Silent Night

Silent Night was originally written in German by the Austrian priest Joseph Mohr in 1816.  It was set to music on Christmas Eve 1818.

Silent Night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

'Round yon virgin mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night

Shepherds quake, at the sight

Glories stream from heaven afar

Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia;

Christ the Saviour is born

Christ the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night

Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams from Thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord at Thy birth

Jesus, Lord at Thy birth

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

This carol has origins dating back to possibly early as the 8th century.  The original text is in Latin ("Veni, Veni, Emmanuel) and was translated to English by John M. Neale in the mid- 1800's.  The text is based on the prophesy in Isaiah 7:14 that states that God will give Israel a sign that will be called Immanuel.  Matthew 1:23 states fulfillment of this prophecy in the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. 

If you want to listen to this one as well, here is a link to You Tube.  It's not the best, but it's free.

=) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRi1GDoaQu4

"O Come, O Come Emmanuel

and ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Refrain:

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  

Emmanuel shall come to thee, oh Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,

Who orderest all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go.

Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save;

And give them victory over the grave.

Refrain

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

and open wide our heavenly home;

make safe the way that leads on high,

and close the path to misery.

Refrain

O Come, O come, great Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height

In ancient times once gave the law

In cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain

O come, Thou Root of Jesse's tree,

An ensign of Thy people be;

Before thee rulers silent fall;

All peoples on Thy mercy fall.

Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind

In one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,

And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Refrain"

A Carol

These past two days at work have been amazing.

My students gave a Christmas recital in which they performed infront of their class and many of their parents. I loved hearing their sweet, pure voices sing the wonderful story of the incarnation and what it means for humanity. This is the cool part about my job: because most music written before the 18th century was written in and for the church, it is perfectly acceptable for me to choose a song that completely expounds the Gospel and teach it. Not only teach them how to sing it beautifully, but teach them what the words and context means. I mean, you surely shouldn't sing something that you don't understand....right?

This is why I LOVE teaching Christmas Carols. Good, Gospelly Christmas Carols. I am going to be posting a new Christmas Carol everyday for you to read (if anyone besides Chris reads this). Read all the verses, because so often we only know the first verse, but almost always, the poems grow deeper in meaning and beauty. I hope it will be encouraging to you.

If you want to listen to the song while you read it I suggest:
For a more Classical arrangement download the version by Robert Shaw from iTunes or
for a more original arrangement, try Sujan Stevens.

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
a Traditional German melody text by Kölner Gesangbuch, 1599
English Translation by Theodore Baker, 1894

"Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming
from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming,
as men of old have sung.

It came, a flow'ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half-spent was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind,
With Mary we behold it,
The Virgin Mother kind.

To show God's love aright,
She bore to men a Saviour
When half-spent was the night.

This Flow'r, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness ev'rywhere.

True man, yet very God;
From sin and death He saves us,
And lightens ev'ry load."