An Elizabethan Dessert Concert

A Christmas Celebration of Food, Merriment, and Song

presented by

THE CONCERT SINGERS

Directed by Colleen Cronin

with Matthew Baer, accompanist

December 11, 1993

Mount Olive Lutheran Church

Santa Monica, California

Order of Merriment

First Fanfare

HERALDING THE WELCOME

Tom Gerhold, Piano

Second Fanfare

HERALDING THE COURT PROCESSION

Masters in this Hall (French traditional, arr. David Willcocks)

Deck the Hall (Welsh traditional, arr. David Willcocks)

Gaudete (Arr. Brian Kay) [Harris J. Levey, Tenor; Dennis Kissick, Baritone]

Third Fanfare

HERALDING THE WASSAIL BOWL

Good Ale (from When Icicles Hang; John Rutter)
Here We Come A-Wassailing (English traditional, arr. John Rutter) [Jon Christie, Baritone; Barbara Miller, Contralto; Harris J. Levey, Tenor]

Fourth Fanfare

HERALDING THE MOTETS AND MADRIGALS

Psallite (Michael Praetorius)
Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming (Michael Praetorius)
Shepherds, Rejoice! (Thomas Moreley)
We Shepherds Sing (Thomas Weelkes)

Fifth Fanfare

HERALDING THE BOAR'S HEAD

The Boar's Head Carol (English Traditional, arr. Elizabeth Poston) [Steward: Terry Bateman, Tenor]

Sixth Fanfare

HERALDING THE DESSERT

A Merry Christmas (West Country Traditional, arr. Arthur Warrell)

Seventh Fanfare

HERALDING THE ENTERTAINERS

A Little Christmas Music (arr. Daryl Runswick) [Carole Ann Scott, Laura Howansky, DeeDee Kramer, Marsha Brown, Harris J. Levey, Tom Gerhold, Dennis Kissick, John Gaston, Jon Christie]
Good King Wenceslas (from Piae Cantiones, arr. David Willcocks) [King Wenceslas: John Gaston, Baritone; Page: Ron Rodarte, Tenor]

The Concert

Nova, nova, Ave fit ex Eva (Williametta Spencer) [Barbara Miller, Triangle]
Lute Book Lullaby (W. Ballet, arr. Geoffery Shaw)
Tomorrow Shall Be my Dancing Day (English traditional, arr. David Willcocks)
Away in a Manger (W. J. Kirkpatrick, arr. Jeffery Van) [Carole Ann Scott, Soprano; Harris J. Levey, Guitar]
I Saw Three Ships (English traditional, arr. Russell Schulz-Widmar)
Contemporary Carols for Choir: Set III (Gene Grier, arr. Lowell Everson)
1. Caroling
2. The Christmas Rose
3. Christmas Day Is Drawing Near
Fum, Fum, Fum (Catalonian Carol, arr. Mack Wilberg) [Mary Elizabeth Tucker, Piano Primo; Matthew Baer, Piano Secondo]

In Consort with the Audience

O Come, All Ye Faithful (J. F. Wade, arr. David Willcocks)
Silent Night (Franz Gruber)

Texts and Translations

Gaudete

Gaudete, gaudete, Christus est natus,
Ex Maria Virgine, Gaudete!

Tempus ad est gratiae,
Hoc quod optabamus,
Carmina Laetitiae,
Devote redamus.

Gaudete, &c

Deus homo factus est,
natura mirante,
mundus renovatus est,
a Christo regnante.

Gaudete, &c

Ezekelis porta,
clausa per transitor,
Unde lux est orta,
salus invenitor.

Gaudete, &c

Ergo nostra contio,
Psallat jam in lustro,
Benedicat Domino,
Salus regi nostro.

Gaudete, &c.

Rejoice, rejoice, Christ is born
Of the Virgin Mary, Rejoice!

This is the time of grace
Which we have hoped for;
Songs of joy
Let us offer in return.

Rejoice, &c

God is made man,
Nature is changed,
The world is renewed
For the reign of Christ.

Rejoice, &c

The door of Ezekiel
Which was closed, is opened.
Through it light is risen
And salvation is come.

Rejoice, &c

Therefore our songs
We sing joyfully
Blessing the Lord
Our King of salvation.

Rejoice, &c

Psallite

Psallite, unigenito,
Christo Dei Filio,
Psallite, Redemptori Domino
puerulo jacenti in praesepio.

Ein kleines Kindelein liegt in dem Krippelein.
Alle liebe Engelein dienen dem Kindelein,
und singen ihm fein.

Psallite, &c

Sing to the only-begotten
Christ the Son of God.
Sing to the Redeemer, the Lord,
A little child lying in a manger.
A little tiny child lies in a small crib.

All the lovely angels serve the little child
And sing to him sweetly.

Sing, &c.

The Boar's Head Carol

The boar's head in hand bear I,
Bedecked with bays and rosemary;
And I pray you, my masters, be merry,
Quot estis in convivio: (So many as are in the feast)

Caput apri defero, (The boar's head I bring,)
Reddens laudes Domino. (giving praises to the Lord.)

The boar's head, as I understand,
Is the bravest dish in all this land,
When thus bedecked with a gay garland,
Let us servire cantico: (Let us serve with a song.)

Our steward hath provided this,
In honor of the King of bliss,
Which on this day to be served is,
In Reginensi atrio: (In the Queen's hall)

A version of this carol is sung every Christmas at Queen's College, Oxford.

Nova, Nova

Nova, nova, Ave fit ex Eva. News, news! "Ave" (hail) made from "Eva" (Eve).

Ecce, ancilla Domini. Behold, the maidservant of the Lord.

Texts of Sing-Along Carols

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him, born the King of Angels,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heav'n above:
Glory to God, in the highest!
O come, &c.

Yea, Lord we greet thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus to thee be glory giv'n.
Word of the Father now in flesh appearing.
O come, &c.

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.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight:
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing "alleluia":
Christ, the Savior 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.