2007 Holiday Concert

On 15 December, the UN Singers gave their annual Holiday Concert at St. Peter's Church on Lexington Avenue at 54th street
http://www.saintpeters.org/

Songs Performed at the Concert

Louez le Seigneur! (Praise the Lord!) - A processional song in French from Cameroon , arranged by Ralph M. Johnson.

Aita Gurea (Our Father) - Spain (Basque Country). This melodious version of the Lord's Prayer in the Basque language was composed by Francisco Madina (1907-1972).

Quem Pastores Laudavere (There were shepherds praising Him) - Germany . This carol, by Michael Praetorius (14 th cent.), arr. by John Rutter, tells of the shepherds leaving their flocks and hastening to praise the birth of Jesus.

In the Bleak Mid-Winter - England . Words by Christina Rossetti (1830-1894); music by Harold Darke (1888-1976). "In the bleak mid-winter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone."

Jeg Er Saa Glad (I am so happy) - Norway . This traditional carol, arranged by Margarethe Hokanson, tells of the joys of Yuletide.

Mîlâduka (Thy Nativity) - Syria . A Christian hymn in Arabic about the Nativity.

Pasko na Naman (It's Christmas again) - Philippines . This carol, sung in Tagalog, depicts the scene after the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass, when Christmas is ushered in by bell-ringing and carols.

Brach á le Nerót Shabát (We kindle these lights) - A Hebrew prayer for lighting the Shabat candles, by Matilde Meir (1921-1996, Israel ). "Blessed be God, Lord of the universe, who allows us to bless the day of Shabat."

Ming-xing Tsan-lan Ge (Midnight in Bethlehem) - China . "The stars are shining brightly, and Bethlehem is fast asleep. In the fields the shepherds see a great light and a multitude of angels singing.”

Bogor ó ditse Devo (Rejoice, O Virgin) - Sergei Rachmaninof (b.1873 Novgorod , Russia ; d. 1943, California ).

Carol of the Drum - former Czechoslovakia . A Czech tune sung in English . "'Come' " they told me, Pa-rum-pa-pum-pum. 'Our newborn King to see! Our finest gifts we bring to lay before the King! So to honor Him when we come, Baby Jesus. I'm a poor boy too, I have no gift to bring that's fit to give a King. Shall I play for you on my drum?' Mary nodded. Ox and ass kept time, I played my drum for Him, I played my best for Him. Then He smiled at me, me and my drum!' "

Chill of the Nightfall - Rev. Timothy Dudley-Smith, England , and John Horman, United States . "Chill of the nightfall, lamps at the window, letting their light fall clear on the snow; bitter December bids us remember Christ in the stable long ago. Silence of midnight, voices of angels singing to bid night yield to the dawn; darkness is ended, sinners befriended, where in the stable Jesus is born."

Panis Angelicus (Bread of angels) - Penultimate verse of the hymn Sacris Solemnis, written by St. Thomas Aquinas (13 th cent.) for the feast of Corpus Christi . Arranged by César Franck.

Amen - United States. An American spiritual . "Amen, …Mary had a baby, she named him Jesus, wrapped Him in swaddlin', laid Him in a manger, angels watchin' over… Amen."  

El Nacimiento (The Birth) - Ariel Ram í rez (b.1921, Argentina ). Composer and pianist, renowned for his Misa Criolla and Misa por la Paz y la Justicia, Ram í rez wrote this carol about Christ's birth in the form of a vidala. Arranged by Rubén Urbiztondo.

Maria Durch ein Dornwald Ging (Mary walked through a forest of thorn bushes) - Germany . A traditional carol. As Mary walked, pregnant with baby Jesus, the rose bushes burst into bloom.

Sing Out the News! - United States . Words and music by Nancy Price and Don Besig (1986). "Sing out the news, tell all the world this Christmas morning, that Christ the Savior is born."

Holiday Blessing - United States . This jingle, otherwise known as Jingle Bells , was written by James Pierpont in 1857 for Thanksgiving, but it has since become synonymous with Christmas. "Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh, o'er the fields we go, laughing all the way!"

Please join us for these sing-along songs:

* Stille Nacht (Silent Night) - Austria (Franz Gr ü ber, 1787-1863 ). The original, German version of one of the most popular Christmas carols.

* We Wish You a Merry Christmas - England (anon. 16 th cent.). (Figgy pudding was once popular at Christmas time; it was rather like the present-day Christmas pudding.)

 

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