Rutter and the Cambridge Singers are an integral part of Christmas. When I joined the choir at church and actually started singing some of this Rutter, I got a bit Ruttered out (it can be a bit rich), but as long as I don't indulge in too much I'm fine. I have four Rutter Christmas CDs. The best may be Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity, which is very serene with lots of a capella stuff from the Oxford Book of Carols. The others have livelier stuff and the pure, over-the-top Rutter. There's a version of Joy to the World that's arranged like something from the Messiah (from Christmas with the Cambridge Singers). There's something that evokes the Caribbean in Jesus Child (from Music for Christmas). The best for over-the-top is his Go Tell it on the Mountain (from Christmas Day in the Morning), which is arranged like something from an old western. At the climax, you expect the magi to yell out "hee-yaw!" and spur their horses on to the end of the song.
O Magnum Mysterium is from Christmas with the Cambridge Singers. This version is by T.L. de Victoria, a Spanish composer who overlapped with Palestrina. Our choir has sung this one, one by Poulenc, and one by Morten Lauridsen. You just can't beat an O Magnum or a Hodie Christus Natus Est at this time of the year.
O magnum mysterium, et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare Dominum Christum.
Alleluia.
O great mystery and wondrous sacrament,
that the animals should witness the birth of the Lord in the manger.
Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, whose womb was deemed worthy to bear Christ the Lord.
Hallelujah.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment