Below are the texts for the six medieval carols with an indication of duration/price.
(Carol 7 is a reprise of Carol 1, to be included in the full 40 minute piece.)
Remember, each piece will have an additional introduction for soprano (either solo or Soprano I) with choir and organ/piano accompaniment taken from the preceding stanza of the poem, The Canticle of Mary by Tony Silvestri putting Mary's side of the story as a narrative to connect the carols in the full piece. (Carol 1's introduction will be the stanza preceding the reprise.)
Carol 3 may seem slightly unusual in this context, but in the context of Mary's story makes perfect sense. "Have mercy on me, oh God." seems a very appropriate text for a young woman who has been told she is with child by an angel and whose husband has "put her away privily". (Matthew 1:19).
This poem is still being finalised so not yet available on this page but it's looking great!
Please contact Alison to discuss commissioning a carol.
(Carol 7 is a reprise of Carol 1, to be included in the full 40 minute piece.)
Remember, each piece will have an additional introduction for soprano (either solo or Soprano I) with choir and organ/piano accompaniment taken from the preceding stanza of the poem, The Canticle of Mary by Tony Silvestri putting Mary's side of the story as a narrative to connect the carols in the full piece. (Carol 1's introduction will be the stanza preceding the reprise.)
Carol 3 may seem slightly unusual in this context, but in the context of Mary's story makes perfect sense. "Have mercy on me, oh God." seems a very appropriate text for a young woman who has been told she is with child by an angel and whose husband has "put her away privily". (Matthew 1:19).
This poem is still being finalised so not yet available on this page but it's looking great!
Please contact Alison to discuss commissioning a carol.
CAROL 1: BE GLAD OF CHRISTMAS
(Duration c. 3' - £600 + scores)
Man let be thy cruelness
And be glad of Christmas.
Almighty God, blessed might he be,
Hath sent His son through his pity
To slay pride and cruelty
And draw us to His kindness.
What might a Lord do more for us
But send His own son, Christ Jesus,
To take our sins & die for us,
How might he do more kindness?
Man let be thy cruelness
And be glad of Christmas.
CAROL 2: SALVE MATER DELICIE
(Duration c. 4' £800 + scores)
Salve mater delicie.
Almighty God in trinity,
Thou sendest Thy son from heaven’s city
To be borne in humility
Of a virgin Mary.
Salve mater delicie.
Gabriel so bright of blee
Thou chose Thy messenger to be
To say (to) that maid of solemnity:
'Salve mater delicie.'
The maid answered with heart so free
As Thou hast so be it with me,
God’s will fulfilled be.
Salve mater delicie.
All this that maid in humility
Bare God’s son in trinity,
Therefore worship all we:
Salve mater delicie.
CAROL 3: MISERERE MEI DEUS
(Duration c. 5' £1000 + scores)
A blissful song this is to us,
Miserere mei Deus.
In deadly sin if thou be cast
for God’s love bide not therein
for God will help thee at the last
If thou this song will sing to him:
Miserere mei Deus.
In holy church if that thou be
Lift up thy head & behold the rood,
Set thee down upon thy knee
And sing this song with mild mood.
Miserere mei Deus.
CAROL 4: JESU, FILI VIRGINIS
(Duration c. 4' £800 + scores)
Jesu, fili virginis, miserere nobis.
Jesu, of a maiden wouldst be born
To save mankind that was forlorn,
And all for our sins: miserere nobis.
Born Thou were of Mary free
And after Thou died’st on a tree,
for our sin: miserere nobis.
We pray to Thee Lord of Thy great grace
That we might see Thy face
In heaven(’s) bliss: miserere nobis.
CAROL 5: THIS DAY A MAID A CHILD HER BORE
(Duration c. 2'30'' £500 + scores)
Agnus dei hodie natus de pura virginal
Jesus lamb for his father is borne;
He is come from a pure virgin’s womb,
Conceptus sacro flamine.
Glad and blythe be we therefore:
This day a maid a child her bore;
There is a medicene for every sore,
Virili sine semine.
Noue stelle lumine.
CAROL 6: HE IS BORNE OF OUR LADY
(Duration c. 4' £800 + scores)
To bliss God bring us all & some,
Christe redemptor omnium.
In Bethl’em, in that fair city,
A child was borne of our lady
That shall Lord & Prince be,
A solis ortus cardine.
He is borne of our lady
Without womb of her body,
Father and Son that sittest so high,
Jesu salvator seculi.
Right as the sunshine in the glass
Jesu in his mother was;
Him to serve God give us grace
O lux beata trinitas.
CAROL 7: Adapted Reprise of CAROL 1 – BE GLAD OF CHRISTMAS
(c.3'30 For release only as part of full piece 2021)
Man let be thy cruelness
And be glad of Christmas.
Sin is full of cruelty;
Meekness is full of charity;
So was Mary, blessed mother she be,
That bare our gall of bitterness.
Now pray we all to be our succour
(She) that bare Jesus our saviour,
(That) He brings us all in to his tower
Bless us good Lord both now and ever.
Medieval texts from Lincoln Lat. 141 - Middle English adapted by A. Willis
CAROL 1: BE GLAD OF CHRISTMAS
(Duration c. 3' - £600 + scores)
Man let be thy cruelness
And be glad of Christmas.
Almighty God, blessed might he be,
Hath sent His son through his pity
To slay pride and cruelty
And draw us to His kindness.
What might a Lord do more for us
But send His own son, Christ Jesus,
To take our sins & die for us,
How might he do more kindness?
Man let be thy cruelness
And be glad of Christmas.
CAROL 2: SALVE MATER DELICIE
(Duration c. 4' £800 + scores)
Salve mater delicie.
Almighty God in trinity,
Thou sendest Thy son from heaven’s city
To be borne in humility
Of a virgin Mary.
Salve mater delicie.
Gabriel so bright of blee
Thou chose Thy messenger to be
To say (to) that maid of solemnity:
'Salve mater delicie.'
The maid answered with heart so free
As Thou hast so be it with me,
God’s will fulfilled be.
Salve mater delicie.
All this that maid in humility
Bare God’s son in trinity,
Therefore worship all we:
Salve mater delicie.
CAROL 3: MISERERE MEI DEUS
(Duration c. 5' £1000 + scores)
A blissful song this is to us,
Miserere mei Deus.
In deadly sin if thou be cast
for God’s love bide not therein
for God will help thee at the last
If thou this song will sing to him:
Miserere mei Deus.
In holy church if that thou be
Lift up thy head & behold the rood,
Set thee down upon thy knee
And sing this song with mild mood.
Miserere mei Deus.
CAROL 4: JESU, FILI VIRGINIS
(Duration c. 4' £800 + scores)
Jesu, fili virginis, miserere nobis.
Jesu, of a maiden wouldst be born
To save mankind that was forlorn,
And all for our sins: miserere nobis.
Born Thou were of Mary free
And after Thou died’st on a tree,
for our sin: miserere nobis.
We pray to Thee Lord of Thy great grace
That we might see Thy face
In heaven(’s) bliss: miserere nobis.
CAROL 5: THIS DAY A MAID A CHILD HER BORE
(Duration c. 2'30'' £500 + scores)
Agnus dei hodie natus de pura virginal
Jesus lamb for his father is borne;
He is come from a pure virgin’s womb,
Conceptus sacro flamine.
Glad and blythe be we therefore:
This day a maid a child her bore;
There is a medicene for every sore,
Virili sine semine.
Noue stelle lumine.
CAROL 6: HE IS BORNE OF OUR LADY
(Duration c. 4' £800 + scores)
To bliss God bring us all & some,
Christe redemptor omnium.
In Bethl’em, in that fair city,
A child was borne of our lady
That shall Lord & Prince be,
A solis ortus cardine.
He is borne of our lady
Without womb of her body,
Father and Son that sittest so high,
Jesu salvator seculi.
Right as the sunshine in the glass
Jesu in his mother was;
Him to serve God give us grace
O lux beata trinitas.
CAROL 7: Adapted Reprise of CAROL 1 – BE GLAD OF CHRISTMAS
(c.3'30 For release only as part of full piece 2021)
Man let be thy cruelness
And be glad of Christmas.
Sin is full of cruelty;
Meekness is full of charity;
So was Mary, blessed mother she be,
That bare our gall of bitterness.
Now pray we all to be our succour
(She) that bare Jesus our saviour,
(That) He brings us all in to his tower
Bless us good Lord both now and ever.
Medieval texts from Lincoln Lat. 141 - Middle English adapted by A. Willis
Please contact Alison to discuss commissioning a carol.