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Organ Voluntary: Cathedral Suite – Sarabande
Played by Alessandro Bianchi The Organist and Director of Music at the Church of St Edward the Confessor, Lugano
A babe is born, op 55 — William Mathias (1934-1992)
The Advent Choir; Jeremy Bruns, conductor; Mark Dwyer, organist.
A babe is born all of a may, to bring salvation unto us. To him we sing both night and day. Veni Creator Spiritus. [Come, Creator Spirit]
At Bethlehem, that blessèd place, the child of bliss now born he was; and him to serve God give us grace, O lux beata Trinitas. [O Trinity most blessed light]
There came three kings out of the East, to worship the King that is so free, with gold and myrrh and frankincense, A solis ortus cardine. [From lands that see the sun arise]
The angels came down with one cry, a fair song that night sung they in worship of that child: Gloria tibi Domine. [Glory be to thee, O Lord]
A babe is born all of a may, to bring salvation unto us. To him we sing both night and day. Veni Creator Spiritus. Noel! [Come, Creator Spirit. Nowell!]
(English, 15th century)
First Lesson
Virga Jesse floruit Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)
Virga Jesse floruit Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)
Virga Jesse floruit: Virgo Deum et hominem genuit: pacem Deus reddidit, in se reconcilians ima summis. Alleluja.
The rod of Jesse hath blossomed: a Virgin hath begotten God and man:
God hath restored peace, reconciling in himself the lowest with the highest. Alleluia.
(cf Isaiah 11; 2nd Alleluia verse for the Feast of the Annunciation)
A maiden most gentle — Lourdes Hymn, arr Andrew Carter (born 1939);
The Advent Choir ; Jeremy Bruns, conductor; Mark Dwyer, organist.
A maiden most gentle and tender we sing:
Of Mary the mother of Jesus our King.
Ave, ave, ave Maria. Ave, ave, ave Maria.
How bless’d is the birth of her heavenly child,
Who came to redeem us in Mary so mild.
Ave, ave, ave Maria. Ave, ave, ave Maria.
The archangel Gabriel foretold by his call
The Lord of Creation, and Savior of all.
Ave, ave, ave Maria. Ave, ave, ave Maria.
Three Kings came to worship with gifts rich and rare,
And marveled in awe at the babe in her care.
Ave, ave, ave Maria. Ave, ave, ave Maria.
Rejoice and be glad at this Christmas we pray;
Sing praise to the Savior, sing endless ‘Ave.’
Ave, ave, ave Maria. Ave, ave, ave Maria.
Second Lesson
O beatum et sacrosanctum diem Peter Philips (1561-1628)
O beatum et sacrosanctum diem, in qua Dominus noster de Virgine Maria pro nobis nasci dignatus est. Gaudeat itaque universus orbis, et cantemus illi, in sono tubæ, cithara, psalterio et organo. Congratulemur cum multitudine angelorum exercitus,
semper suas laudes cantantibus. Noe, Alleluia.
O blessed and most holy day on which our Lord deigned to be born of the Virgin Mary for our sake. Let the whole world therefore rejoice, and let us sing to him to the sound of the trumpet, strings, the harp and the organ. Let us rejoice with the numerous hosts of angels ceaselessly singing his praise. Noël, Alleluia.
Hymn: Come thou long expected Jesus
Reflection
By the Revd Canon Alistair Macdonald-Radcliff
on the last of the Great O Antiphons of Advent
O Virgo virginum, quomodo fiet istud?
Quia nec primam similem visa es nec habere sequentem. Filiae Jerusalem, quid me admiramini?
Divinum est mysterium hoc quod cernitis.
O Virgin of virgins, how shall this be?
For neither before thee was any like thee, nor shall there be after. Daughters of Jerusalem, why marvel ye at me?
The thing which ye behold is a divine mystery.
Hymn: Once in Royal David’s City
Organ Voluntary: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645 — Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), Mark Dwyer
The opening Organ Voluntary is by Alessandro Bianchi of the Church of St Edward the Confessor, Lugano.
The choral and later music is from the Sound Archive of the Choir of the Church of the Advent Boston, under the Direction of Mark Dwyer; by gracious permission of the Rector The Revd Fr Douglas Anderson.