We stood on the hills, Lady,
Our day’s work done,
Watching the frosted meadows
That winter had won.

The evening was calm, Lady,
The air so still,
Silence more lovely than music
Folded the hill.

There was a star, Lady,
Shone in the night,
Larger than Venus it was
And bright, so bright.
Once in Royal David’s city

Oh, a voice from the sky, Lady,
It seemed to us then
Telling of God being born
In the world of men.

And so we have come, Lady,
Our day’s work done,
Our love, our hopes, ourselves,
We give to your son.

Robert de Pearsall, arr. Daniel Hyde: In dulci jubilo

In dulci jubilo
Let us our homage shew:
Our heart’s joy reclineth
In praesepio;
And like a bright star shineth
Matris in gremio,
Alpha es et O!

O Jesu parvule,
I yearn for thee alway;
Listen to my ditty,
O puer optime;
Have pity on me, pity,
O princeps gloriae.
Trahe me post te.

O patris caritas!
O Nati lenitas!
Deeply were we stained.
Per nostra crimina:
But Thou for us hast gained
Coelorum gaudia,
O that we were there.

Ubi sunt gaudia,
Where if they be not there?
There are Angels singing
Nova cantica;
And there the bells are ringing
In Regis curia.
O that we were there.

Ola Gjeilo: Northern Lights

Pulchra es, amica mea, suavis et decora filia Jerusalem,
Terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata.
Averte oculos tuos a me, quia ipsi me avolare fecerunt, amica mea.

Translation

You are beautiful, O my love,
Sweet and comely as Jerusalem,
Terrible as an army with banners.
Turn your thine eyes from me,
for they have overcome me, my love.

Bernhard Severin Ingemann, arr. Ole Faurschou: Deilig er jorden

Deilig er jorden, prektig er Guds himmel,
Skjønn er sjelenes pilgrimsgang!
Gjennom de fagre riker på jorden
Går vi til Paradis med sang.

Tider skal komme, tider skal henrulle,
Slekt skal følge slekters gang;
Aldri forstummer tonen fra himlen
I sjelens glade pilgrimssang.

Englene sang den, først for markens hyrder;
Skjønt fra sjel til sjel det lød:
Fred over jorden, menneske fryd deg!
Oss er en evig frelser født!

Translation

Wonderful is the Earth,
mighty is God’s heaven,
beautiful the pilgrimage of the souls.
Through the fair realms on the earth
to Paradise we walk in song.

Ages shall come,
ages shall pass,
kin shall follow the path of kins;
never ceases the heavenly tones,
in the soul’s joyful pilgrim-song!

Angels first sang it
to the shepherds on the field;
from soul to soul in joy it passed:
Peace over Earth! Humans rejoice.
A saviour for all time is born!

Edvard Grieg: Ave maris stella

Ave, maris stella, Dei Mater alma,
Atque semper Virgo,
Felix caeli porta.
Deilig er jorden

Solve vincla reis,
Profer lumen caecis,
Mala nostra pelle,
Bona cuncta posce.

Vitam praesta puram,
Iter para tutum,
Ut videntes Jesum,
Semper collaetemur.
Sit laus Deo Patri,
Summo Christo decus
Spiritui Sancto,
Tribus honor unus. Amen.

Translation

Hail, star of the sea,
loving Mother of God,
and also always a virgin,
Happy gate of heaven.
Break the chains of sinners,
Bring light to the blind,
Drive away our evils,
Ask for all good.

Keep life pure,
Make the journey safe,
So that, seeing Jesus,
We may always rejoice together.
Let there be praise to God the Father,
Glory to Christ in the highest,
To the Holy Spirit,
One honour to all three. Amen.

Ariel Ramirez: La peregrinación

A la huella, a la huella
José y María
Por las pampas heladas
Cardos y ortigas.

A la huella, a la huella
Cortando campo
No hay cobijo ni fonda
Sigan andando.

Florecita del campo,
Clavel del aire
Si ninguno te aloja
¿A dónde naces?

¿Donde naces, florcita?
Que estas creciendo,
Palomita asustada,

Grillo sin sueño.
A la huella, a la huella
José y María
Con un dios escondido
Nadie sabía.

A la huella, a la huella
Los peregrinos
Préstenme una tapera
Para mi niño.

A la huella, a la huella
Soles y lunas
Los ojitos de almendra
Piel de aceituna.

Ay burrito del campo Ay buey barcino
Mi niño esta viniendo Háganle sitio.
Un ranchito de quincha Solo me ampara
Dos alientos amigos
La luna clara

A la huella, a la huella
José y María
Con un dios escondido
Nadie sabía.

Translation

Follow the trail, follow the trail,
Joseph and Mary,
Across the frozen plains,
Thistles and weeds.

Follow the trail, follow the trail,
Cutting through the fields.
There is no shelter, no inn;
Keep on walking.

Little flower in the field,
Carnation in the air.
If no one puts you up,
Where will you be born?

Where will you be born, little flower?
Now that you are growing,
Frightened dove,
Sleepless cricket.

Follow the trail, follow the trail,
Joseph and Mary,
With a hidden god,
Nobody knew.

Follow the trail, follow the trail,
The pilgrims,
Lend me a ruined house
For my child.

Follow the trail, follow the trail,
Through suns and moons –
The little almond eyes,
Olive skin.

Oh, little donkey in the field,
Oh, reddish-grey ox,
My child is coming,
Make some space for him.

A thatched hut
Is the only shelter I have,
Two friendly breaths (the ox and the donkey),
The bright moon.

Follow the trail, follow the trail,
Joseph and Mary,
With a hidden god,
Nobody knew.

Mateo Flecha, arr. Philip Lawson: Riu, riu, chiu

Riu, riu, chiu la guarda ribera.
Dios guardó el lobo de nuestra cordera,
Dios guardó el lobo de nuestra cordera.

El lobo rabioso la quiso morder,
Mas Dios Poderoso la supo defender.
Quizo la hacer que no pudiese pecar,
Ni aun original esta virgen no tuviera.

Este que es nascido es El Gran Monarca,
Cristo Patriarca de carne vestido,
Ha nos redimido con se hacer chiquito.
Aunque era infinito finito se hiciera.

Translation

“Riu, riu, chiu,” the river bank is protected.
God has kept the wolf from our ewe lamb,
God has kept the wolf from our ewe lamb.

The rabid wolf wanted to bite her,
But Almighty God knew how to defend her.
He willed to make her unable to sin,
But even original sin this virgin did not have

The one who is born is the Great Monarch,
Christ the Patriarch, clothed in flesh,
He has redeemed us by making himself small.
Though he was infinite, he became finite.

Tomás Luis de Victoria: O magnum mysterium

O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum,
Ut animalia viderent Dominum natum iacentem in præsepio.
Beata Virgo cuius viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Jesum Christum.
Alleluia.

Translation

O great mystery and wonderful sacrament,
That animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in a manger.
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Jesus Christ the Lord.
Alleluia.

Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla: A solo flasiquiyo

¡A siolo flasiquiyo!
¿Qué manda siol Thome?
¿Tenemo tura trumenta
Templarita cum cunsielta?
Sí siolo ven poté
Avisa bosa misé
Que sa lo molemo ya
Cayendo de pularrisa
Y mullendo pol baylá
Llámalo llámalo aplisa
Que a veniro lo branco ya
Y lo niño aspelandosa
Y se alglaiá ha-ha ha-ha
Con lo zambamba ha-ha ha-ha
Con lo guacamole con lo cascavé
Sí siñolo Thome
Repicamo lo rrabe
Ya la panderetivo Anton
Baylalemo lo neglo al son.

Tumbucutú, cutú, cutú
Y toquemo pasito querito
Tumbucutú, cutú, cutú
No pantemo a lo niño Sesú.

Turu neglo de Guinea
Que venimo combirará
A detlá e su criara
Munglavé con su liblea.
Y pluqué lo branco vea

Quere branco nos selvimos
Con vayal de un tamo plimo
Y haleme a lo niño bú.

De mérico y silujano
Se vísta Minguel aplisa
Pues nos culase su clisa
Las helilas con su mano
Bayle el canario y el villano
Mas no pase pol detlás
De mula que da lasas
De toro que dira mú.

Antoniyo con su sayo
Que tluxó re pueltorrico
Saldrá vestiro re mico
Y Minguel de papangayo
Y quando yegue adorayo
Al niño le dira así
Si tu yo lamo pol mi
Yo me aleglamo por tu.

Translation

“Ah, Mr Francisco!”
“At your command, Mr Tomás!”
“Do we have all the instruments
Tuned up together?”
“Yes sir, you could well
Tell your lady
That the African folk are about to appear,
Falling about with laughter
And dying to start dancing.”
“Call them out right away,
For the fair one has now come,
The resplendent child,
And he will rejoice (ha-ha, ha-ha)
With the zambomba (ha-ha, ha-ha),
With guacambe-dancing and bell-ringing.”
“Yes, Mr Tomás,
We’ll strum the rebec,
And Anton will jingle the tambourine,
And all we African people will dance to their sounds.”

Tumbucutú, cutú, cutú,
And let’s play gently, soly,
Tumbucutú, cutú, cutú,
So we don’t disturb the baby Jesus.

All of us have come from Guinea
And we’ll invite
Andrea and her maid,
And Mongrave in his livery.
And so that the fair one may see

We love white, we’ll dress
In fine, fleecy cotton
And give the babe a bit of a scare.

Let Miguel dress up quickly
As a surgeon,
So the knife in his hand
May heal our wounds.
Dance the canario and the villano,
But don’t step behind
A mule that kicks out,
Nor a bull that goes moo.

Antonio, wearing the smock
He brought from Puerto Rico,
Will come out dressed as a monkey,
And Miguel as a parrot.
And when he goes up to adore
The babe, he’ll say to him,
“If you cry for me,
You’ll make me happy!”

Vince Guaraldi, arr. Nick Ashby: Christmas Time is Here

Christmastime is here
Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favourite time of year

Snowflakes in the air
Carols everywhere
Olden times and golden times
Of love and dreams to share

Sleigh bells in the air
Beauty everywhere
Yuletide by the fireside
And joyful memories there

Christmastime is here
Families drawing hear
Oh, that we could always see
Such spirit through the year

Franz Gruber, arr. John Ruter/Keith Robert: Stille Nacht/Silent Night

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schlä, einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar,
Holder Knab’ im lockigen Haar.
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh’,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh’.

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht.
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Hallelujah,
Tönt es laut von Fern und Nah:
Christ der Retter ist da,
Christ der Retter ist da.

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb’ aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund’,
Christ in deiner Geburt,
Christ in deiner Geburt.

Translation

Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright.
‘Round yon virgin mother and child,
Holy infant so tender and mild;
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia;
Christ the Saviour is born.
Christ the Saviour is born.

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light.
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace;
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin, arr. Keith Roberts: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yuletide gay
Next year all our troubles will be miles away

Once again, as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to ue once more

Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow
Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now

Traditional, arr. Geoffrey Keating: God Rest ye Merry, Gentlemen

God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
For Jesus Christ our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

From God that is our Father
The blessed Angel came;
Unto some certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same,
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And le their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind,
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The blessed babe to find.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

But when to Bethlehem they came,
Whereat this infant lay,
They found Him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His Mother Mary kneeling,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All others doth efface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.

Camille Saint-Saëns: Sérénade d’hiver

La, la, la, etc.

Nous venons pour chanter, Madame,
La Sérénade en votre honneur:
Puissions-nous avoir le bonheur
Que la chanson plaise à votre âme.

Toutes les portes nous sont closes,
Que l’âme du moins s’ouvre à nous,
Qui ne demandons à genoux
Qu’un sourire à vos lèvres roses.

Il vente, il fait froid, mais qu’importe
Si votre visage vermeil
Nous jette un rayon de soleil
Qui nous réchauffe à votre porte.

Du printemps la lumière aimante
Rit chez vous en toute saison,
Et, Madame, en votre maison
Tous les jours le rossignol chante. Ah!

Maintenant voulez-vous connaître
Qui sont ces gens masqués de noir
Vous venant dire le bonsoir
Et chanter sous votre fenêtre?

Daignez apprendre qui nous sommes:
Nos yeux sont cachés sous des loups,
C’est pour mieux rire des jaloux
Mais nous sommes des gentils hommes,
Pleins d’honneur et de courtoisie,
Gardant deux amours en nos coeurs,
Les Dames et la poésie,

La, la, la, etc.

Translation

La, la, la, etc.

We come to sing, madam,
The serenade in your honour;
May we have the happiness
That the song pleases your soul.

All doors are closed to us,
May the soul open to us,
Who only ask on bended knee
For a smile from your red lips.

The wind blows, it is cold, but what matter
If your rosy face
Casts a ray of sun on us
To warm us at your door.

The balmy light of spring
Smiles in you in all seasons,
And, dear lady, in your house
A nightingale sings every day. Ah!

Now do you wish to know
Who these strangers masked in black are
Coming to bid you good evening
And singing beneath your window?

Deign to learn who we are:
Our eyes are hidden by masks,
The better to laugh at the jealous,
But we are gentle men,
Full of honour and courtesy,
Cherishing two loves in our hearts:
Ladies and poetry.

La, la, la, etc.

Leigh Harline, arr. John Rutter: When You’d Wish Upon a Star

When a star is born they say
That if you make a wish one day
As dreamers do,
Something good will come to you.

When you wish upon a star,
Makes no difference who you are,
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you.

So if your heart is in your dream,
No request is too extreme,
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do.

(Oh )Fate is kind,
She brings to those who love
All the sweet fulfilment of
Their secret longing.

Like a sudden bolt from the blue,
Fate steps in and sees you through.
( Just believe that) When you wish upon a star
Your dream comes true.