Yuletide (2009) - Information and Track Notes
Read the reviews.
“I'm particularly proud of this, our latest recording: a fresh, eclectic mix of interesting and unusual repertoire
and strong performances by our singers and soloists. May it bring you joy this yuletide!”
- Thomas Edward Morgan
Click on a track for texts and information on each piece.
1 Christmas Time is Here - Vince Guaraldi/Lee Mendelson
2 Angels We Have Heard on High - arr. Thomas Edward Morgan
3 Benedicamus Domino - Peter Warlock
4 In a Field as I Lay - David Morgan
5 The Little Road to Bethlehem - Michael Head
6 Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day - Michael Harrison
7 In Bethlehem, That Noble Place - Thomas Edward Morgan
8 The Lamb - John Tavener
9 Hark the Herald Angels Sing - arranged by Thomas Edward Morgan
10 Peace on Earth - Steven Sametz
11 Alma Redemptoris Mater - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
12 Joseph lieber, Joseph mein - Hieronymous Praetorius
13 Vengan ad Pastores - Luis Jorge Gonzalez
14 Lux aurumquae - Eric Whitacre
15 Here We Come a-Carolling - arranged by Phil Mattson
16 A Boulder Wassail - arr. Ars Nova Singers
1 Christmas Time is Here - Vince Guaraldi/Lee Mendelson
Aarranged for six-voice chorus and oboe by Thomas Edward Morgan.
© Lee Mendelson Film Prod., Inc.
James Brody, oboe
Score availability: contact Tom.
Recorded January 22, 2009.
Christmas time is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of the year
Snowflakes in the air
Carols everywhere
Olden times and ancient rhymes
And love and dreams to share
Sleigh bells in the air
Beauty everywhere
Yuletide by the fireside
And joyful memories there
Christmas time is here
We’ll be drawing near
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year
A Charlie Brown Christmas came out in 1965, when I was 3 years old. The sound of Vince Guaraldi’s jazzy score still captures the essence of the season, and many of the tunes have become holiday standards. Interestingly, Guaraldi’s other major project in 1965 was a jazz setting of the choral eucharist service that he wrote and performed at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral on May 21st of that year, for jazz trio and the cathedral’s 68-voice choir. “I had one of America’s largest cathedrals as a setting, a top choir, and a critical audience that would be more than justified in finding fault,” Guaraldi recalled. “I was in a musical world that had lived with the Eucharist for 500-600 years, and I had to improve and/or update it to 20th-century musical standards. This was the most awesome and challenging thing I had ever attempted.”
Though the sacred music is now virtually unknown, Guaraldi went on to compose scores for a total of sixteen Peanuts television specials, plus the feature film A Boy Named Charlie Brown. On February 6, 1976, Guaraldi died of a sudden heart attack, at the age of 47 (my present age as this album is released).
2 Angels We Have Heard on High - arranged for six-voice chorus by Thomas Edward Morgan.
© 2008 Thomas Edward Morgan
Evanne Browne, soprano
Score availability: contact Tom.
Recorded January 17, 2009.
As an arranger, I enjoy the challenge to make something new out of something old and very familiar. In this case, I allowed the carol itself to suggest several possibilities. The traditional carol has a syllablic verse and a melismatic refrain; I heightened the distinction between the two by casting the verse in a different meter. The line “and the mountains in reply, echoing their joyous strains” offered the opportunity to add some additional echos to the “gloria” in the refrain. And finally, the melody of the closing phrase of “in excelsis Deo” suggested to me the melody of the carol Puer nobis nascitur (“Unto us a boy is born”); so I decided to incorporate this tune into the coda.
3 Benedicamus Domino - Peter Warlock
Public domain in the United States (published in 1918)
Score availability: Choral Public Domain Library
Recorded January 6, 2009.
Procedenti puero, Eya, nobis annus est! Virginis ex utero.
Gloria! Laudes! Deus homo factus est et immortalis.
Sine viri semine, natus est de virgine. Gloria...
Sine viri copia, natus est ex Maria. Gloria...
In hoc festo determino, benedicamus Domino!
Gloria! Laudes! Deus homo factus est et immortalis.
To the boy who comes forth, Yea, our year is come.
From the Virgin’s womb: Glory! Praises!
God is become man and immortal.
Without a man’s seed, he is born of a virgin.
Without a man’s aid, he is born of Mary:
In this feast which has no end, let us bless the Lord.
- Poem from Sloane MS 2593 (time of Henry VI)
Peter Warlock was a pseudonym of Philip Arnold Heseltine (30 October 1894 -17 December 1930), an Anglo-Welsh composer and music critic. Benedicamus Domino is a vigorous and joyous setting of a 15th century poem.
4 In a Field as I Lay - David Morgan
© Oxford University Press 1990
Duet: Tana Cochran, Tara Mianulli U’Ren
Score availability: Oxford University Press, #X355
Recorded January 8, 2009.
By, by lullaby. In a field as I lay, me-thought I heard an angel say
and speak these wordès wild: rocked I my child.
Thus rocked she her child: by, by, lullaby.
Then marvell’d I right sore of this,
a maid to have a child ewis; by, by, lullaby.
“My sweetest son, and yet my King of bliss.”
Thus rocked she her child: by, by, lullaby.
- a poem from 14th century England
I love this piece; quite a challenging little work by the English composer David Morgan (no relation!). Tana and Tara sound terrific together, and the choir navigates the unisons and the colorful harmonies gracefully.
5 The Little Road to Bethlehem - Michael Head
© 1948 Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.
Evanne Browne, soprano
Score availability: Boosey & Hawkes, OCTB5342
Recorded January 22, 2009.
As I walked down the road at set of sun.
The lambs were coming homewards, one by one
I heard a sheep bell softly calling them
along the little road to Bethlehem.
Be side an open door, as I drew nigh.
I heard sweet Mary sing a lullaby.
She sang about the lambs at close of day
and rocked her tiny King among the hay.
Across the air the silver sheep-bell rang,
“the lambs are coming home,” sweet Mary sang.
“Your Star of gold, your Star of gold is shining in the sky
So sleep, my little King, go lullaby.”
As I walked down the road at set of sun,
the lambs were com ing home-wards one by one,
I heard a sheep bell softly call in them
Along the little road to Bethlehem.
Michael Head (28 January 1900 – 24 August 1976) was a British composer, pianist, organist and singer who is remembered mostly for his art songs. The words to Head’s carol The Little Road to Bethlehem were written by Margaret Rose, apparently inspired by the sight of the lambs in the fields at sunset in North Weald, Essex.
6 Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day - Michael Harrison
© 2002 Michael Harrison
Octet:
Evanne Browne, Katie Hallor,
Robert Sussuma, Tara U’Ren,
Jack Rook, Louis Warshawsky,
Brian du Fresne, Tom Morgan
Score availability: contact Michael Harrison.
Composer Michael Harrison is the founder of Washington D. C.’s renowned Palestrina Choir. The buoyant original tune was composed in 2002, and commissioned by Christ Church, Georgetown for their holiday Service of Lessons and Carols.
7 In Bethlehem, That Noble Place - Thomas Edward Morgan
© 2006 Thomas Edward Morgan
Quartet: Tana Chochran, Jan Botinick, Jack Rook, Brian du Fresne
Score availability: contact Tom.
Recorded January 17, 2009.
In Bethlehem that noble place, as by the prophet said it was,
of Virgin Mary filled with grace, Salvator mundi natus est.
Be we merry in this Feast, in quo Salvator natus est.
On Christmas night an angel told the shepherds watching by their fold;
In Bethlehem, full nigh the wold, Salvator mundi natus est.
The shepherds were encompassed right, about them shone a glorious light,
“Dread ye naught,” said the Angel bright, Salvator mundi natus est.
“No cause have ye to be afraid, for why? this day is Jesus laid on Mary’s lap, that gentle maid:”
Salvator mundi natus est.
“And thus in faith find Him ye shall, laid poorly in an oxen stall.”
The shepherds then lauded God all, Quia Salvator natus est.
Be we merry in this Feast! In quo Salvator natus est.
- Poem by James Ryman, 1492
I composed this original carol during a wonderful Christmas blizzard in Boulder in December, 2006. It's an interesting challenge to write something that is singable, practical, and somewhat original in three pages of music. At that time, I was playing the harp a fair amount (a 31-string Celtic "lever" instrument), and the limitations of the instrument informed my harmonic thinking; there's only one accidental in the whole score.
8 The Lamb - John Tavener
© G. Schirmer, Iinc.(Chester Music LTD)
Score availability: Chester Music, #55570
Recorded November 16, 2009.
Little lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Gave thee life, and bid thee feed
By the stream and o’er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, wooly, bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Little lamb, I’ll tell thee;
Little lamb, I’ll tell thee:
He is called by thy name,
For He calls Himself a lamb,
He is meek, and He is mild,
He became a little child;
I a child, and thou a Lamb,
We are called by His Name.
Little lamb, God bless thee!
Little lamb, God bless thee!
- William Blake, Songs of Innocence
9 Hark the Herald Angels Sing - arranged for men's voices and soprano solo by Thomas Edward Morgan
© 2008 Thomas Edward Morgan
Tana Chochran, soprano
Recorded January 8, 2009.
Score availability: contact Tom.
10 Peace on Earth - Steven Sametz
© 2002 Oxford University Press, Inc.
Recorded January 17, 2009.
Two deer cross a field, in stillness of winter,
Do they run towards the embrace of the wood,
Away from the hunter, or simply free?
At this endtime we rush to embrace tomorrow,
Away from yesterday, and pause, on this day,
To listen for the timeless.
- E. Granger-Happ
11 Alma Redemptoris Mater - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Public domain edition
Recorded January 17, 2009.
Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli, porta manes,
et stella maris, succurre cadenti, surgere qui curat, populo:
tu quae genuisti, natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore
Sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.
Loving mother of the Redeemer, gate of heaven,
star of the sea, assist your people who have fallen
yet strive to rise again. To the wonderment of nature
you bore your Creator, yet remained a virgin.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.
12 Joseph lieber, Joseph mein - Hieronymous Praetorius
Public domain edition
Recorded November 16, 2009.
Josef, lieber Josef mein, hilf mir wiegen das Kindelein!
Gott, der wird dein Lohner sein
Im Himmelreich, der Jungfrau Kind Maria.
Eya. Virgo deum genuit,
quem divina voluit clementia.
Omnes nunc concinite, voce pia dicite:
sit gloria Christo nato infantulo.
Hodie apparuit, apparuit in Israel,
quem praedixit Gabriel,
est natus rex, est natus rex.
Joseph, my dear Joseph, help me rock my little child,
God, who will recompense you
in heaven, the Virgin Mary’s child.
Oh yes! The Virgin has given birth to God
whom the divine mercy willed.
Now sing all together, sing to the newborn king,
saying with devout voice,
“Glory be to Christ our babe!”
Today the one whom Gabriel predicted
has appeared in Israel, has been born king.
13 Vengan ad Pastores - Luis Jorge Gonzalez
© 2008 Luis Jorge Gonzalez
Recorded January 15, 2009.
Score availability: contact Luis Jorge Gonzalez.
Vengan, vengan los pastores, vengan a adorar
Al niño Dios que ha nacido en Belèn jun to a un portal,
ha nacido Jesús, El Principe de la paz esta aqui ha llegado.
Vengan pastores ya no hay pesares ya no habrá pesares.
Es el niño mas bello que nació de Maria,
Dios lo mandó a la tierra, a darnos su amor y paz,
y redimir nuestras faltas. Todas las gentes cantan y rien
la luz y guía Dios nos envió, Gloria!
Come, come shepherds, come to adore the God-child
who was born in Bethlehem in a humble manger.
Jesus was born, the Prince of Peace has arrived,
come shepherds; there will be no more sorrows.
The most beautiful child has been born from Mary.
God sent him to earth to give us his love and peace
and to redeem our sins. All the people sing and laugh.
Our Lord sent us the light and the guide. Gloria!
14 Lux aurumquae - Eric Whitacre
© 2001 Walton Music Corporation
Recorded January 15, 2009.
Lux, calida gravisque pura velut aurum
et canunt angeli molliter modo natum.
Light, warm and heavy as pure gold,
and the angels sing softly to the new-born baby.
- Edward Esch
15 Here We Come a-Carolling - arranged by Phil Mattson
© 1983 Scott Music Publications
Score availability: UNC Jazz Press #3136 ("Christmas Carol Collection", arr. Phil Mattson)
Shannon Pennell, soprano
Recorded January 6, 2009.
16 A Boulder Wassail - arr. Ars Nova Singers
© 2006 Thomas Edward Morgan
Score availability: contact Tom.
Recorded January 8, 2009.
Herb tea, herb tea, all over the town.
Our bread is whole wheat, and our rice it is brown.
Our bowl it is made of renewable trees.
Keep your dog on a leash, and no smoking please.
Here's a health to the lama, and to his bright robe.
He comes from Tibet, ancient teachings to probe.
He comes to our town at all times of year.
For he knows that in Boulder Nirvana is near.
Here's a health to our health food in many fine stores,
the brew pubs and health clubs and things out of doors.
We've yoga and Zen about which to shout,
We're certified organic inside and out!
And here's to the youths in their tight Lycra shorts.
Who bike, climb, and run and play all kinds of sports.
We see them go by, and it's all we can do
To remember the days when we were thin, too.
- texts by Bruce Smith, Steve Winograd, and Rodney Sauer
Aurora borealis photo by Jan Curtis (http://latitude64photos.com)
Used by permission.