Still, Still Night

Our 2014 holiday album featured a mix of new and traditional carols, including selections from Benjamin Britten's *A Ceremony of Carols* and works by John Tavener, Emily Poston, John Rutter, and others.
BCE's Still, Still Night is available digitally download via iTunes, Amazon, and Spotify.

Recording Details

Recorded by Futura Productions, Roslindale, MA; February and November, 2014

Engineer: John Watson

Producer: Andrew Shenton

* Kira J. Winter, piano
+ Barbara Poeschel-Edrich, harp

Program Notes

Our program celebrates the many facets of the Christmas celebration, with a special focus on the miracle of Jesus’ birth and the extraordinary mystery of Mary’s role as Jesus’ mother. We follow the chronological narrative, starting with the Angel Gabriel, who visited Mary to deliver the news that she would bear a son and name him Jesus, a moment referred to as The Annunciation. The story continues with the journey to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born. Walton’s All This Time describes the exact moment when “word became flesh” (Verbum caro factum est), and pieces by Tavener and Poston celebrate the many roles Jesus plays in the world. Three pieces by English composers Benjamin Britten, John Rutter, and Patrick Hadley turn our gaze back to the mother of Jesus, after which we sing the ever-popular “Silent night,” and then celebrate some of our favorite Christmas pageant characters: angels, shepherds, wise men, and stars. We finish the recording with arrangements of ever-popular secular carols to get you into the holiday spirit.

Text & Translations

Benjamin Britten: Wolcum (from Ceremony of Carols)
From The English Galaxy of Shorter Poems, edited by Gerald Bullett (in Middle English)

Wolcum be thou hevenè king,

wolcum yole! Wolcum,

born in one morning,

Wolcum for whom we sall sing!

Wolcum be ye, Stevene and Jon,

wolcum, innocentes every one,

wolcum, Thomas marter one,

wolcum be ye, good Newe Yere,

wolcum, twelfthe day both in fere,

wolcum, seintes lefe and dere,

wolcum yole, wolcum!

Candelmesse, Quene of bliss,

wolcum bothe to more and lesse.

Wolcum be ye that are here, wolcurn yole!

Wolcum alle and make good cheer.

Wolcum alle another yere,

Wolcum Yole, Wolcum.

Jackson Berkey: Still, Still Night
Joseph Mohr, translated by John Young

Silent night, holy night,

Son of God, love’s pure light.

Radiant beams from thy holy, holy face.

With the dawn of redeeming grace,

Christ the Savior is born!

Jesus, Lord at thy birth. Alleluia!

Silent night, holy night,

shepherds quake, at the sight;

Glories stream from heaven afar.

Heavenly choirs sing: Alleluia!

Christ, the Savior is born!

Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

Silent night, holy night,

all is calm, all is bright.

Round yon Virgin Mother, Child,

Holy Infant, tender and mild.

Sleep in heavenly peace.

Son of God, Alleluia!

Still, still night, alleluia.

William Walton: All This Time
Anonymous 16th-century

All this time this song is best:

Verbum caro factum est.

This night there is a child born

That sprang out of Jesse's thorn;

We must sing and say thereforn(e):

All this time this song is best:

Verbum caro factum est.

Jesus is the childes name,

And Mary mild is his dame;

All our sorrow shall turn to game:

All this time this song is best:

Verbum caro factum est.

It fell upon high midnight:

The stars shone both fair and bright;

The angels sang with all their might:

All this time this song is best:

Verbum caro factum est.

Now kneel we down on our knee,

And pray we to the Trinity

Our help, our succor for to be;

All this time this song is best:

Verbum caro factum est.

John Tavener: The Lamb
William Blake: Songs of Innocence, 1789

Little Lamb who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Gave thee life and bid thee feed,

By the stream and o'er the mead;

Gave thee clothing of delight,

Softest clothing woolly bright;

Gave thee such a tender voice,

Making all the vales rejoice!

Little Lamb who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb I'll tell thee,

Little Lamb I'll tell thee!

He is called by thy name,

For he calls himself a Lamb:

He is meek and he is mild,

He became a little child:

I a child and thou a lamb,

We are called by his name.

Little Lamb God bless thee;

Little Lamb God bless thee!

Elizabeth Poston: Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
Anonymous 18th-century

The tree of life my soul hath seen,

Laden with fruit and always green:

The trees 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 I have 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.

Benjamin Britten: Hymn to the Virgin
Anonymous, c. 1300

Of one that is so fair and bright

Velut maris stella, [Like a Star of the Sea]

Brighter than the day is light,

Parens et puella: [Mother and Maiden]

I cry to thee, thou see to me,

Lady, pray thy Son for me

Tam pia, [thou Holy One]

That I may come to thee.

Maria! [Mary!]

All this world was forlorn

Eva peccatrice, [through Eve, the sinner]

Till our Lord was y-born

De te genetrice. [of Thee, the Mother]

With ave it went away

Darkest night, and comes the day

Salutis [Of Salvation]

The well springeth out of thee.

Virtutis. [of virtue]

Lady, flow'r of ev'rything,

Rosa sine spina, [Rose without a thorn]

Thou bare Jesu, Heaven's King,

Gratia divina: [by Divine grace]

Of all thou bear'st the prize,

Lady, queen of paradise

Electa: [chosen one]

Maid mild, mother.

Effecta. [Thou art proved].

Benjamin Britten: There is no rose (from Ceremony of Carols)
From The English Galaxy of Shorter Poems, edited by Gerald Bullett (in Middle English)

There is no rose of such vertu

as is the rose that bare Jesu.

Alleluia.

For in this rose conteinèd

was heaven and earth in litel space,

res Miranda [wondrous thing].

By that rose we may well see there

be one God in persons three,

pares forma [One in form].

The aungels sungen the shepherds to:

“Gloria in excelsis Deo” [Glory to God in the highest].

Gaudeamus [Let us rejoice].

Leave we all this werldly mirth,

and follow we this joyful birth.

Transeamus [Let us cross over].

Alleluia, res miranda, pares fomas, gaudeamus, transeamus.

John Rutter: There is a Flower
John Audelay (d. 1426)

There is a flower sprung of a tree,

The root thereof is called Jesse,

A flower of price;

There is none such in paradise.

This flower is fair and fresh of hue,

It fadeth never but ever is new;

The blessed branch this flower on grew

Was Mary mild that bare Jesu;

A flower of grace;

Against all sorrow it is solace.

The seed here of God was descend;

That God himself sowed with his hand,

In Nazareth that holy land,

Amidst her arbour a maiden found;

This blessed flower

Sprang never but in Mary’s bower.

When Gabriel this maid did meet,

With ‘Ava Maria’ he did her greet;

Between them two this flower was set

And safe was kept, no man should wit,

Till on a day

In Bethlehem it could spread and spray.

When that fair flower began to spread

And his sweet blossom began to bed,

Then rich and poor of every land

They marveled how this flower might spread.

Till kings three that flower came to see.

Angels there came from heaven’s tower

To look upon this fresh flower,

How fair he was in his color

And how sweet in his savor;

And to behold

How such a flower might spring in gold.

There is a flower sprung of a tree,

The root thereof is called Jesse,

A flower of price;

There is none such in paradise.

Patrick Hadley: I Sing of a Maiden
Lyrics in original Middle English
Text: 15th Century Middle English
Translation: http://cantusmundi.blogspot.com/2010/12/i-sing-of-maiden-i-syng-of-mayden.html

I syng of a mayden

That is makeles;

Kyng of alle Kynges

To her Son she ches.

He cam al so stylle

There his moder was

As dew in Aprylle

That fallyt on the gras;

He cam al so stylle

To his moderes bowr

As dew in Aprylle

That fallyt on the flour;

He cam al so stylle

There his moder lay

As dew in Aprylle

That fallyt on the spray;

Moder and mayden

Was never non but she;

Wel may swych a lady

Godes moder be.

Lyrics in modern English

I sing of a maiden

That is matchless,

King of all kings

For her son she chose.

He came as still

Where his mother was

As dew in April

That falls on the grass.

He came as still

To his mother's bower

As dew in April

That falls on the flower.

He came as still

Where his mother lay

As dew in April

That falls on the spray.

Mother and maiden

There was never, ever one but she;

Well may such a lady

God's mother be.

John Rutter: Angels' Carol
Text by John Rutter

Have you heard the sound of the angel voices

Ringing out so sweetly, ringing out so clear?

Have you seen the star shining out so brightly

As a sign from God that Christ the Lord is here?

Have you heard the news that they bring from heaven

To the humble shepherds who have waited long?

Gloria in excelsis Deo,

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Hear the angels sing their joyful song.

He is come in peace in the winter’s stillness,

Like a gentle snowfall in the gentle night;

He is come in joy like the sun at morning

Filling all the world with radiance and with light.

He is come in love as the child of Mary;

In a simple stable we have seen his birth:

Gloria in excelsis Deo,

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Hear the angels singing ‘Peace on earth’.

He will bring new light to a world in darkness,

Like a bright star shining in the skies above;

He will bring new hope to the waiting nations

When he comes in purity and love.

Let the earth rejoice at the Saviour’s coming;

Let the heavens answer with the joyful morn:

Gloria in excelsis Deo,

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Hear the angels singing ‘Christ is born’.

Judith Weir: My Guardian Angel
William Blake

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

The angel that presided o’er my birth said,

“Little creature formed of joy and mirth,

Go Love without the help of anything on Earth.”

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

William Walton: What Cheer?
Lyrics: from Richard Hill’s ‘Commonplace Book,’ 16th Century

What cheer?

Good cheer!

Be merry and glad this good new year!

‘Lift up your hearts and be glad

In Christ’s birth,’

The angel bade,

Say to each other,

If any be sad:

What cheer?

Now the King of heav’n his birth hath take,

Joy and mirth we ought to make;

Say each to other,

For his sake:

What cheer?

I tell you all with heart so free:

Right welcome, welcome,

ye be to me;

Be glad and merry,

For charity!

What cheer?

Good cheer!

Be merry and glad this new year!

Benjamin Britten: A Shepherd’s Carol
Text by W.H. Auden

O lift your little pinkie,

and touch the winter sky.

Love's all over the mountains

where the beautiful go to die.

If Time were the wicked sheriff,

in a horse opera,

I'd pay for riding lessons

and take his gun away.

If I were a Valentine,

and Fortune were abroad,

I'd hypnotize that iceberg

till she kissed me of her own accord.

If I'd stacked up the velvet

and my crooked rib were dead,

I'd be breeding white canaries

and eating crackers in bed.

But my cuffs are soiled and fraying.

The kitchen clock is slow,

and over the Blue Waters

the grass grew long ago.

Peter Cornelius: The Three Kings
Die Könige, Peter Cornelius (1824-74), 1859, Weihnachtslieder, 1871 trans. H. N. BatePeter Cornelius with a free translation of Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, Philipp Nicolai, 1597

Solo

Three Kings from Persian lands afar

to Jordan follow the pointing star:

and this the quest of the travelers three,

where the new-born King of the Jews may be.

Full royal gifts they bear for the King;

Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

The star shines out with a steadfast ray;

the kings to Bethlehem make their way,

and there in worship they bend the knee,

as Mary’s child in her lap they see;

their royal gifts they show to the King;

gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

Thou child of man, lo, to Bethlehem

the Kings are travelling, travel with them!

The star of mercy, the star of grace,

shall lead thy heart to its resting place.

Gold, incense, myrrh thou canst not bring;

offer thy heart to the infant King.

Chorale

How brightly shines the morning star!

With grace and truth from heaven afar

our Jesse tree now bloweth.

Of Jacob’s stem and David’s line,

for thee, my Bridegroom, King divine,

my soul with love o’erfloweth.

Thy word, Jesu, inly feeds us,

rightly leads us, life bestowing.

Praise, O praise such love o’erflowing.

William Walton: King Herod and the Cock
Traditional English

There was a star in David's land,

In David's land appears,

And in King Herod's chamber

So bright it did shine there.

The wise men they soon spied it

And told the king a nigh,

That a Prince's Babe was born that night

No king shall e'er destroy.

If this be the truth, King Herod said,

That thou hast told to me,

The roasted cock that lies in the dish

Shall crow full senses three.

Oh, the cock soon thrusten'd and feather'd well

By the works of God's own hand,

And he did crow full sense three

In the dish where he did stand.

Giles Swayne: The Two Nowells
Traditional English Carol
New words and Arrangement: Giles Swayne

The First Nowell

The first Nowell the angel did say

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;

In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,

On a cold winter’s night that was so deep:

Chorus

Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell

Born is the King of Israel

They looked up and saw a star

Shining in the East, beyond them far;

And to the earth it gave great light,

And so it continued both day and night:

This star drew nigh to the northwest;

O’er Bethlehem it took its rest,

And there it did stop and stay

Right o’er the place where Jesus lay.

The Second Nowell

The second Nowell that the angel did say

Was to certain poor children on Christmas day.

On Christmas midnight they lay trying to sleep,

But nothing would work, even counting sheep.

Chorus

Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell

Born is the King of Israel

They lay wide awake in excitement and greed,

And thought of all those presents they so badly need;

Electronic lights and computer joys;

New bicycles new games and new plastic toys.

“Two thousand long years,” sang the angel that night,

“And still Jesus’ message has shed no light,

One half of your world hoards rich goodies galore,

While the other begs for crumbs on the desert floor.

While the poor scrimp and starve you will never be at peace,

For the plenty you enjoy makes their pain increase.

So open your hearts to all people on earth:

This is the greatest message of Jesus’ birth.”

The Two Nowells

Then let us all with one accord

Sing praises to our heavenly Lord

That hath made heav’n and earth of naught,

And with His blood mankind hath bought.

Then let us give thanks to the heavens above

For the life that we live and the world we love.

And God help mankind in His wisdom and grace

To make our poor planet a kinder place.

Benjamin Britten: A New Year Carol
Traditional folk song

Here we bring new water from the well so clear,

For to worship God with, this happy New Year.

Chorus (after each verse):

Sing levy-dew, sing levy-dew, the water and the wine,

The seven bright gold wires and the bugles that do shine.

Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her toe;

Open you the West Door and turn the Old Year go.

Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her chin;

Open you the East Door and let the New Year in.

J. L. Pierpont, arr. Ralph Allwood: Jingle Bells
James Lord Pierpont, 1957
Lyrics from the Score.

Dashing through the snow

In a one-horse open sleigh

O’er the fields we go

Laughing all the way,

Bells on Bobtail ring,

Making spirits bright;

What fun it is to ride and sing

A sleighing song tonight.

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way;

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, Hey!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way;

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Now the ground is white;

Go it while you’re young,

Take the girls tonight,

And sing a sleighing song.

Get a bob-tailed bay,

Two-forty for his speed;

Then hitch him to an open sleigh and

Crack! You’ll take the lead.

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way;

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, Hey!

Jingle bells, jingle bells,

Jingle all the way;

Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

Traditional, arr. Arthur Warrell: We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Traditional 16th-century English carol

We wish you a Merry Christmas;