Hark! The Herald Banjo Rings
Christmas 2010
December 21
"In Dulci Jubilo" is one of the most famous macaronic carols, combining German with Latin. The hymn "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" is an English paraphrase of the version in the Piae Cantiones. The lyrics I've shown are those from the Oxford Book of Carols. For this recording, I played four parts separately in the key of C on my banjo and mixed them together.
Downloads: mp3
In Dulci Jubilo (Good Christian Friends, Rejoice)
Performed by Greg Barlow on banjo in four parts
Words: attr. Heinrich Suso (c. 1295-1366).
Music: IN DULCI JUBILO, German folk tune, 14th century.
In dulci jubilo
Now sing with hearts aglow!
Our delight and pleasure
Lies in praesepio,
Like sunshine is our treasure
Matris in gremio.
Alpha es et O!
Alpha es et O!
O Jesu parvule,
For thee I long alway;
Comfort my heart's blindness,
O puer optime,
With all thy loving kindness,
O princeps gloriae.
Trahe me post te!
Trahe me post te!
O Patris caritas!
O Nati lenitas!
Deeply were we stainèd
Per nostra crimina;
But Thou for us hast gainèd
Coelorum gaudia.
O that we were there!
O that we were there!
Ubi sunt gaudia
In any place but there?
There are angels singing
Nova cantica,
And there the bells are ringing
In Regis curia.
O that we were there!
O that we were there!
Sources and more information
- Oxford Book of Carols, 1964.
- Presbyterian Hymnal, 1990.
- Hymns and Carols of Christmas
- Hymns and Carols of Christmas - Notes
- Hymns and Carols of Christmas - Good Christian Men, Rejoice
- ChristmasCarolMusic.org