- [Announcer] Funding for this program is provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

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the herald angels sing ♪ ♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ ♪ Peace on earth and mercy mild ♪ ♪ God and sinners reconciled ♪ ♪ Joyful, all ye nations, rise ♪ ♪ Join the triumph of the skies ♪ ♪ With the angelic hosts proclaim ♪ ♪ Christ is born in Bethlehem ♪ ♪ Hark!

the herald angels sing ♪ ♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ ♪ Christ, by highest heaven adored ♪ ♪ Christ, the everlasting Lord ♪ ♪ Late in time behold Him come ♪ ♪ Offspring of a virgin's womb ♪ ♪ Veiled in flesh the Godhead see ♪ ♪ Hail the incarnate Deity ♪ ♪ Pleased with us in flesh to dwell ♪ ♪ Jesus, our Emmanuel ♪ ♪ Hark!

the herald angels sing ♪ ♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ ♪ Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace ♪ ♪ Hail the Sun of Righteousness ♪ ♪ Light and life to all He brings ♪ ♪ Risen with healing in His wings ♪ ♪ Mild He lays His glory by ♪ ♪ Born that we no more may die ♪ ♪ Born to raise us from the earth ♪ ♪ Born to give us second birth ♪ ♪ Hark!

the herald angels sing ♪ ♪ Glory to the newborn King ♪ - Next we're gonna hear a set of three pieces in a row by British composers.

Benjamin Britten wrote "A Boy Was Born," a set of pieces at age 19.

And he dedicated it to his father, who was a dentist and wasn't sure he should be a musician.

It was interesting he did that.

And it was performed by the BBC Singers the very next year.

So he was a huge success immediately as a teenager.

The first piece is called the "Theme: A Boy Was Born."

And then he made six variations of gradually increasing complexity.

And we're gonna do the third variation, "Jesu as Thou art our Savior."

It's a medieval text from 15th century, a beautiful, beautiful piece with soprano solo.

And that'll immediately segue into a new piece by Bob Chilcott called "Pilgrim Jesus," written in 2012.

I like the text of this, especially.

It was written, the text, by Kevin Crossley-Holland, actually for Stephen Paulus, a Minnesota composer.

He was the first American to be able to write a piece for the "Lessons and Carols" thing in Cambridge, King's College, Cambridge.

And Kevin was here in the U.S. at the time and offered to write a new text for him.

Wonderful text.

And Bob Chilcott now has taken that same text and written a wonderful piece for Wells Cathedral Choir, I think.

♪ A Boy was born in Bethlehem ♪ ♪ Rejoice for that, Jerusalem ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ He let Himself a servant be ♪ ♪ That all mankind He might set free ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Then praise the Word of God who came ♪ ♪ To dwell within a human frame ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Alleluya ♪ ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ Jesu, Jesu ♪ ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ Save us all ♪ ♪ Through Thy virtue ♪ (soprano soloist vocalizing) ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ As Thou art our Saviour ♪ ♪ That Thou save us from dolor ♪ ♪ Jesu is mine paramour ♪ ♪ Blessed be Thy name ♪ ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ Jesu was born of a may upon Christemas Day ♪ ♪ She was may beforn and ay ♪ ♪ Blessed be Thy name ♪ ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ Jesu, Jesu ♪ ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ Save us all ♪ ♪ Through Thy virtue ♪ (soprano soloist vocalizing) ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ Jesu ♪ ♪ Iesus ♪ ♪ Christus ♪ ♪ Iesus natus ♪ ♪ In the manger of my body ♪ ♪ Leaps the tiny Child ♪ ♪ And His breath is the word ♪ ♪ The dance of God ♪ ♪ Corpus ♪ ♪ Beatus ♪ ♪ Peregrinus natus ♪ ♪ In the ocean of my head ♪ ♪ The steadfast ship ♪ ♪ The steadfast ship rides tide and storm ♪ ♪ On its pilgrim crossing ♪ ♪ Oceanus ♪ ♪ Peregrinus ♪ ♪ Christus natus ♪ ♪ In the orchard of my heart ♪ ♪ Springs the singing tree ♪ ♪ Its root is faith ♪ ♪ And its sweet fruit charity ♪ ♪ Cor, arbor ♪ ♪ Amor ♪ ♪ Christus ♪ ♪ Riding ship, springing tree ♪ ♪ And in the manger leaps the Child ♪ ♪ Who is, who is the Word ♪ ♪ The dance ♪ ♪ The dance of God ♪ ♪ Iesus ♪ ♪ Peregrinus ♪ ♪ Iesus natus ♪ ♪ Natus ♪ - Our next piece is a special one.

It's a new world premiere by Eriks Esenvalds.

He's a fantastic Latvian composer.

And he's written one piece for Choral Arts Ensemble in the past.

We loved it very much so we wanted to have him write another.

And it's a setting of the Shakespeare text from the beginning of "Hamlet" where they're up on the ramparts of the castle, seeing a ghost, and they talk about how during Christmas time it's so sacred and hallow that there can't be any planet striking or fairies taking or witches producing charms, so gracious and hallowed is the time.

It's a really interesting, beautiful text.

And Eriks set it beautifully.

It's our Ed Pompeian Christmas Carol.

It's written with support from his family in commemoration for his life.

He was a wonderful Rochester resident his whole life and started the Gift of Life Transplant House here and cut a wide swath in our community.

Wonderful, wonderful fellow, so we're delighted to honor his life with this carol.

♪ Some say ♪ ♪ Some say that e'er against that season comes ♪ ♪ Wherein our Savior's birth is celebrated ♪ ♪ This bird of dawning ♪ ♪ Singeth all night long ♪ ♪ And then they say ♪ ♪ No spirit dare stir abroad ♪ ♪ The nights are wholesome ♪ ♪ The nights are wholesome ♪ ♪ Then no planets strike ♪ ♪ No fairy takes ♪ ♪ No planets strike ♪ ♪ No fairy takes ♪ ♪ Nor witch hath power to charm ♪ ♪ So hallowed ♪ ♪ And so gracious is that time ♪ ♪ So gracious is that time ♪ ♪ This bird of dawning singeth all night long ♪ ♪ Singeth all night long ♪ ♪ So hallowed is that time ♪ ♪ Some say ♪ ♪ Some say that e'er against that season comes ♪ ♪ Wherein our Savior's birth is celebrated ♪ ♪ This bird of dawning ♪ ♪ Singeth all night long ♪ ♪ And then they say ♪ ♪ No spirit dare stir abroad ♪ ♪ So hallowed ♪ ♪ And gracious is that time ♪ ♪ So hallowed and gracious ♪ ♪ So hallowed and gracious ♪ ♪ Is that time ♪ ♪ Is that time ♪ - Next we'll get to hear John Rutter's "Gloria," which is the featured work on the program.

We have an octet of brass from around the region.

Really great players.

It's so fun to work with them.

And Rutter wrote this piece, 1974.

I think it was his first trip to America to conduct it in Omaha of all places.

And he was only 28.

The first movement is a glorious kind of celebration, lots of grand praise and brass and timpani and.

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First is a sonata by Gabrieli, and then a sinfonia by Viadana.

Both were active in the high Renaissance, early Baroque period, and centered in Italy, near or in Venice.

And it's just a wonderful time of poly-choral, call and response from two different choirs of brass.

It's really, it's just a beautiful sound for brass.

And then they'll, there's a third piece, which is a little bit of a surprise.

It's kind of a fun goofy Christmas piece arranged by Bill Reichenbach, who was a fantastic bass trombonist, was a session musician in Southern California for a lot of his career, played backup for every celebrity whoever sang anything in one song or other.

It's a really clever, fun arrangement and they do it great.

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By Bill Reichenbach, Jr.) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) ("Also Sprach Santathustra" continues) - Next we get to hear an arrangement by Ralph Vaughan Williams of "Wassail."

It's a song from the west of England.

And it's about the tradition of going out and singing a couple of carols and getting rewarded with a little cup of wassail, which has some alcohol in it.

And so they get to kind of boisterous these singers in the middle of the song, and then they kind of go down the lane and they get farther away.

It's a fantastic arrangement, very fun to sing.

A little hard to sing, but very, very rewarding.

♪ Wassail ♪ ♪ Wassail ♪ ♪ Wassail, wassail, all over the town ♪ ♪ Our bread it is white and our ale it is brown ♪ ♪ Our bowl it is made of the green maple tree ♪ ♪ In the wassail bowl, we'll drink unto thee ♪ ♪ Wassail ♪ ♪ Here's a health to the ox and to his right eye ♪ ♪ Pray God send our master a good Christmas pie ♪ ♪ A good Christmas pie as e'er I did see ♪ ♪ In the wassail bowl, we'll drink unto thee ♪ ♪ Here's a health to the ox and to his right horn ♪ ♪ Pray God send our master a good crop of corn ♪ ♪ A good crop of corn as e'er I did see ♪ ♪ In the wassail bowl, we'll drink unto thee ♪ ♪ In the wassail bowl, we'll drink unto thee ♪ ♪ Here's a health to the ox and to his long tail ♪ ♪ Wassail all over the town ♪ ♪ Pray God send our master a good cask of ale ♪ ♪ Wassail all over the town ♪ ♪ A good cask of ale as e'er I did see ♪ ♪ In the wassail bowl, we'll drink unto thee ♪ ♪ We'll drink unto thee ♪ ♪ Come, butler come give us a bowl of the best ♪ ♪ Then I pray that your soul in heaven may rest ♪ ♪ But if you do bring us a bowl of the small ♪ ♪ May the devil take butler, bowl and all ♪ ♪ Then here's to the maid in the lily white smock ♪ ♪ Who tripped to the door and slipped back the lock ♪ ♪ Who tripped to the door and pulled back the pin ♪ ♪ For to let these jolly wassailers walk in ♪ ♪ Who tripped to the door and pulled back the pin ♪ ♪ For to let these jolly wassailers walk in ♪ ♪ These jolly wassailers walk in ♪ ♪ Wassail, wassail ♪ ♪ Wassail, wassail all over the town ♪ ♪ Wassail all over the town ♪ ♪ Wassail ♪ ♪ Wassail ♪ ♪ Wassail, wassail all over the town ♪ ♪ All over the town ♪ ♪ Wassail, wassail ♪ ♪ All over the town ♪ ♪ Wassail, wassail ♪ ♪ All over the town ♪ ♪ Wassail, wassail ♪ ♪ Wassail ♪ - So, we're doing a lot of Rutter.

Rutter is, John Rutter is a wonderful composer and he's written so many Christmas pieces that are beautiful.

We're doing "Candlelight Carol" next.

He wrote that for a choir in Pittsburgh, I think, in the eighties.

And then he recorded it with his professional choir, The Cambridge Singers.

And it's a very, it's a favorite.

It's been sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Neil Diamond, and a variety of other artists.

It's just a very beautiful, beautiful text.

He wrote the text himself.

(gentle music) (gentle music continues) ♪ How do you capture the wind on the water ♪ ♪ How do you count all the stars in the sky ♪ ♪ How can you measure the love of a mother ♪ ♪ Or how can you write down a baby's first cry ♪ ♪ Candlelight, angel light ♪ ♪ Firelight, and star glow ♪ ♪ Shine on His cradle till breaking of dawn ♪ ♪ Gloria, Gloria ♪ ♪ In Excelsis Deo ♪ ♪ Angels are singing ♪ ♪ The Christ child is born ♪ (gentle music continues) ♪ Shepherds and wise men will kneel and adore Him ♪ ♪ Seraphim round Him their vigil will keep ♪ ♪ Nations proclaim Him their Lord and their Savior ♪ ♪ But Mary will hold Him ♪ ♪ And sing Him to sleep ♪ ♪ Candlelight, angel light ♪ ♪ Firelight, and star glow ♪ ♪ Shine on His cradle till breaking of dawn ♪ ♪ Gloria, Gloria ♪ ♪ In Excelsis Deo ♪ ♪ Angels are singing ♪ ♪ The Christ child is born ♪ (gentle music continues) ♪ Find Him at Bethlehem laid in a manger ♪ ♪ Christ our Redeemer asleep in the hay ♪ ♪ Godhead incarnate and hope of salvation ♪ ♪ A child with His mother ♪ ♪ That first Christmas Day ♪ ♪ Candlelight, angel light ♪ ♪ Firelight, and star glow ♪ ♪ Shine on His cradle till breaking of dawn ♪ ♪ Gloria, Gloria ♪ ♪ In Excelsis Deo ♪ ♪ Angels are singing ♪ ♪ The Christ child is born ♪ (gentle music continues) - Now we're gonna hear another John Rutter piece.

He wrote this for his professional choir the Cambridge Singers in the eighties, just to show them off.

And it's a harmonization of "Deck the Hall," and it requires a lot of nimble voices.

It's very fun.

And all the fa-la-las are there.

♪ Fa-la-la-la ♪ ♪ Deck the hall with boughs of holly ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ Fill the mead cup, drain the barrel ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la ♪ ♪ Troll the ancient Christmas carol ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ Deck the hall with boughs of holly ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ Fill the mead cup, drain the barrel ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la ♪ ♪ Troll the ancient Christmas carol ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ La-la-la-la, La-la-la-la ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ See the flowing bowl before us ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ Strike the harp and join the chorus ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ Follow me in merry measure ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la ♪ ♪ While I sing of beauty's treasure ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ La-la-la-la, La-la-la-la ♪ ♪ La-la-la-la, La-la-la-la ♪ ♪ Fast away the old year passes ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ Hail the new, ye lads and lassies ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la ♪ ♪ Laughing, quaffing all together ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la ♪ ♪ Heedless of the wind and weather ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la-La ♪ ♪ Fa-la-la-la-la-la ♪ - Next we're gonna hear a carol, also arranged by David Willcocks, "The First Nowell."

Beautiful harmonizations that he also used in his "Lessons and Carols" ceremonies in King's College, Cambridge.

It's one of the most unusual Christmas carols because it starts not on, or it ends on me instead of do.

But it's, you know, the "Nowells" are famous and beloved and we love to sing them.

(steady music) ♪ The first Nowell ♪ ♪ The angel did say ♪ ♪ Was to certain poor shepherds ♪ ♪ In fields as they lay ♪ ♪ In fields where they lay keeping their sheep ♪ ♪ On a cold winter's night that was so deep ♪ ♪ Nowell, Nowell ♪ ♪ Nowell, Nowell ♪ ♪ Born is the King of Israel ♪ ♪ They looked up and saw a star ♪ ♪ Shining in the east ♪ ♪ Beyond them far ♪ ♪ And to the earth it gave great light ♪ ♪ And so it continued both day and night ♪ ♪ Nowell, Nowell ♪ ♪ Nowell, Nowell ♪ ♪ Born is the King of Israel ♪ ♪ And by the light of that same star ♪ ♪ Three wise men came from country far ♪ ♪ To seek for a king was their intent ♪ ♪ And to follow the star wherever it went ♪ ♪ Nowell, Nowell ♪ ♪ Nowell, Nowell ♪ ♪ Born is the King of Israel ♪ ♪ Then let us all with one accord ♪ ♪ Sing praises to our heavenly Lord ♪ ♪ That hath made heaven and earth of naught ♪ ♪ And with His blood our life hath bought ♪ ♪ Nowell, Nowell ♪ ♪ Nowell, Nowell ♪ ♪ Born is the King of Israel ♪ (steady music continues) - The final carol we're gonna do with the brass is "O Come All Ye Faithful."

Willcocks wrote a great fanfare for this one that's really fun to conduct 'cause the brass are just blazing away.

And then there's a descant for the third verse, and then it's unison on the fourth verse with this amazing harmonization underneath that is famous among choral lovers for its surprising diminished chord on "Word of the Father."

It's really a hair-raising moment.

It's fun to present.

(majestic music) (majestic music continues) (majestic music continues) (majestic music continues) (majestic music continues) ♪ O come all ye faithful ♪ ♪ Joyful and triumphant ♪ ♪ O come ye ♪ ♪ O come ye to Bethlehem ♪ ♪ Come and behold Him ♪ ♪ Born the King of angels ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ Christ the Lord ♪ ♪ God of God ♪ ♪ Light of light ♪ ♪ Lo, He abhors not the virgin's womb ♪ ♪ Very God ♪ ♪ Begotten not created ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ Christ the Lord ♪ ♪ Sing, choirs of angels ♪ ♪ Sing in exultation ♪ ♪ Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above ♪ ♪ Glory to God ♪ ♪ In the highest ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ O come ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ O come ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ Christ the Lord ♪ ♪ Yea, Lord, we greet Thee ♪ ♪ Born this happy morning ♪ ♪ Jesu, to Thee be glory given ♪ ♪ Word of the Father ♪ ♪ Now in flesh appearing ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ O come, let us adore Him ♪ ♪ Christ the Lord ♪ (audience applauding) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (choir singing "Silent Night" in German continues) (steady music) - [Announcer] Funding for this program is provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.