
The familiar carol “Adam lay y-bounden” survived (using the simple setting by Peter Warlock) and the less well-known but very attractive “The Lord at first did Adam make” was included, as well. “Adam’s Transgression” was the inescapable starting point, introduced with the carol “This is the truth sent from above”, and continuing with the familiar Eden narrative.īut also included was St Paul’s significant account of our Lord as the second Adam who overcomes death. The main body of the service was divided into six sections, each announced in turn by the officiant. It began with the simplicity of “ Hodie Christus natus est” in plainsong (emulating unashamedly Britten’s opening of his Ceremony of Carols), with its translation then declaimed by the officiating priest. There were innovations in content, format, and presentation but motivating everything was the aim of pruning away excess, and focusing attention on the significance of the Christmas story. “ Venite Adoremus” (as we entitled it) replaced the “Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols”, and even reactionaries in the congregation, who regretted the loss of this or that favourite, gave it general approval. Last Christmas, he persuaded clergy, churchwardens, and choir in his church to adopt this new liturgy. I did and I sent the result to my challenger. Any resemblance between those originals and the Christmas hymns and multiplicity of Christmas anthems paraded as carols has all but been lost.īut who dares tamper with hallowed tradition? Who dares to banish the piping treble of “Once in royal David’s city”? Who would withdraw those prized invitations to parish worthies to read one of the familiar lessons? Further still, who might remove familiar (but misplaced) elements of the usual format, and introduce scripture other than the familiar extracts? They are so distant from the folk music (sung and danced) from which carols sprang in the Middle Ages.

#Hodie christus natus est meaning professional#
Our sanitised Christmas stable is far removed from the probable stench and filth of reality so too our “carols”, beautified in their highly professional Willcocks and Rutter arrangements, are often over-sophisticated, sentimentalised, or twee. He challenged me to rescue him from the straitjacket of familiarity within which he felt imprisoned by the inevitable Nine Lessons and Carols. He is a former chorister of mine, who now runs an efficient and successful choir himself. Original text and translations may be found at Hodie Christus natus est.FOR at least one organist and choirmaster, the approach of Christmas brings dread.

9ĭescription: External websites: Text and translations 13Ģnd published: 1980 in The Chester Book of Motets, Book 12, no. Genre: Sacred, Motet, Magnificat antiphon for Christmas Dayįirst published: 1619 in Cantiones sacrae, no. Number of voices: 5vv Voicings: SSATB, SATTB or AATBB Score information: A4, 8 pages, 152 kB Copyright: CPDL Edition notes: Consider using a slightly faster duple tempo, and dotted quarter from the first equaling quarter in the duple.Įditor: Rafael Ornes (submitted ). 1 bar 3 baritone voice – should be 8th rest not quarter the entering "Chri-" should be a syncopated quarter. Error summary: comment from Ultimarko: p. Sibelius file is unzipped, A4 page format. Score information: A4, 7 pages, 132 kB Copyright: Personal Edition notes: arranged a fourth lower for men's voices, AATBB. Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download.Įditor: Denis Mason (submitted ). This edition is offered at one tone below original key for SSATB or transposed down a further fourth for SATTB. Score information: A4, 10 pages, 153 kB Copyright: Personal Edition notes: Includes a keyboard reduction of the a cappella choral score.

Keyboard accompaniment.Įditor: Christopher Shaw (submitted ). Score information: A4, 8 pages, 88 kB Copyright: CPDL Edition notes: Original key and note length. Basso continuo included.Įditor: James Gibb (submitted ). Score information: Letter, 7 pages, 147 kB Copyright: Personal Edition notes: In B-flat (down whole step). Score information: A4, 13 pages, 157 kB Copyright: CPDL Edition notes:Įditor: Jonathan Schakel (submitted ). Also, I left the continuo out, which is largely a basso seguente part with a few figures.Įditor: Simon Biazeck (submitted ). Score information: Letter, 5 pages, 111 kB Copyright: CC BY NC Edition notes: Set in the original (high) clefs. Score information: A4, 10 pages, 217 kB Copyright: CPDL Edition notes: In B-flat (down whole step).Įditor: Allen Garvin (submitted ).
#Hodie christus natus est meaning how to#
Music files L E G E N D Disclaimer How to download ICONĮditor: Wim Looyestijn (submitted ).
