12th December, 2023
Célébrons la Naissance
Trad. French Carol
harmonised and arranged especially for this Advent calendar for harp by Danielle Perrett
This traditional French carol from the 15th Century is also described as Noel Nouveau sur l’air “Or dites-nous, Marie,” (Now tell us, Mary). Like so many ancient carols it tells the story of the nativity. Singing of carols was a way of reinforcing that people could learn their Bible stories. This particular carol mixes French and Latin text throughout, and it was common also in this country to mix Latin lines in carols with English text. Such verse is called Macaronic.
The printed source of the words of this carol is Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern collected by William Sandys and published by Richard Beckley in London in 1833. Although Sandys collected many carols and wrote a number of books, he was a solicitor.This carol was one of six in the third and final part of this scholarly volume. All six were deemed by Sandys to be French provincial.
Sandys himself notes that the carol was found in Noels Vieux et Nouveaux. A later printed version of this carol is found in Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400 – 1700, Chatto & Windus, London , 1914, although Rickert attributes it to the late sixteenth century.
Célébrons la Naissance
Nostri Salvatoris,
Qui fair la complaisance
Dei sui Patris;
Cet Enfan tour aimable,
In nocte mediâ
Est né dans une étable
De castâ Mariâ.
Cette heureuse nouvelle
Olim Pastoribus
Par un Ange fidelle
Fuit nunciatus
Leur disant, laissez paître
In agro viridi
Venez voir votre Maître,
Filiumque Dei.
A cette voix céleste
Omnes hi pastores,
D’un air doux & modeste
Et multum gaudentes,
Incontinent marchèrent
Relicto pecora;
Tous ensemble arrivèrent
In Bethlem Judae.
Le premier qu’ils trouvèrent
Intrantes stabulum,
Fut Joseph ce bon père,
Senio confectum,
Qui d’ardeur nompareille,
It obviam illis,
Les reçoit, les accueille
Expansis brachiis.
Il fait à tous caresse,
Et in praesepio
Fait voir plein d’alégresse
Matrem cum filio;
Ces bergers s’étonnèrent
Intuentes eum,
Que les Anges révèrent
Pannis involuntum.
Lorsqu’ils se prosternèrent
Cum reverentiâ,
Et tous ils adorèrent
Pietate summâ
Ce Sauveur tour aimable
Qui homo factus est,
Et qui dans une étable
Nasci dignatus est.
D’un coeur humble & sincere,
Suis muneribus,
Donnèrent à la mere
Et filio ejus
Des marques de tendresse
Atque his peractis,
Font voir leur alégresse
Hymnis & Canticis.
Mille Esprits Angéliques
Juncti pastoribus
Chantent dans leur musique
Puer vobis natus;
Au Dieu par qui nous sommes,
Gloria in excelsis
Et la paix soit aux hommes
Bonae voluntatis.
Jamais pareilles fêtes
Judicio omnium,
Même jusques aux bêtes
Testantur gaudium:
Enfin cette Naissance
Cunctis creaturis
Donne rejouissance,
Et replet gaudiis.
Qu’on ne soit insensible,
Adeamus omnes,
Ce Dieu rendu passible
Propter nos mortales,
Et tous de compagnie
Exoramus eum,
Qu’à la fin de la vie
Det regnum beatum.
English translation of the four most commonly sung verses:
WE SING IN CELEBRATION
We sing in celebration
Of Christ, the Saviour King;
Our Hope and Jubilation,
Whom God to earth doth bring;
This Babe, so sweet and gentle,
That came to earth this night,
Is born within a stable
To Mary, Virgin mild.
The shepherds on the hillside
Were watching o’er their sheep,
When ‘there appeared an angel
From out the darkness deep,
Announcing that the Baby,
Who in the manger lay,
Was God, the Heav’nly Father,
Who came to earth today.
To hear the heav’nly tidings,
The shepherds all rejoiced;
And, filled with awe and wonder,
Their great thanksgiving voiced.
Together they came running,
Unheeding of their flocks,
To see the holy Infant
That Mary holds and rocks.
The angels from the Highest
Burst forth in sweetest song;
And soon the shepherds joined them
With voices clear and strong:
“To God, our Heav’nly Father,
All praise and glory be;
On earth His peace bestowing,
Good will, eternally.”
Performed on David Opera model concert harp, 2000