The Twelve Day of Christmas

Days 7 & 8 -  As I was exploring carols for this Twelve Days Before and After Christmas I came across this wonderful performance. I knew that the melody played by Mateusz Kowalski on his viola da gamba to start the performance was the classic German Christmas hymn Der Tag der ist so freudenreich (O hail this brightest day of days). However, it took me quite a bit of digging to discover what the second (choral) piece was - even though they gave a title for it! What they listed (in Polish) as Pochwalmyż wszytcy społem (Let us praise everyone together) is more often called Pieśń o Narodzeniu Pańskim (Song of the Nativity of the Lord) and was written by the Renaissance Polish composer Wacław z Szamotuł (c.1520-c.1560).

Not much more to say . . . but to enjoy this gorgeous music!

Der Tag der ist so freudenreich
(O hail this brightest day of days)

Der Tag der ist so freudenreich
Aller Kreature;
Denn Gottes Sohn vom Himmelreich
Über die Nature
Von einer Jungfrau ist geborn.
Maria, du bist auserkorn,
Dass du Mutter wärest.
Was geschah so wundergleich?
Gottes Sohn vom Himmelreich,
Der ist Mensch geboren.

O hail this brightest day of days,
All good Christian people!
For Christ hath come upon our ways,
Ring it from the steeple!
Of maiden pure is He the Son;
For ever shall thy praise be sung,
Christ's fair mother Mary!
Ever was there news so great?
God's own Son from heaven's high state
Is born the Son of Mary!

Ein Kindelein so löbelich
Ist uns geboren heute
Von einer Jungfrau säuberlich,
Zu Trost uns armen Leuten.
Wär uns das Kindlein nicht geborn,
So wärn wir all zumal verlorn;
Das Heil ist unser aller.
Ei, du süßer Jesu Christ,
Dass du Mensch geboren bist!
Behüt uns vor der Hölle.

This day the wondrous Child is born,
Lent to earth from heaven.
He comes to cheer a world forlorn,
Its heavy sin to leaven.
So, sing ye all the glorious birth
Which doth redeem our fallen earth,
And works our salvation.
Laud to thee, Child Jesus Christ!
With mankind Thou'st kept the tryst
Thou star of every nation.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pieśń o Narodzeniu Pańskim
(Song of the Nativity of the Lord)

Pochwalmyż wszytcy społem Pana Boga z tego,
że na świat zesłać raczył Syna jedynego;
Tegoż Panna Marya w Betleem porodziła,
Jezusa miłego, i w pieluchy powiła,
a do żłobu włożyła Króla niebieskiego.

Let us all praise the Lord God
for the fact that He has deigned
to send the only Son to the world;
The Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem,
beloved, and gave birth to diapers,
and put the King of heaven in a manger.

Bylić w onej krainie pastyrze pasący;
i stanął Anioł przy nich, tako k’nim mówiący:
Wesele wam objawiam, narodził się Krystus Pan;
to znamię weźmiecie: że w Dawidowym mieście
w żłobie leżące dziecię powite najdziecie.

To be shepherds in that land;
and an angel stood by them, saying,
"I am glad to reveal to you,
Christ the Lord is born"
take this mark: that in the city of David,
in a manger, a child lying in a manger is welcomed.

Der Tag der ist so freudenreich
(O hail this brightest day of days)
and
Pieśń o Narodzeniu Pańskim
(Song of the Nativity of the Lord)
 - Mateusz Kowalski (viola da gamba), and PERFUGIUM