Carol of the Day

[muckefuck]

Continuing with the mediaeval motif, here's a 15th-century version of one of the most popular German carols. When Umm `Atā'ullāh sang it for me last weekend, I confessed my pathetic knowledge of German Christmas carols (not including this one, I know the titles of only four and can sing only two of those; if you're dying for a quiz today, try to guess what those are). Part of the reason for an outing to Lincoln Square is to find a good German recording from which I can learn more.

Joseph, lieber Neve min,
Hilf mir wiegen das Kindelin,
Daß Gott müeße din Lohner sin
In Himmelrich
Der Maide Kind Maria.

Gerne, liebe Muhme min,
Ich hilfe die wiegen din Kindelin,
Daß Gott müeße min Lohner sin
In Himmelrich
Der Maide Kind Maria

Nun freu dich christenliche Schar !
Der himmelische Kunig klar
Nahm die Menschheit offenbar,
Den uns gebar
Die reine Maid Maria.

Es sullen alle Menschen zwar
Mit ganzen Freuden kommen dar,
Da man find der Seelen Nar,
Die uns gebar
Die reine Maid Maria.

Uns ist geborn Emanuel,
Als uns verkündigt Gabriel:
Deß ist Gezeuch Ezechiel,
O frommes el!
Dich hat geborn Maria.

O ewiges Vaters ewiges Wort,
Wahr' Gott, wahr' Mensch, der Tugend Hort,
In Himmel, in Erde, hie und dort
Der Sälden Pfort,
Den uns gebar Maria.

O süßer Jesu, auserkorn,
Du weißt wohl, daß wir warn verlorn:
Stille uns deines Vaters Zorn !
Dich hat geborn
Die reine Magd Maria.

O himmlisch Kind, o großer Gott,
Du leidest in der Krippen Noth.
Der Sünder hir von Handen hot
Der Engel Brot,
Das uns gebar Maria.

Comments

[lil-m-moses.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing the two you can sing are Stille Nacht and O, Tannenbaum. Those are the two I know off the top of my head, anyway. =) I think Stille Nacht is prettier in German anyway.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

Bingo!

As for Stille Nacht, it depends. I knew someone who used to draw out "Nacht" as if he were hawking up spit and release the "t" as if he were expectorating. The first line came out:

"Stiiille NachhhHHHtptui!"
"Haailige NachhhHHHtptui!"

[aadroma.livejournal.com]

I can't say I've ever heard of this carol. And at least in German the carols are consistent, as opposed to Japanese carols that have about 5 different versions ^_- :: laugh ::

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm sure there are enough different versions of this one. The modern standard take on the first verse seems to be:

Joseph, lieber Joseph mein,
Hilf mir wieg'n mein Kindelein,
Gott der wird dein Lohner sein,
Im Himmelreich der Jungfrau Kind Maria.

"Stille Nacht" is very consistent since it's relatively late (1818). The standard version of "Oh Tannenbaum!" dates back only to 1824, though the melody is older.