Thought for The Second Day of Christmas

Advent has concluded and we are now into Christmastide. Be sure to follow me on Twitter over the next ten days as I will post a thought there for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Salvation is Created
Setting of a Russian text by Pavel Chesnokov (1912)

Performed by the Dale Warland Singers

"Salvation is created in the midst of the earth, O God. Alleluia."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 25

Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day)

In the First Light
Words and Music by Bob Kauflin (1988)

Performed by GLAD

"How much greater will our song be when he comes to rule the Earth!"

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 24

Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve)

O Magnum Mysterium
Text from the Matins for Christmas
Music by Morton Lauridsen (1998)

Performed by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge

O magnum mysterium
Et admirabile sacrementum
Ut animalia viderent Dominum natum
Jacentem in praesepio
Beata Virgo cujus viscera
Meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum
Alleluia

Translation
O great mystery
And wonderful sacrament
That animals should see the newborn Lord
Lying in a manger
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
Was worthy to bear
Christ the Lord
Allelulia

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 23

Tuesday, December 23
My apologies for those of you who already saw the originally scheduled post for today that contained a YouTube video removed since I scheduled the post last month.

O Holy Night
Text by John S. Dwight (nineteenth century)
Music by Adolphe C. Adam (nineteenth century)

Performed by Carrie Underwood


"His law is love and his gospel is peace."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 22

Monday, December 22

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Text from the Liturgy of St. James (fourth century), adapted by Gerard Moultrie (1864)
Music a traditional French melody (seventeenth century)

Performed by Cynthia Clawson

"Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to demand."

 

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 21

Sunday, December 21 (The Fourth Sunday of Advent)

Of the Father's Love Begotten
Text by Marcus Aurelius C. Prudentius (fourth century), translated by John M. Neale (1854) and Henry W. Baker (1859)
Music is thirteenth century plainsong, arranged by C. Winfred Douglas (1916)

Performed by the Sons of Orpheus

"O ye heights of heaven, adore him."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 20

Saturday, December 20

Good Christian Men, Rejoice
Text (Latin) by Heinrich Suso, translated to English by John M. Neale (1853)
Music is a fourteenth century German melody

Performed by the Royal College of Music Chamber Choir

"He has opened the heavenly door"

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 19

Friday, December 19

He Is Born
Traditional French carol, translated to English by George K. Evans (1963)
Setting my Dan Forrest

"Now the time has come at last"

Please click here for a SoundCloud streaming recording

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 18

Thursday, December 18

For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Text from Isaiah 9:6
Music by G. F. Handel (1741)

Performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

"And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor"

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 17

Wednesday, December 17

We Three Kings
Text and Music by John Henry Hopkins, Jr.

Performed by the Celtic Women

"Glorious now behold him arise"

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 16

Tuesday, December 16

Joy to the World
Text by Isaac Watts (1719)
Music by Lowell Mason (1839), based on a melody by G. F. Handel

Performed by Faith Hill

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 15

Monday, December 15

The First Noel
Text and Music attributed to William Sandys and David Gilbert (1823 or 1833)
This setting by R. Christopher Teichler

"Then let us all with one accord sing praises to our heavenly Lord."

Please click here for the YouTube video

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 14

Sunday, December 14 (The Third Sunday of Advent)

Joy Has Dawned
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend (2004)

Performed by Keith and Kristyn Getty

"God's salvation now unfurled, hope for every nation."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 13

Saturday, December 13

O Come, All Ye Faithful
Text by John F. Wade (Latin, 1743), translated into English by Frederick Oakley and William T. Brooke
Music is the hymn tune ADESTE FIDELIS

Performed by Celine Dion

"Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing"

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 12

Friday, December 12

Ding, Dong, Merrily On High
Text by George Woodward (1924)
Music from an unknown pre-sixteenth century source

Performed by Jackie Evancho

"In heaven the bells are ringing."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 11

Thursday, December 11

Once in Royal David's City
Text by Cecil F. Alexander (1848)
Music is the hymn tune IRBY by Henry J. Gauntlett (1849)

Performed by the Westminster Cathedral Choir

"And our eyes at last shall see him through his own redeeming love."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 10

Wednesday, December 10

Angels from the Realms of Glory
Text by James Montgomery (1816)
Music is the hymn tune REGENT SQUARE

Performed by the Church of God of Edmonton Youth Choir

"God with man is now residing"

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 9

Tuesday, December 9

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
English translation of German text by Theodore Baker (1894)Music by Michael Praetorius (1609)

Performed by Renee Fleming and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

"True man, yet very God, from sin and death now save us."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 8

Monday, December 8

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Text by Charles Wesley (1739)
Music by Felix Mendelssohn (1840) and William H. Cummings (1856)

Performed by Chris Tomlin

"Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies"

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 7

Sunday, December 7 (The Second Sunday of Advent)

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
Text from the eighteenth century (author unknown)
Music by Elizabeth Poston

Performed by the Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge

"The trees of nature fruitless be compared with Christ the apple tree."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 6

Saturday, December 6

Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying
Original German text and music by Philpp Nicolai (1598), translated by Catherine Winkworth

Performed by the Wartburg Choir

"O come, you Blessed One, Lord Jesus, God's own Son."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 5

Friday, December 5

Who Is He?
Text and Music by Benjamin R. Hanby (1866)

Performed by the Brigham Young University Men's Choir

"Who is he who from the grave comes to heal and help and save?"

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 4

Thursday, December 4

What Child Is This?
Text by William C. Dix (1865)
Music is the hymn tune GREENSLEEVES, a sixteenth century English melody

Performed by Josh Groban

"Joy, joy, for Christ is born"

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 3

Wednesday, December 3

O Little Town of Bethlehem
Text by Phillips Brooks (1868)
Music by Lewis H. Redner (1868)

Performed by Frank Sinatra

"O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 2

Tuesday, December 2

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
Text by Charles Wesley (1744)
Music (the hymn tune HYFRODOL) by Rowland Prichard (1830)

Performed by Fernando Ortega

"Born to reign is us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring."

Musical Advent Calendar 2014, Day 1

Monday, December 1

O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Text is a twelfth century Latin hymn, translated into English by John Neale (1851)
Music is the fifteenth century hymn tune VENI VENI EMANUEL

Performed by Barlow Girl

"Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel."