Twelve Day of Christmas

The Epiphany - The Three Kings

 - Drie Koningen zagen een sterre

 - Drie koningen, drie koningen geef mij een nieuwe hoed

Epiphany is the Christian holiday that celebrates the biblical story of the Three Kings from the east. They follow the star to Bethlehem and find the baby Jesus there. In the Netherlands there are songs sung on the Epiphany by children dressed as the Three Kings: Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior. The children traditionally go door to door, sing a song at each house and in return receive something tasty, or even some money. The centuries-old tradition still exists, although there are not nearly as many children as in the past who make the Epiphany procession, in the dark, with a homemade lantern, walking through the streets in the evening, singing.

Here are two Dutch songs sung on the Epiphany . . . 

Er kwamen drie koningen met ene ster

    Three kings came with a star

Zij kwamen van bij en zij kwamen van ver

    They came from near and they came from far

Zij kwamen de hoge berg opgegaan

    They came up the high mountain

Zij vonden de sterre daar stille staan

    They found the star standing there still

Wel sterre, gij moet er zo stille niet staan

    Well star, you must not stand so still

Gij moet met ons naar Bethlehem gaan

    You must go with us to Bethlehem

Naar Bethlehem binnen die schone stad

    To Bethlehem within that beautiful city

Waar Maria met haar kindetje zat

    Where Mary sat with her child

Zij gaven dat kindetje menigvoud

    They gave that child many times

Van wierook en mirre en rode fijn goud

    Of frankincense and myrrh and red fine gold

Er kwamen drie koningen met ene ster

Driekoningen, Driekoningen,

    Epiphany, Epiphany,

Geef mij een nieuwe hoed!

    Give me a new hat!

Mijn oude is versleten,

    My old one is worn out,

Mijn moeder mag het niet weten!

    My mother mustn't know!

Mijn vader heeft het geld op de schoorsteen/rooster geteld!

    My father counted the money on the chimney/grate!

- OR -

Driekoningen, Driekoningen

    Epiphany, Epiphany

geef mij een nieuwe hoed, hoed, hoed.

    give me a new hat, hat, hat.

Warit m'n oude die is versleten,

    My old one is worn out,

en m'n moeder die mag het niet weten

    and my mother she mustn't know

en m'n vader die is niet thuis

    and my father he's not home

Piep zei de muis al in het zomerhuis.

    Squeak said the mouse already in the summer house.

Drie koningen, drie koningen geef mij een nieuwe hoed

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 10 - Now Is Christmas Ycome

The carols of the past few days (as you may have noticed: Day 4, Peter Cornelius: The Three Kings, Day 5, Rejoice and Be Merry, Day 6, March of the Three Kings, and Day 7, Jonathan Dove: The Three Kings), have all focused on the story of the Three Kings who came to see the Christ-child. The Adoration of the Magi was one of the most popular subjects for pictorial and dramatic representation in the Middle Ages; but carols on the theme are few and far between. Today's carol on this subject, Now Is Christmas Ycome, is an ancient carol from the 15th century, and it comes down to us in a number of different versions, and under a variety of titles: Now ye Crystemas y-cum, Now Ys The Twelthe Day Cum, The III Kings, The Three Kings, I Would Now Sing For And I Might, The Golden Carol, and Now Is Christmas Ycome.

Now is Christemas ycome,

Father and Son together in one,

Holy Ghost, as ye be one,  -  in fere-a,

God send us good New Year-a!

I will you sing with I might,

Of a Child so fair in sight,

A maiden bare on Christmas night  -  so still-a,

As it was His will-a.

Three kingës came fro Galilee

To Bethlehem, that fair city,

All to offer and to see  -  by night-a,

It was a full fair sight-a.

As they came forth with their offering,

They met with Herod, that moody king,

He asked them of their coming  -  that tide-a,

And thus to them he said-a:

"From whence come ye, you kingës three?"

"Out of the east, as ye may see,

To seek Him that ever shall be  -  by right-a,

Lord and king and knight-a."

They took their leave, both eld and ying,

Of Herod, that moody king;

And forth they went with their offering  -  by light-a,

By the star that shone so bright-a.

When they came into the place,

Where Jesus with his mother was,

Offered they up with great solace  -  in fere-a,

Gold, incense, and myrrh-a.

Kneel we now here a-down,

Pray we in good devotion,

To that King of great renown,  -  for grace-a,

In heaven to have a place-a.

Now Is Christmas Ycome - Cardiff Festival Choir

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 4 - Peter Cornelius: The Three Kings

Peter Cornelius (1824-1874) was a German composer, writer about music, poet and translator. His Weihnachtslieder (Christmas Songs), op. 8 (1856-1870), is a cycle of six songs on Christmas themes with texts written by Cornelius himself. The third song in this song cycle, Die Könige (The Kings ; also translated as Three Kings from Persian lands afar), is about the biblical magi, and it incorporates in the piano accompaniment a hymn by Philipp Nicolai (1556-1608), Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (How beautifully the morning star shines).

Die Könige (Three Kings) (English translation by H.N. Bate)

Drei Könige wandern aus Morgenland;

    Three kings from Persian lands afar

Ein Sternlein führt sie zum Jordanstrand.

    to Jordan follow the pointing star:

In Juda fragen und forschen die drei,

    And this the quest of the travellers three,

Wo der neugeborene König sei?

    where the new-born King of the Jews may be.

Sie wollen Weihrauch, Myrrhen und Gold

    Full royal gifts they bear for the King:

Dem Kinde spenden zum Opfersold.

    Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

Und hell erglänzet des Sternes Schein:

    The star shines out with steadfast ray;

Zum Stalle gehen die Kön’ge ein;

    the kings to Bethlehem make their way,

Das Knäblein schaun sie wonniglich,

    and there in worship they bend the knee,

Anbetend neigen die Könige sich;

    as Mary's child in her lap they see;

Sie bringen Weihrauch, Myrrhen und Gold

    their royal gifts they show to the King:

Zum Opfer dar dem Knäblein hold.

    Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

O Menschenkind! halte treulich Schritt!

    Thou child of man, lo, to Bethlehem

Die Kön’ge wandern, o wandre mit!

    the kings are trav'ling, travel with them!

Der Stern der Liebe, der Gnade Stern

    The star of mercy, the star of grace,

Erhelle dein Ziel, so du suchst den Herrn,

    shall lead thy heart to its resting place.

Und fehlen Weihrauch, Myrrhen und Gold,

    Gold, incense, myrrh thou canst not bring:

Schenke dein Herz dem Knäblein hold!

    Offer thy heart to the infant King, offer thy heart!

Die Könige (Three Kings) - TENET Vocal Artists

Die Könige - VOCES8 & Apollo5

Composer Christoph Graupner wrote this work based on Philipp Nicolai's Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (How beautifully the morning star shines)

Joseph M. Martin: How Brightly Shines the Morning Star - Bach Choir of Pittsburgh

After the Twelve Day of Christmas

Here we are. The Twelve Days of Christmas (both before and after!) are over, and we have  arrived at January 6th. For Christians, it is Epiphany, also called Theophany, or Three Kings' Day. Epiphany (from the Greek epiphaneia, meaning  “manifestation”) is the holiday commemorating the first manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, the three wise men who, the Bible says, brought the Infant Jesus gifts and proclaimed him the Son of God. Matthew, in the Bible, tells of the kings who followed a star in the East to find the baby in the manger. Those three kings, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

A number of hymns and carols deal specifically with this event, and the most popular and well known of those is, of course, We Three Kings of Orient Are. This carol was written by American John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857, while he served as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. And he wrote the carol for a Christmas pageant in New York City!

We Three Kings of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain,
Moor and mountain,
Following yonder Star.

O Star of Wonder, Star of Night,
Star with Royal Beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect Light.

We Three Kings of Orient Are - Chris Brunelle (voice & guitar)

We Three Kings of Orient Are - Alice Giles (harp) arr. by Carlos Salzedo

We Three Kings of Orient Are - Alexey Ryazanov (recorders)

In 1642 German hymnist Georg Weissel wrote the Epiphany hymn Nun liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit (Well dear soul, now it's time). His words were set to music in a six-part motet by Johannes Eccard. It's a beautiful work; soothing on a day like today . . .

Nun, liebe Seel, nun ist es Zeit,
wach auf, erweg mit Lust und Freud,
was Gott an uns gewendet,
seinn lieben Sohn
vons Himmel-Thron
ins Jammerthal er sendet.

Well dear soul, now it's time
wake up, ponder with pleasure and joy,
what God turned to us,
his' dear Son
from the heavenly throne
in the valley of tears he sends.

O Jesu, unser Heyl und Licht:
halt über uns dein Angesicht,
mit deinen Strahlen walte,
und mein Gemüth
durch deine Güt
bey deinem Licht erhalte.

O Jesus, our salvation and light,
hold your face above us
rule with Your rays
and my mind
by Your kindness
receive by Your light.

Dein Glantz all Finsterniß verzehrt,
die trübe Nacht in Licht verkehrt,
leit uns auf deinen Wegen,
daß dein Gesicht
und herrlichs Licht
wir ewig schauen mögen.

Your splendor consumes all darkness,
the cloudy night in light traffic
guide us on Your way,
that Your face
and wonderful light
we like to look forever.

. . . And one last carol for Epiphany - Peter Cornelius' The Three Kings

The Three Kings - Florian Störtz & Continuum Choir

Three Kings from Persian lands afar
To Jordan follow the pointing star:
And this the quest of the travellers three,
Where the new-born King of the Jews may be.
Full royal gifts they bear for the King;
Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

The star shines out with a steadfast ray
The kings to Bethlehem make their way,
And there in worship they bend the knee,
As Mary's child in her lap they see;
Their royal gifts they show to the King;
Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

Thou Child of man, lo, to Bethlehem
The Kings are travelling, travel with them!
The star of mercy, the star of grace,
Shall lead thy heart to its resting place.
Gold, incense, myrrh thou canst not bring;
Offer thy heart to the infant King.