Three Medieval Carols

- Colin Brumby

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Use: Christmastide
Required Resources: SATB choir
Optional Resources: Organ
Language: English / Latin

Vocal music in the Medieval period was known for interesting texts and jaunty melodies. Colin Brumby has captured both in his arrangement of these three easy carol texts.

Make We Joy Now in This Fest begins with a unison, a cappella refrain. The five verses from the 15th century are in macaronic style, meaning they combine two languages; in this case, English and Latin. The verses are set for SATB choir, but could easily be sung by a soloist (low) or unison choir, with organ accompaniment. Here's an example of that "interesting text" mentioned above. Verse one, with ingenius rhyming of the English and Latin texts:

A Patre Unigenitus / All through a maiden come to us;
Sing we to her and say welcome, / Veni Redemptor gentium.

The second carol is presented twice; in English as From the Royal Shepherd's Line, and in Latin as David ex progenie. The music is for SATB choir, in the composer's comfortable, efficient manner. As before, a soloist or unison choir could perform this with organ accompaniment.

The third carol, Nowell Sing We, uses the same format as the first: a unison, a cappella refrain with SATB verses. It is also in macaronic style — we offer an English tranlsation not only of the Latin text, but also of the more obscure, medieval English words [e.g. lysse = "joy" and His pennon pight = "His pennant pitched"]. This can be sung by SATB choir a cappella, or unison choir/soloist (high) with accompaniment.