Gloria in excelsis Deo;
et in terra pax hominibus
bonae voluntatis;
Alleluia.
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(Luke
2:10-14)
The Angel said to the shepherds
I bring you tidings of great joy,
for unto you is born this day
the Savior of the world,
Hallelujah; Glory to God in the highest
and peace on earth to men
of good will;
Hallelujah.
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V. O Magnum
Mysterium
O magnum mysterium
et admirabile
sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent
Dominum natum,
jacentem un praesepio.
Alleluia!
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(Responsory: Matins for the Nativity of our Lord)
O great mystery
and wondrous sacrament,
that animals should see the newborn Lord
lying in their manger.
Hallelujah!
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VI. Viderunt Omnes
Viderunt omnes fines
terrae
salutare Dei,
nostri jubilate Deo
omni terra. |
(Psalm 98:3,4)
All
the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of God,
Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
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