Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 3 - Gevaert: Sommeil de l' enfant Jesus (Sleep of the Infant Jesus) (1900)

Though during his lifetime composer François-Auguste Gevaert (1828-1908) enjoyed considerable success in his native Belgium (including performances of no fewer than a dozen operas), his music is now mostly forgotten, save for some choral pieces. Today, he is mostly remembered, even in his native land, more as a teacher, historian, and lecturer than as a composer.

Over more than twenty years (1886-1908) Gevaert published ten collections of choral works, based on latin and french hymns, popular and religious texts, and 17th and 18th century melodies and noëls. In Le sommeil de l'enfant Jésus (Sleep of the Infant Jesus) Gevaert crafts a gentle lullaby, based on a folk melody that dates from sometime before 1800. This beautiful French carol is simple, short, and sweet, yet profound in its contemplation of what it was like to behold the Christ Child in the manger.

Entre le bœuf et l'âne gris,

    Here, midst the ox and ass so mild,

Dors, dors, dors le petit fils:

    Sleeps, sleeps, sleeps the little child.

Mille anges divins, mille séraphins,

    Countless cherubim, shining seraphim,

Volent à l'entour de ce grand Dieu d'amour.

    Watching all around the little king of love.

Entre les deux bras de Marie,

    Here in his mother’s arms, the son,

Dors, dors, dors le fruit de vie:

    Sleeps, sleeps, darling little one:

Mille anges divins, mille séraphins,

    Countless cherubim, shining seraphim,

Volent à l'entour de ce grand Dieu d'amour.

    Watching all around the little king of love.

Entre les pastoureaux jolis,

    Here where the shepherds kneel in joy,

Dors, dors, dors le petit fils:

    Sleep, sleep, sleep oh little boy.

Mille anges divins, mille séraphins,

    Countless cherubim, shining seraphim,

Volent à l'entour de ce grand Dieu d'amour.

    Watching all around the little king of love.

Sommeil de l' enfant Jesus (Sleep of the Infant Jesus) - Ensemble vocal Le Petit Sablon

Sleep of the Infant Jesus - Peninsula Girls Choir

Sleep of the Infant Jesus -  The National Lutheran Choir