SKU: BT.AMP-324-020

9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.

Christmas is full of customs and traditions, both old and new. This is especially evident in Christmas songs, some of which have been part of Christian worship for centuries. A Medieval Christmas combines three ancient melodies that are stillpopular around the world today. Philip Sparke chose Gaudete, a song of praise from the middle ages, Coventry Carol, an English song from the 14th century, and In dulci jubilo, which can also be traced back to the 14th century, toform this joyous suite.

Kerst is een feest van tradities en gebruiken. Dit komt vooral naar voren uit de kerstliederen die al eeuwenlang een centrale plaats innemen binnen de christelijke cultuur. In A Medieval Christmas staan drie oude melodieën centraal diewereldwijd nog steeds populair zijn. Het zijn het middeleeuwse loflied Gaudete, het Engelse Coventry Carol en het bekende In dulci jubilo.

Weihnachten ist auch ein Fest des Brauchtums und der Tradition. Dies zeigt sich ganz besonders in den Weihnachtsliedern, die oft schon seit Jahrhunderten einen zentralen Platz in der christlichen Kultur einnehmen. A Medieval Christmasverwendet drei dieser alten Melodien, die sich heute noch weltweit größter Beliebtheit erfreuen: das mittelalterliche Loblied Gaudete, das englische Coventry Carol aus dem 14. Jahrhundert und das bekannte In dulci jubilo, dasebenfalls auf das 14. Jahrhundert zurückgeht.

Dans de nombreux pays, Noël est un moment privilégié, célébré par de nombreux chants et mélodies dont beaucoup constituent un élément central du culte chrétien. Le fait que ces chants anciens subsistent depuis si longtemps témoigne de leur attraitimmuable, formant un lien tangible avec les festivités de Noël qui se déroulaient il y a des centaines d'années. A Medieval Christmas emprunte trois de ces ancestrales mélodies, demeurées populaires dans le monde entier : Gaudete,Coventry Carol, et In Dulci Jubilo.

Il Natale é la festa delle tradizioni e ciò si riscontra facilmente nei canti natalizi che da secoli occupano un posto di primo piano nella tradizione cristiana. A Medieval Christmas propone tre antiche melodie, ancora oggi moltoattuali: il canto di lode Gaudete, Coventry Carol e In Dulci Jubilo, entrambe del XIV secolo.

SKU: BT.AMP-324-010

9x12 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.

Christmas is full of customs and traditions, both old and new. This is especially evident in Christmas songs, some of which have been part of Christian worship for centuries. A Medieval Christmas combines three ancient melodies that are stillpopular around the world today. Philip Sparke chose Gaudete, a song of praise from the middle ages, Coventry Carol, an English song from the 14th century, and In dulci jubilo, which can also be traced back to the 14th century, toform this joyous suite.

Kerst is een feest van tradities en gebruiken. Dit komt vooral naar voren uit de kerstliederen die al eeuwenlang een centrale plaats innemen binnen de christelijke cultuur. In A Medieval Christmas staan drie oude melodieën centraal diewereldwijd nog steeds populair zijn. Het zijn het middeleeuwse loflied Gaudete, het Engelse Coventry Carol en het bekende In dulci jubilo.

Weihnachten ist auch ein Fest des Brauchtums und der Tradition. Dies zeigt sich ganz besonders in den Weihnachtsliedern, die oft schon seit Jahrhunderten einen zentralen Platz in der christlichen Kultur einnehmen. A Medieval Christmasverwendet drei dieser alten Melodien, die sich heute noch weltweit größter Beliebtheit erfreuen: das mittelalterliche Loblied Gaudete, das englische Coventry Carol aus dem 14. Jahrhundert und das bekannte In dulci jubilo, dasebenfalls auf das 14. Jahrhundert zurückgeht.

Dans de nombreux pays, Noël est un moment privilégié, célébré par de nombreux chants et mélodies dont beaucoup constituent un élément central du culte chrétien. Le fait que ces chants anciens subsistent depuis si longtemps témoigne de leur attraitimmuable, formant un lien tangible avec les festivités de Noël qui se déroulaient il y a des centaines d'années. A Medieval Christmas emprunte trois de ces ancestrales mélodies, demeurées populaires dans le monde entier : Gaudete,Coventry Carol, et In Dulci Jubilo.

Il Natale é la festa delle tradizioni e ciò si riscontra facilmente nei canti natalizi che da secoli occupano un posto di primo piano nella tradizione cristiana. A Medieval Christmas propone tre antiche melodie, ancora oggi moltoattuali: il canto di lode Gaudete, Coventry Carol e In Dulci Jubilo, entrambe del XIV secolo.

SKU: HL.44011012

UPC: 884088637736. 9.0x12.0x0.458 inches. English-German-French-Dutch.

In A Medieval Christmas, Philip Sparke uses three ancient melodies in creating a distinctive and appealing setting for band. That fact that these carols are still popular today after hundreds of years is a testament to their enduring power and beauty. This suite includes Gaudete, a song of praise from the Middle Ages, Coventry Carol, a song of lament from the 14th century, and the familiar In Dulci Jubilo.

SKU: HL.291242

ISBN 9781540048929. UPC: 888680926410. 9.0x12.0x0.286 inches.

Ormavi (String Quartet No. 4) was written for Carpe Diem String Quartet and was completed in December 2017. The work is a tribute tothe great 13th-century Persian music theorist and musician Safialdin Ormavi. The composition consists of eight short movements that are thematically inter-related. “I have used some of Ormavi's 13th-century medieval modes and have interpolated these modes with some of the modes of the modern Persian modal system, the Dastgâh system.” Movements: I. Hisar 1, II. Osool, III. Hesar, IV. Zirafkand 1,V. Hisar 2, VI. Zirafkand 2, VII. Rooh, VIII. Hora.

SKU: CF.CM9580

ISBN 9781491154021. UPC: 680160912520. 6.875 x 10.5 inches. Key: D mixolydian. English, Latin. 15th Century Medieval Carol.

The text of this poem is from the Trinity Carol Roll, an English manuscript housed at the Wren Library of Trinity College, Cambridge. It is originally in the Norfolk dialect of Middle English but has been modernized for use in this setting. Also, it's macaronic, meaning it combines words from two languages, the other being Latin which was in use by the church when this carol was written. The Latin phrases come from different parts of the Advent/Christmas liturgies; a sequence called Laetabundus, the title of an Introit antiphon called Gaudeamus, and the shepherds response in the gospel of Luke 2:15, Transeamus. Latin phrase translation source Alleluia Alleluia Laetabundus Res miranda A thing to be wondered at Laetabundus Pari forma of equal form Laetabundus Gaudeamus Let us rejoice! Gaudeamus Transeamus Let us go Luke 2:15 The poet compares the Virgin Mary to a rose. She has a special place among all women in being chosen as the mother of Jesus, and likewise the rose has a special place among all flowers surpassing them in complexity and beauty. The music in this setting mimics the petals of a rose as it blooms. Imagine the petals unfurling over time as does the music which starts in unison for each verse and expands outward into two and three vocal lines with increasingly complex harmonic twists. Word painting is employed in several places but none are as important as the dramatic climax in the fourth verse where the shepherds along with all the angels in heaven proclaim Gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory to God on high). What a sound that must be! On these words the music reaches it loudest point as the sopranos rise to their highest note and the compassthe distance between the highest and lowest noteis at its widest. The setting is brought to a close as the five Latin phrases that finished each verse are repeated as a coda and musically summarize the five verses of the carol.
The text of this poem is from the Trinity Carol Roll, an English manuscript housed at the Wren Library of Trinity College, Cambridge. It is originally in the Norfolk dialect of Middle English but has been modernized for use in this setting. Also, it's macaronic, meaning it combines words from two languages, the other being Latin which was in use by the church when this carol was written. The Latin phrases come from different parts of the Advent/Christmas liturgies; a sequence called Laetabundus, the title of an Introit antiphon called Gaudeamus, and the shepherdas response in the gospel of Luke 2:15, Transeamus. Latin phraseA translation source Alleluia Alleluia Laetabundus Res miranda A thing to be wondered at Laetabundus Pari forma of equal form Laetabundus Gaudeamus Let us rejoice! Gaudeamus Transeamus Let us go Luke 2:15 The poet compares the Virgin Mary to a rose. She has a special place among all women in being chosen as the mother of Jesus, and likewise the rose has a special place among all flowers surpassing them in complexity and beauty. The music in this setting mimics the petals of a rose as it blooms. Imagine the petals unfurling over time as does the music which starts in unison for each verse and expands outward into two and three vocal lines with increasingly complex harmonic twists. Word painting is employed in several places but none are as important as the dramatic climax in the fourth verse where the shepherds along with all the angels in heaven proclaim Gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory to God on high). What a sound that must be! On these words the music reaches it loudest point as the sopranos rise to their highest note and the compassathe distance between the highest and lowest noteais at its widest. The setting is brought to a close as the five Latin phrases that finished each verse are repeated as a coda and musically summarize the five verses of the carol.
The text of this poem is from the Trinity Carol Roll, an English manuscript housed at the Wren Library of Trinity College, Cambridge. It is originally in the Norfolk dialect of Middle English but has been modernized for use in this setting. Also, it's macaronic, meaning it combines words from two languages, the other being Latin which was in use by the church when this carol was written. The Latin phrases come from different parts of the Advent/Christmas liturgies; a sequence called Laetabundus, the title of an Introit antiphon called Gaudeamus, and the shepherd's response in the gospel of Luke 2:15, Transeamus. Latin phrase translation source Alleluia Alleluia Laetabundus Res miranda A thing to be wondered at Laetabundus Pari forma of equal form Laetabundus Gaudeamus Let us rejoice! Gaudeamus Transeamus Let us go Luke 2:15 The poet compares the Virgin Mary to a rose. She has a special place among all women in being chosen as the mother of Jesus, and likewise the rose has a special place among all flowers surpassing them in complexity and beauty. The music in this setting mimics the petals of a rose as it blooms. Imagine the petals unfurling over time as does the music which starts in unison for each verse and expands outward into two and three vocal lines with increasingly complex harmonic twists. Word painting is employed in several places but none are as important as the dramatic climax in the fourth verse where the shepherds along with all the angels in heaven proclaim Gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory to God on high). What a sound that must be! On these words the music reaches it loudest point as the sopranos rise to their highest note and the compass--the distance between the highest and lowest note--is at its widest. The setting is brought to a close as the five Latin phrases that finished each verse are repeated as a coda and musically summarize the five verses of the carol.
The text of this poem is from the Trinity Carol Roll, an English manuscript housed at the Wren Library of Trinity College, Cambridge. It is originally in the Norfolk dialect of Middle English but has been modernized for use in this setting. Also, it's macaronic, meaning it combines words from two languages, the other being Latin which was in use by the church when this carol was written. The Latin phrases come from different parts of the Advent/Christmas liturgies; a sequence called Laetabundus, the title of an Introit antiphon called Gaudeamus, and the shepherd's response in the gospel of Luke 2:15, Transeamus. Latin phrase translation source Alleluia Alleluia Laetabundus Res miranda A thing to be wondered at Laetabundus Pares forma of equal form Laetabundus Gaudeamus Let us rejoice! Gaudeamus Transeamus Let us go Luke 2:15 The poet compares the Virgin Mary to a rose. She has a special place among all women in being chosen as the mother of Jesus, and likewise the rose has a special place among all flowers surpassing them in complexity and beauty. The music in this setting mimics the petals of a rose as it blooms. Imagine the petals unfurling over time as does the music which starts in unison for each verse and expands outward into two and three vocal lines with increasingly complex harmonic twists. Word painting is employed in several places but none are as important as the dramatic climax in the fourth verse where the shepherds along with all the angels in heaven proclaim Gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory to God on high). What a sound that must be! On these words the music reaches it loudest point as the sopranos rise to their highest note and the compass--the distance between the highest and lowest note--is at its widest. The setting is brought to a close as the five Latin phrases that finished each verse are repeated as a coda and musically summarize the five verses of the carol.
The text of this poem is from the Trinity Carol Roll, an English manuscript housed at the Wren Library of Trinity College, Cambridge. It is originally in the Norfolk dialect of Middle English but has been modernized for use in this setting. Also, it's macaronic, meaning it combines words from two languages, the other being Latin which was in use by the church when this carol was written.The Latin phrases come from different parts of the Advent/Christmas liturgies; a sequence called Laetabundus, the title of an Introit antiphon called Gaudeamus, and the shepherd’s response in the gospel of Luke 2:15, Transeamus.Latin phrase  translation sourceAlleluia Alleluia LaetabundusRes miranda A thing to be wondered at LaetabundusPares forma of equal form LaetabundusGaudeamus Let us rejoice! GaudeamusTranseamus Let us go Luke 2:15The poet compares the Virgin Mary to a rose. She has a special place among all women in being chosen as the mother of Jesus, and likewise the rose has a special place among all flowers surpassing them in complexity and beauty.The music in this setting mimics the petals of a rose as it blooms. Imagine the petals unfurling over time as does the music which starts in unison for each verse and expands outward into two and three vocal lines with increasingly complex harmonic twists.Word painting is employed in several places but none are as important as the dramatic climax in the fourth verse where the shepherds along with all the angels in heaven proclaim Gloria in excelsis Deo (Glory to God on high). What a sound that must be! On these words the music reaches it loudest point as the sopranos rise to their highest note and the compass—the distance between the highest and lowest note—is at its widest.The setting is brought to a close as the five Latin phrases that finished each verse are repeated as a coda and musically summarize the five verses of the carol.

SKU: GI.G-009604

This invently interpreted and cherished prayer is set simply for two-part women's voices and organ. Reminiscent of an art song, the organ's supporting harmonies create a rich tonal background under the treble voices. A worthy affirmation of our devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

SKU: CF.CM9735

ISBN 9781491161159. UPC: 680160919741. Key: A minor. Latin, English. Christopher Smart and ZRS.

Origins of the Tarantella The tarantella is a popular southern Italian dance with origins in the 11th century. (There is even some mention of the tarantella in ancient Greek mythology.) Of the possible sources of the dance, the most popular comes from the villages of Tanto and Tarentum (little spider), Italy. During harvest, workers in the field were sometimes bitten by the tarantula spider. To combat the poison, the afflicted workers went into a frenetic, almost musical exorcism to sweat the venom out of their pores. In the millennium since, the very energetic nature of the dance has remained, although the curative focus of the dance has given way to more enjoyable endeavors, even stately courtship. Origins of the Text Christopher Smart (1722-1771), also known as Kit Smart or Jack Smart, was born in Kent, England and suffered from what is now believed to be acute asthma and other health issues as a child. As such, he did not work in the fields, but spent much time reading and writing, a passion that he nurtured for a lifetime. Well known in London literary circles, his career as a writer floundered due to mounting debts and his falling out of favor with the literary establishment: Sadly, he was forced to confinement at St. Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, though this was based on his mounting debt, and not on insanity. (Confinement, or debtor's prison, was common during this period if one's debts could not be paid.) During his confinement, he worked on two of his most famous works, Jubilate Agno and A Song of David. (Part of Jubilate Agno [Rejoice in the Lamb] was set to music by English composer, Benjamin Britten.) Smart's writing style (which, at times, bordered on the absurd), along with his many obsessions, lead to frequent misperceptions of his work and his lucidity. In this present work, portions of Smart's Jubilate Agno were used in mm. 24-31, 103-110 and 149-156. The remaining text was gathered by the composer, including the rapid, almost patter-like, delivery of words from A-Z in the alphabet. (Christopher Smart had a preoccupation with the alphabet.) These words both rhyme and accentuate the frenetic nature of the spider dance: theraphosa [teh-rah-fo-sa] a genus of tarantula spiders bellicose [beh-lee-ko-sah] hostile; aggressive odiosa [o-dee-o-sa] hateful; vexation tenebrosa [teh-neh-bro-sa] creeping; dark nemorosa [neh-mo-ro-sa] wooded; shady lapidosa [lah-pee-do-sa] stony area; gritty The convergence, then, of the medieval tarantella (spider dance), the writings of a brilliant poet who bordered on the absurd, and the infusion of strong, descriptive and otherwise random, rhyming words, synthesizes to make dramatic lyrics for this work. About the Composer Z. Randall Stroope is an American composer and conductor. He has served as Professor of Music at three universities (an Endowed Professor at two), conducted 47 all-state choirs, and directed over 40 times at Carnegie Hall, among other American venues. Randall guest conducts full-time, and composes from his home studios on Merritt Island, Florida and in Sandia Park, New Mexico. Performance Notes Text: In Latin, the r is flipped; use s instead of z on endings such as phosa, cosa, and so on; the Latin o is a cross between oh and aw; in the transliteration above, I chose to simply use an o for consistency. The director will blend the oh and aw in the rehearsals to his/her own preference. Lastly, tarantula is pronounced tah-rah-n-too-lah (avoid teh-ran-choo-luh) within the confines of this text. Stomp: This can be done by the entire chorus, or just the first row. It is as much visual as it is auditory. The string quartet is preferred over piano when that option affords itself. I created a piano score that is a viable option and included it in the piano/vocal score if a performance uses chorus/piano.
The tarantella is a popular southern Italian dance with origins in the 11th century. (There is even some mention of the tarantella in ancient Greek mythology.) Of the possible sources of the dance, the most popular comes from the villages of Tanto and Tarentum (“little spider”), Italy. During harvest, workers in the field were sometimes bitten by the tarantula spider. To combat the “poison,” the afflicted workers went into a frenetic, almost musical exorcism to sweat the venom out of their pores. In the millennium since, the very energetic nature of the dance has remained, although the curative focus of the dance has given way to more enjoyable endeavors, even stately courtship.Christopher Smart (1722-1771), also known as “Kit Smart” or “Jack Smart,” was born in Kent, England and suffered from what is now believed to be acute asthma and other health issues as a child. As such, he did not work in the fields, but spent much time reading and writing, a passion that he nurtured for a lifetime. Well known in London literary circles, his career as a writer floundered due to mounting debts and his falling out of favor with the literary establishment: Sadly, he was forced to confinement at St. Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics, though this was based on his mounting debt, and not on insanity. (Confinement, or debtor’s prison, was common during this period if one’s debts could not be paid.) During his confinement, he worked on two of his most famous works, Jubilate Agno and A Song of David. (Part of Jubilate Agno [“Rejoice in the Lamb”] was set to music by English composer, Benjamin Britten.) Smart’s writing style (which, at times, bordered on the absurd), along with his many obsessions, lead to frequent misperceptions of his work and his lucidity. In this present work, portions of Smart’s Jubilate Agno were used in mm. 24-31, 103-110 and 149-156. The remaining text was gathered by the composer, including the rapid, almost patter-like, delivery of words from A-Z in the alphabet. (Christopher Smart had a preoccupation with the alphabet.) These words both rhyme and accentuate the frenetic nature of the spider dance:The convergence, then, of the medieval tarantella (spider dance), the writings of a brilliant poet who bordered on the absurd, and the infusion of strong, descriptive and otherwise random, rhyming words, synthesizes to make dramatic lyrics for this work.Z. Randall Stroope is an American composer and conductor. He has served as Professor of Music at three universities (an Endowed Professor at two), conducted 47 all-state choirs, and directed over 40 times at Carnegie Hall, among other American venues. Randall guest conducts full-time, and composes from his home studios on Merritt Island, Florida and in Sandia Park, New Mexico. In Latin, the “r” is flipped; use “s” instead of “z” on endings such as “phosa,” “cosa,” and so on; the Latin “o” is a cross between “oh” and “aw”; in the transliteration above, I chose to simply use an “o” for consistency. The director will blend the “oh” and “aw” in the rehearsals to his/her own preference. Lastly, “tarantula” is pronounced “tah-rah-n-too-lah” (avoid “teh-ran-choo-luh”) within the confines of this text.Stomp: This can be done by the entire chorus, or just the first row. It is as much visual as it is auditory. The string quartet is preferred over piano when that option affords itself. I created a piano score that is a viable option and included it in the piano/vocal score if a performance uses chorus/piano.
The tarantella is a popular southern Italian dance with origins in the 11th century. (There is even some mention of the tarantella in ancient Greek mythology.) Of the possible sources of the dance, the most popular comes from the villages of Tanto and Tarentum (“little spider”), Italy. During harvest, workers in the field were sometimes bitten by the tarantula spider. To combat the “poison,” the afflicted workers went into a frenetic, almost musical exorcism to sweat the venom out of their pores. In the millennium since, the very energetic nature of the dance has remained, although the curative focus of the dance has given way to more enjoyable endeavors, even stately courtship.Christopher Smart (1722-1771), also known as “Kit Smart” or “Jack Smart,” was born in Kent, England and suffered from what is now believed to be acute asthma and other health issues as a child. As such, he did not work in the fields, but spent much time reading and writing, a passion that he nurtured for a lifetime. Well known in London literary circles, his career as a writer floundered due to mounting debts and his falling out of favor with the literary establishment: Sadly, he was forced to confinement at St. Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics, though this was based on his mounting debt, and not on insanity. (Confinement, or debtor’s prison, was common during this period if one’s debts could not be paid.) During his confinement, he worked on two of his most famous works, Jubilate Agno and A Song of David. (Part of Jubilate Agno [“Rejoice in the Lamb”] was set to music by English composer, Benjamin Britten.) Smart’s writing style (which, at times, bordered on the absurd), along with his many obsessions, lead to frequent misperceptions of his work and his lucidity. In this present work, portions of Smart’s Jubilate Agno were used in mm. 24-31, 103-110 and 149-156. The remaining text was gathered by the composer, including the rapid, almost patter-like, delivery of words from A-Z in the alphabet. (Christopher Smart had a preoccupation with the alphabet.) These words both rhyme and accentuate the frenetic nature of the spider dance:The convergence, then, of the medieval tarantella (spider dance), the writings of a brilliant poet who bordered on the absurd, and the infusion of strong, descriptive and otherwise random, rhyming words, synthesizes to make dramatic lyrics for this work.Z. Randall Stroope is an American composer and conductor. He has served as Professor of Music at three universities (an Endowed Professor at two), conducted 47 all-state choirs, and directed over 40 times at Carnegie Hall, among other American venues. Randall guest conducts full-time, and composes from his home studios on Merritt Island, Florida and in Sandia Park, New Mexico.In Latin, the “r” is flipped; use “s” instead of “z” on endings such as “phosa,” “cosa,” and so on; the Latin “o” is a cross between “oh” and “aw”; in the transliteration above, I chose to simply use an “o” for consistency. The director will blend the “oh” and “aw” in the rehearsals to his/her own preference. Lastly, “tarantula” is pronounced “tah-rah-n-too-lah” (avoid “teh-ran-choo-luh”) within the confines of this text.Stomp: This can be done by the entire chorus, or just the first row. It is as much visual as it is auditory. The string quartet is preferred over piano when that option affords itself. I created a piano score that is a viable option and included it in the piano/vocal score if a performance uses chorus/piano.

SKU: CF.CM9734

ISBN 9781491161142. UPC: 680160919734. Key: A minor. English. Basque Carol.

A Basque Carol (also known as Gabriel's Message) holds a special place in Western music. The carol originates from Basque country around the 13th century, based on the Latin hymn, Angelus ad Virginem (likely of Franciscan origin). The tune quickly spread throughout Europe, finding popularity in Britain where it was even referenced in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales: Playing so sweetly that the chamber rang; / and Angelus ad virginem he sang. . .. Interestingly, the melody we know and love today is derived from the original Basque version. In my view, this tune is a perfect example of melody-crafting. It is at once hauntingly beautiful, yet warm and joyous. Its contours are complex, dramatic, yet singable. I believe this melodic accessibility is the key to the song's lasting popularity. I would also attribute A Basque Carol's continued popularity to its elegant translation into English (by Sabine Baring-Gould, who rediscovered the original Basque tune). Translations often risk sounding unimaginative, coarse, and blunt. This translation is strikingly different. It was graced with an especially poetic translation including lines such as his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame. I am very excited to offer a new perspective on this classic carol, joining the tradition of composers preserving and reimagining a priceless medieval melody. My first goal was to create a flowing, richly-textured, even cinematic string accompaniment for the choir. This approach was very much inspired by the dense, string-writing style of English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. My second goal was to make the arrangement flexible enough to be performed with only choir, only strings, or (best of all) both ensembles combined. To further complement this approach, I've added an obligato line for a solo recorder (solo flute or violin work just as well). If you listen carefully, you will hear a quote from my other favorite holiday carol, Jesu Bambino. I hope you enjoy performing A Basque Carol. I especially hope that you sense the ancient magic cast into this tune, hearing the ineffable qualities that have compelled us to sustain it for nearly a millennium. Whether you're a choir, a string orchestra, or a combined ensemble, this arrangement of A Basque Carol will surely be a haunting and lovely addition to your next holiday program!.
A Basque Carol (also known as Gabriel’s Message) holds a special place in Western music. The carol originates from Basque country around the 13th century, based on the Latin hymn, Angelus ad Virginem (likely of Franciscan origin). The tune quickly spread throughout Europe, finding popularity in Britain where it was even referenced in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales:  “Playing so sweetly that the chamber rang; / and Angelus ad virginem he sang. . .”.Interestingly, the melody we know and love today is derived from the original Basque version. In my view, this tune is a perfect example of melody-crafting. It is at once hauntingly beautiful, yet warm and joyous. Its contours are complex, dramatic, yet singable. I believe this melodic accessibility is the key to the song’s lasting popularity. I would also attribute A Basque Carol’s continued popularity to its elegant translation into English (by Sabine Baring-Gould, who rediscovered the original Basque tune). Translations often risk sounding unimaginative, coarse, and blunt. This translation is strikingly different. It was graced with an especially poetic translation including lines such as “his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame.”I am very excited to offer a new perspective on this classic carol, joining the tradition of composers preserving and reimagining a priceless medieval melody. My first goal was to create a flowing, richly-textured, even cinematic string accompaniment for the choir. This approach was very much inspired by the dense, string-writing style of English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. My second goal was to make the arrangement flexible enough to be performed with only choir, only strings, or (best of all) both ensembles combined. To further complement this approach, I’ve added an obligato line for a solo recorder (solo flute or violin work just as well). If you listen carefully, you will hear a quote from my other favorite holiday carol, Jesu Bambino.I hope you enjoy performing A Basque Carol. I especially hope that you sense the ancient magic cast into this tune, hearing the ineffable qualities that have compelled us to sustain it for nearly a millennium. Whether you’re a choir, a string orchestra, or a combined ensemble, this arrangement of A Basque Carol will surely be a haunting and lovely addition to your next holiday program!