John La Montaine: Songs of the Nativity (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Behold, a virgin shall be with child,
And shall bring forth a son,
And they shall call his name Emmanuel,
God is with us, 
God is with us,
God is with us,
God is with us,
Gloria in excelsis, 
Gloria in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo,
Gloria, Gloria, Gloria, in excelsis,
Gloria in excelsis Deo,
Gloria in excelsis Deo. 
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, 
And shall bring forth a son.
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, 
And shall bring forth a son.

Input by Sanna Mansikkaniemi

2. That hallowed season

Language: English

Authorship

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Hamlet


Some say that ever against that Season comes
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,
The Bird of Dawning singeth all night long:
And then, they say, no Spirit dares stir abroad;
The nights are wholesome; then no Planets strike,
No Fairy [takes]¹, nor witch hath power to charm,
So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.

View text without footnotes
¹ La Montaine: "talks"

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3. Nativity morn

Language: English

Authorship

John Milton (1608-1674)


 This is the month, and this the happy morn,
 Wherein the Son of Heav'n's eternal King,
 Of wedded maid and virgin mother born, 
 Our great redemption from above did bring;
 For so the holy sages once did sing,
 That he our deadly forfeit should release,
 And with his Father work us a perpetual peace.

 Ring out, ye chrystal spherese!
 Once bless our human ears,
 If ye have power to touch our senses so;
 And let your silver chime 
 Move in melodious time;

 And let the bass of Heav'n's deep organ blow;
 And with your ninefold harmony 
 Make up full consort to the angelic symphony.
 Ring out, ring out, ring out, ring out!

 This is the month, and this the happy morn, 
 Wherein the Son of Heav'n's eternal King, 
 Of wedded maid and virgin mother born, 
 Our great redemption from above did bring,

 For so the holy sages once did sing,
 That he our deadly forfeit should release,
 And with his Father work us a perpetual peace.

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4. Now begin on Christmas Day

Language: English

Authorship

Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889)


Moonless darkness stands between. 
Past, O Past, no more be seen!
But the Betlehem star may lead me 
To the sight of him who freed me 
From the self that I have been.

Make me pure, Lord,
Thou art holy; 
Make me meek, Lord:
Thou wert lowly,
Now beginning, and always; 
Now beginning, and allway;
Now beginning on Christmas Day.

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5. The Birds

Language: English

Authorship

Volkslieder (Folksongs)


 Cuckoo!
 From out of a wood did a cuckoo fly,
 He came to a manger with joyful cry;
 He hopped, he curtsied, round he flew,
 And loud his jubilation grew!

 Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo!
 A pigeon flew over Galilee,
 He strutted and cooed and was full of glee,
 And showed with jeweled wings unfurled,
 His joy that Christ was in the world,
 Vrecroo, Vrecroo, Vrecroo.

 A dove settled down on Nazareth,
 And tenderly chanted with all his breath;
 "O you," he cooed, "so good and true, 
 My beauty do I give to you Tsucroo!"

Input by Sanna Mansikkaniemi

6. Rocking

Language: English

Authorship

Volkslieder (Folksongs)


Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, 
Do not stir; 
We will lend a coat of fur,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you:
See the fur to keep you warm,
Snugly round your tiny form, tiny form.

Mary's little baby, sleep,
Sweetly sleep,
Sleep in comfort, slumber deep; 
We will rock you, rock you, rock you:
We will serve you all we can,
Darling, darling little man, little man. 

We will rock you we will rock you.
Ah, sleep!

Input by Sanna Mansikkaniemi