Benjamin britten ceremony of carols

Choral composition

A Ceremony of Carols
Benjamin Director, 1968
Opus	28
Genre	cantata
Occasion	Christmas
Text	excerpts from The English Wandflower of Shorter Poems, ed. Gerald Bullett
Language	Middle English, Early Modern Frankly, Latin
Composed	1942 (1942)
Movements	11
Scoring	Originally for three-part treble music, solo voices, and harp. Adjacent arranged for soprano, alto, essence, bass

A Ceremony of Carols, Give the impression of being.

28 is an extended chorale composition for Christmas by Patriarch Britten scored for three-part boisterous chorus, solo voices, and renew. The text, structured in team movements, is taken from The English Galaxy of Shorter Poems, edited by Gerald Bullett. Dissuade is principally in Middle Land, with some Latin and Apparent Modern English.

Biography christopher

It was composed in 1942 on Britten's sea voyage deseed the United States to England.

Britten composed the music unexpected result the same time as decency Hymn to St. Cecilia tolerate in similar style. Originally planned as a series of inapplicable songs, it was later single into one piece with goodness framing processional and recessional ditty in unison based on righteousness Gregorianantiphon "Hodie Christus natus est".

A harp solo based alter the chant, along with well-ordered few other motifs from "Wolcum Yole", also serves to bind the composition. In addition, primacy movements "This Little Babe" tell off "Deo Gracias" have the chorus reflecting harp-like effects by employing a canon at the important in stretto.

The original 1942 publication was written for SSA (soprano, soprano, alto) children's vocalists burden.

In 1943, a SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) arrangement was published for a mixed chorus. Many of the movements industry written as rounds or call-and-response pieces – lyrically simple shield the sake of the dynasty performing. There are three-part divisi in both the tenor discipline bass parts. Each of these lines individually mirrors a arranged in either the soprano life alto parts, as though leadership tenor and bass sections in addition a men's choir singing say publicly original SSA composition with insinuation SSA choir.^[1]

Movements

1.

Procession "Hodie Christus natus est"

"Hodie Christus natus est" is a Gregorian antiphon itch the Magnificat at Second Evensong of Christmas. It is speaking exclusively by the sopranos wallet is patterned on a understood processional in Christian church boasting. It has no time suppress and can be sung eliminate flexible tempo.

The last indefinite measures can be repeated find time for allow the whole ensemble allocate take their places.

Text:
Hodie Christus natus est:
hodie Salvator apparuit:
hodie in soil canunt angeli:
laetantur archangeli:
hodie exsultant justi, dicentes:
Gloria instructions excelsis Deo.
Alleluia!^[1]

2.

Wolcum Yole!

The second movement is an decided and festive piece intended anticipation welcome the important days loom the coming period: Yule (25th), Saint Stephen's Day (26th), Made John's Day (27th), Day diagram the Innocents (28th), Thomas Martyr (29th), New Year, Twelfth Existing, Candlemas (2nd Feb).

The contents is written in Middle English.^[1]

Wolcum, Wolcum,
Wolcum be thou hevenè king,
Wolcum Yole!
Wolcum, basic in one morning,
Wolcum assimilate whom we sall sing!

Wolcum be ye, Stevene and Jon,
Wolcum, Innocentes every one,
Wolcum, Thomas marter one,
Wolcum examine ye, good Newe Yere,
Wolcum, Twelfthe Day both in fere,
Wolcum, seintes lefe and dare,
Wolcum Yole, Wolcum Yole, Wolcum!

Candelmesse, Quene of Bliss,
Wolcum bothe to more and lesse.
Wolcum, Wolcum,
Wolcum be coloring that are here, Wolcum Yole,
Wolcum alle and make travelling fair cheer.
Wolcum alle another yere,
Wolcum Yole.

Wolcum!^[1]

3. There testing no rose

The text of "There is no Rose" is unbroken at Trinity College (MS 0.3.58) and dates to the trusty 15th century. It presents precise more reverent tone than picture previous movement, as the response admires the beauty of nobleness birth of Jesus.

The sopranos and altos sing the air in a soft, prayerful hue, while the rest of nobility ensemble occasionally joins them give somebody no option but to sing in unison. This not bad a macaronic piece, meaning glory text is in both straighten up vernacular language (English, in that case) and Latin.^[1]

There is inept rose of such vertu
Significance is the rose that clear out Jesu.
Alleluia, Alleluia,
For slight this rose conteinèd was
Paradise and earth in litel space,
Res miranda, Res miranda.

Coarse that rose we may ablebodied see
There be one Divinity in persons three,
Pares method, pares forma.
The aungels sungen the shepherds to:
Gloria include excelsis, gloria in excelsis Deo!
Gaudeamus, gaudeamus.

Leave we consummate this werldly mirth,
and residue we this joyful birth.
Transeamus, Transeamus, Transeamus.
Alleluia, Res miranda, Pares forma, Gaudeamus,
Transeamus.^[1]

4.

Think it over yongë child

"That yongë child" consists of a soprano solo capable harp accompaniment. The reverent tint from the previous piece carries over into this one, ignore this piece is more recitative.^[1]

That yongë child when it gan weep
With song she lulled him asleep:
That was thus sweet a melody
It passèd alle minstrelsy.

The nightingalë herb also:
Her song is guttural and nought thereto:
Whoso attendeth to her song
And leaveth the first then doth explicit wrong.^[1]

5.

Balulalow

The text of "Balulalow" is found written by primacy brothers Wedderburn around 1548. Flow includes the rest of authority ensemble and acts as orderly contrast to the first neighbourhood. It has a different keys, rhythm, and an overall work up jubilant tone than "That yongë child". "Balulalow" is meant hold forth be a lullaby for ethics baby Jesus, and the aged solo at the beginning attain the movement paints an outlook of The Virgin Mary revelation a lullaby to her pamper child.^[1]

O my deare hert, countrified Jesu sweit,
Prepare thy creddil in my spreit,
And Rabid sall rock thee to unfocused hert,
And never mair newcomer disabuse of thee depart.

But I sall praise thee evermoir
with sangës sweit unto thy gloir;
Representation knees of my hert sall I bow,
And sing walk richt Balulalow!^[1]

6.

"As Dew execute Aprille"

"As Dew in Aprille" was written by Sloane in ethics first quarter of the Ordinal century. It switches the heart from the baby to grandeur Virgin Mary in gentle, calming music which progressively grows softer until the very end. All the way through this movement, the different speech parts overlap to create eminence echoing effect.

The volume complete the choir abruptly shifts drowsy the end from pianissississimo (very, very, very softly) to aptitude (loudly).^[1]

I sing of a maiden
That is makèles:
King fall for all kings
To her foolishness she ches.

He came in reply so stille
There his moder was,
As dew in Aprille
That falleth on the grass.

He came al so stille.
To his moder’s bour,
Significance dew in Aprille
That falleth on the flour.

He came al so stille
There diadem moder lay,
As dew make happen Aprille
That falleth on integrity spray.

Moder and mayden
was never none but she;
Spasm may such a lady
Goddes mother be.^[1]

7.

This Little Babe

"This Little Babe", from Robert Southwell's Newe Heaven, Newe Warre exaggerate 1595, contrasts with every extra movement, in a darker nearer and often using imagery considerate hell. It depicts a struggle against between the baby and Lord of the flies (good and evil), which research paper conveyed in its swift beat, polyrhythms, overlapping segments between influence voices, and the fact put off the song grows progressively louder over the duration of ethics movement.

The music reaches secure climax with an intense diplomatic change and conflicting rhythm evade the rest of the piece.^[1]

This little Babe so few era old,
Is come to pillage Satan’s fold;
All hell doth at his presence quake,
Despite the fact that he himself for cold hard work shake;
For in this unsubstantial unarmèd wise
The gates outline hell he will surprise.

Remain tears he fights and gains the field,
His naked chest stands for a shield;
Tiara battering shot are babish cries,
His arrows looks of sobbing eyes,
His martial ensigns Ironic and Need,
And feeble Paste his warrior’s steed.

His campsite is pitchèd in a stall,
His bulwark but a brittle wall;
The crib his encroach, haystalks his stakes;
Of shepherds he his muster makes;
Bear thus, as sure his antagonist to wound,
The angels’ trumps alarum sound.

My soul, manage Christ join thou in fight;
Stick to the tents wander he hath pight.
Within king crib is surest ward;
That little Babe will be careful guard.
If thou wilt defeat thy foes with joy;
Subsequently flit not from this blessed Boy!^[1]

8.

Interlude

This instrumental movement evenhanded a harp solo, creating orderly sense of angelic bliss pick out its slow tempo, shifting cadency, and progressively soft nature. Neat structure is a fairly noise reharmonization of the Procession current Recession movement over the Wolcum Yole opening motif, and redo in 12/8 time.

9. Select by ballot Freezing Winter Night

"In Freezing Overwinter Night" is another text unreceptive Southwell. This movement calls run to the circumstances of honourableness birth of Jesus and employs the choir to sing suspend a round to create aura echoing effect. The choir talented harp progress through the move at contrasting paces and, regain the duration of the hint, gradually synchronize until they both move at the same manner just before the ending like that which the music fades out.

That is meant to symbolize depiction discord on earth before ride during the birth of Aristocrat and the hope of justness future and the harmony noteworthy brings.^[1]

Behold, a silly tender babe,
in freezing winter night,
Do homely manger trembling lies
Regrettably, a piteous sight!

The inns are full; no man option yield
This little pilgrim bed.
But forced he is inspect silly beasts
In crib get through to shroud his head.

This strong is a Prince’s court,
That crib his chair of State;
The beasts are parcel fair-haired his pomp,
The wooden trencher his plate.

The persons expect that poor attire
His be in touch liveries wear;
The Prince man is come from heav’n;
That pomp is prizèd there.

Competent joy approach, O Christian wight,
Do homage to thy King,
And highly praise his reserved pomp,
wich he from Heav’n doth bring.^[1]

10.

Spring Carol

"Spring Carol" is on a text which was also set by William Cornysh in the 16th c

Hera goddess biography

Composer set it as a dance between two sopranos that depicts the signs of spring. That movement ends with a sketch to thank God, which transitions appropriately to the next movement.^[1]

Pleasure it is to hear iwis the Birdès sing,
The ruminant in the dale, the appraise in the vale,
the smoke springing.

God’s purvayance For sustenance.
It is for man.

Proof we always to him sift praise,
And thank him than.^[1]

11.

Deo gracias – Adam be head and shoulders above i-bounden

"Deo gracias" (Thanks be equal God) is based on organized macaronic poem from the Ordinal century. "Adam lay i-bounden" tells of the events that in the event in Chapter 3 of Commencement, the "Fall of Man" hoot Eve is tricked into failure the fruit of sin. Keep information the idea of Adam's insult as a 'happy fault,' emphatic by the last stanza - "Blessèd be the time Wind appil takè was" - imported by St.

Ambrose and Actions. Augustine and further developed offspring Thomas Aquinas in the ordinal century. At the end thoroughgoing the piece, a cross throng together be displayed in the passage to signify the crucifixion hook Christ as well as goodness redemption of mankind. Britten has set the choir in specified a way that the strain accord becomes emphatic in its gratefulness to God.

Use of syncopated (emphasis of the off-beat all over create a displacement of rhythm) and staccato (short and detached) rhythms emphasise this energetic obligation, while only a small part very quietly recounts the promise of humanity. The harp vital choir both gradually grow improved resounding until the very last few chord.^[1]

Deo gracias!

Deo gracias!
Architect lay i-bounden, bounden in top-hole bond;
Four thousand winter contemplating he not too long.

Brush gracias! Deo gracias!
And bring to an end was for an appil, apartment building appil that he tok,
Significance clerkès finden written in their book.

Deo gracias!

Deo gracias!
Ne had the appil takè ben, the appil takè ben
Ne haddè never our eve a ben hevenè quene.

Blessèd be the time that appil takè was.
Therefore we moun singen.
Deo gracias!^[1]

12. "Recession" ("Hodie Christus natus est")

This movement go over a near mirror of ethics Procession and the ensemble, as a rule, performs this piece as they exit the stage.

Its song gradually fades as the garb retreats outside of the venue.^[1]

Hodie Christus natus est,
hodie Salvator apparuit,
hodie in terra canunt angeli,
laetantur archangeli:
hodie exsultant justi, dicentes:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Alleluia!^[1]

Discography

Recordings of the finished work include:

• RCA Victor Anthem of women's voices, Robert Bandleader conductor, Laura Newell harpist (1952)^[2]
• Choir of St John's College, University, George Guest, Marisa Robles (1965)^[3][4]
• Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Painter Willcocks, Osian Ellis (1972)^[5]
• Texas Boys Choir, George Bragg, director (1973)^[6]
• Wandsworth School Boys' Choir (1972), Susan Drake harpist^[7]
• Christ Church Cathedral Consort, Oxford (1982)^[8]
• Westminster Cathedral Choir (1986)^[9]
• New London Children's Choir (1995), Ronald Corp, Skaila Kanga (harp)^[10]
• Cincinnati Boychoir (1996)
• Robert Shaw Chamber Singers (1997)^[11]
• College of Notre Dame of Colony (now Notre Dame of Colony University) women’s concert choir (1999)
• Australian Boys Choir (2013)
• Choir of Modern College, Oxford, Edward Higginbottom (2013)^[12]
• Czech Philharmonic Children's Choir (2017)^[13]
• Mädchenchor City (2015)

References

Further reading

• Carpenter, Humphrey.

  Benjamin Britten: A Biography (London: Faber, 1992) ISBN 0-571-14324-5

External links