On This Day / Personent hodie

Use: Christmas
Required Resources: SATB choir, flute
Language: English and Latin

The familiar text and tune of this motet date from 1582, appearing in a Finnish collection of Medieval Latin songs, Piæ cantiones. This easy setting, by Lynn Arthur Koch, is scored for SATB choir (a cappella) and flute. Well within the reach of the average church choir, this motet would highlight a high school flutist, who with the adult (or even the high school) choir would add a distinctly Medieval flavor to the Christmas season.

The refrain, Ideo -o -o is always set to the same choral music, while the verses use various textures: unison choir, soprano solo, men's voices, four-part choir.

Both English and Latin singing texts are included in the octavo:

1. On this day earth shall ring With the song children sing
   To the Lord, Christ the King, Born on earth to save us; Him the Father gave us.
   
   Ideo -o -o, Ideo -o -o, Ideo, gloria in excelsis Deo.
    
2. His the doom, ours the mirth; When he came down to earth,
   Bethlehem saw his birth; Ox and ass beside him From the cold would hide him.
   
   Ideo -o -o, Ideo -o -o, Ideo, gloria in excelsis Deo.
    
3. God's bright star, o'er his head, Wisemen three to him led,
   Kneeling low by his bed, Lay their gifts before him, Praise him and adore him.
   
   Ideo -o -o, Ideo -o -o, Ideo, gloria in excelsis Deo.
    
4. On this day angels sing; With their song earth shall ring,
   Praising Christ, heaven's King, Born on earth to save us. Peace and love he gave us.
   
   Ideo -o -o, Ideo -o -o, Ideo, gloria in excelsis Deo.
    

1. Personent hodie voces puerulæ,
   laudantes jucunde qui nobis est natus, summo Deo datus;
   
   Et de vir- vir- vir-, Et de vir- vir- vir-, Et de virgineo ventre procreatus.
    
2. In mundo nascitur, pannis involvitur
   præsepi ponitur stabulo brutorum, rector supernorum;
   
   Perdidit -dit -dit, Perdidit -dit -dit, Perdidit spolia princeps infernorum.
    
3. Magi tres venerunt munera offerunt,
   parvulum inquirunt, stellulam sequendo, ipsum adorando;
   
   Aurum, thus, thus, thus, Aurum, thus, thus, thus, Aurum, thus, et myrrham ei offerendo.
    
4. Omnes clericuli, pariter pueri,
   cantent ut angeli: "Advenisti mundo, laudes tibi fundo.
   
   Ideo -o -o, Ideo -o -o, Ideo, gloria in excelsis Deo."