Here's something you might be interested in.
One-time Escondido resident Benjamin Britten wrote a beautiful piece of Christmas music during his sea voyage back to England in 1942.
The music was Britten's Ceremony of Carols.
The piece is written for three-part treble choir and harp. Treble choir can be boys or women. However, there are SATB arrangements. For those in doubt, SATB stands for soprano, alto, tenor, bass.
Britten used liturgical text as well as poetic text from The English Galaxy of Shorter Poems. The Galaxy was published in 1934 so Britten was being somewhat timely by accessing this resource.
The third movement of the the Ceremony is a traditional poem that dates to 1420.
There is no rose of such virtue As is the rose that bare Jesu; Alleluia.
For in this rose contained was Heaven and earth in little space; Res miranda.
By that rose we may well see That he is God in persons three, Pari forma.
The angels sungen the shepherds to: Gloria in excelsis deo: Gaudeamus.
Leave we all this worldly mirth, And follow we this joyful birth; Transeamus.
I find the second stanza to contain enough beauty and mystery to keep me interested in religious Christmas traditions. The philosophical ramifications of such a statement are immense to those who would or would not believe.
Within the baby Jesus, the universe was contained. Of course, most parents feel that way about their kids.
God knows what the conductor is doing in this video clip but there must be medication for it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfkOO3dA4h4
One-time Escondido resident Benjamin Britten wrote a beautiful piece of Christmas music during his sea voyage back to England in 1942.
The music was Britten's Ceremony of Carols.
The piece is written for three-part treble choir and harp. Treble choir can be boys or women. However, there are SATB arrangements. For those in doubt, SATB stands for soprano, alto, tenor, bass.
Britten used liturgical text as well as poetic text from The English Galaxy of Shorter Poems. The Galaxy was published in 1934 so Britten was being somewhat timely by accessing this resource.
The third movement of the the Ceremony is a traditional poem that dates to 1420.
There is no rose of such virtue As is the rose that bare Jesu; Alleluia.
For in this rose contained was Heaven and earth in little space; Res miranda.
By that rose we may well see That he is God in persons three, Pari forma.
The angels sungen the shepherds to: Gloria in excelsis deo: Gaudeamus.
Leave we all this worldly mirth, And follow we this joyful birth; Transeamus.
I find the second stanza to contain enough beauty and mystery to keep me interested in religious Christmas traditions. The philosophical ramifications of such a statement are immense to those who would or would not believe.
Within the baby Jesus, the universe was contained. Of course, most parents feel that way about their kids.
God knows what the conductor is doing in this video clip but there must be medication for it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfkOO3dA4h4