Congaudentes - Medieval Christmas Music
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This is a collection of some of our favourite Christmas pieces from the middle
ages. We particularly enjoy the music of the high middle ages, especially the ars
antiqua, so the focus is on earlier rather than later music. All pieces have been
edited from original sources.
Our earliest piece, Nuntium Vobis Fero, is attributed to Fulbert of Chartres (d.1028)
although the music may well have originated as part of the Beauvais Ludus Danielis dating from over a century later. It was a very well-known song in its day. This is followed by Orienti oriens, a gorgeous two-part piece from the twelfth century; our version is from British Library Additional MS 36881.
Then we have a series of wonderful Christmas hymns from the Troparium de
Catania, a collection put together in the first half of the twelfth century in Norman
Sicily (we have used Madrid BN MS 289). One of these Troparium hymns is the
very well known Orientis Partibus, or ‘Song of the Ass’ - for this we give two other
versions as well as that in the Troparium.
Next we have three hymns from the Moosburg Gradual (Munich University Library,
2° Cod. ms. 156. This manuscript dates from c.1360 but is generally felt to reflect an earlier repertoire. You will recognise Puer nobis nascitur - this is the earliest known version of ‘Unto Us A Boy Is Born’.
Finally, there is Qui Creavit Celum, also known as the Song of the Nuns of Chester.
A charming example of the lullaby form popular in Christmas songs in the fourteenth century, this is taken from an early fifteenth-century manuscript (Henry E Huntington Library MS EL.34.B7), but again reflects earlier styles.
All pieces are presented in easy to read modern notation with full lyrics, a translation guide and a pronunciation guide.
Songs included in this volume
1. Nuntium vobis fero
2. Orienti oriens
3. Natali Regis glorie
4. Anni novi circulus
5. Omnis mundus jocundetur
6. Congaudentes jubilemus
7. In hoc anni circulo
8. Orientis partibus
9. Puer nobis nascitur
10. Verbum patris humanatur
11. In natali summi regis
12. Qui creavit celum