TODAY’S PROGRAM
Sing Noel! Christmas Music from the High Renaissance
December 19, 2025
St. Louis Art Museum
Featuring:
Arianna Aerie & Samantha Arten, sopranos Nancy Bristol & Karin Hagaman, altos
Jeffrey Ballard & Tristan Frampton, tenors Connor Scott & Kevin Warner, bass
Celina Boldrey & Timothy Eshing, Baroque violin Timothy Eshing, Baroque viola
Stephanie Hunt, viola da gamba Rachel Siegel & Anne Timberlake, recorders
Tristan Frampton, cornetto Henry Skolnick, dulcian
Jeffrey Noonan, Renaissance lute & theorbo
About Today’s Program:
Tonight’s concert celebrates the Christmas season High Renaissance vocal and instrumental music from England, France, Italy and Germany.
Here is today’s playlist, including translations of Latin lyrics:
Bicinium: Agnus Dei (Dodecachordon, Glareanus 1547), Josquin des Prez (c. 1450 – 1521)
Personent hodie (Piae Cantiones, 1582), Anonymous 16th-century
Let the voices of little children be heard today, praising joyfully
He who was born to us, given by the highest God,
And procreated from a virgin's womb.
He is born into the world, wrapped in cloths and placed in a manger
In a stable of beasts, the ruler of the heavens.
The infernal prince lost his spoils.
The three Magi came, they searched for the Little One, they searched for the Little One,
Following the star, adoring Him,
By offering Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Let all the clerics, as well as the children, sing like angels:
You have come to the world, I praise You from the depths.
Therefore, glory be to God in the highest.
There is no rose (Trinity Carol Roll, Trinity College, Cambridge), Anonymous 15th-century
There is no rose of such virtue
As is the rose that bare Jesu.
Alleluia.
For in this rose contained was
Heaven and earth in little space.
Res miranda. [Marvelous thing.]
Be that rose we may well see
There be one God in persons three.
Pares forma. [Of equal form.]
The angels sungen the shepherds to
Gloria in excelsis Deo. [Glory to God in the highest.]
Gaudeamus. [Therefore let us rejoice.]
Leave we all this worldly mirth
and follow we this joyful birth.
Transeamus. [We travel on.]
Canzona Ariosa (Il terzo Libro de Ricecari... per ogni sorte di instromenti..., 1596), Andrea Gabrieli (c. 1532 – 1585)
Magnificat 8 voci, Luca Marenzio (1553 – 1599)
My soul magnifies the Lord.
and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
Because he has regarded the humility of his handmaid:
for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name.
And his mercy is from generation to generation, to them that fear him.
He has shewed might in his arm:
he has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their seat and has exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he has sent empty away.
He has received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy.
As he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his seed for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, and is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
Bicinium 3, Josquin des Prez
O magnum mysterium (Motecta …, 1572), Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548 – 1611)
O great mystery and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord lying in a manger!
O blessed is the Virgin, whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord.
Alleluia!
Fantasia (Trium Vocum Carmina, 1538), Ludwig Senfl (c. 1490 – 1543)
Ave Maria...virgo serena (Codex Speciálník, c. 1585), Josquin des Prez
Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee, serene Virgin.
Hail, thou whose Conception,
Full of great joy,
Fills heaven and earth
With new gladness.
Hail, thou whose Nativity
Became our great celebration,
As the light-bearing Morning Star
anticipates the true Sun.
Hail, faithful humility,
Fruitful without man,
Whose Annunciation
Was our salvation.
Hail, true virginity,
Immaculate chastity,
Whose Purification
Was our cleansing.
Hail, glorious one
In all angelic virtues,
Whose Assumption
Was our glorification.
O Mother of God,
Remember me. Amen.
Canzon “Bergamasca” (Ludi musici I, 1621), Samuel Scheidt (1587 – 1654)
Gaudete (Piae Cantiones, 1582), Anonymous 16th-century
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Christ is born of the Virgin Mary: rejoice!
The time of grace has come for which we have prayed;
let us devoutly sing songs of joy.
God is made human, while nature wonders;
the world is renewed by Christ the King.
The closed gate of Ezekiel has been passed through;
from where the Light has risen salvation is found.
Therefore let our assembly sing praises now at this time of purification;
Let it bless the Lord: greetings to our King.
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, arr. Michael Praetorius (Musae Sioniae, 1609)
Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming, as men of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright,
Amid the cold of winter, when half spent was the night.
O Flower, whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air,
Dispel with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death now save us, and share our every load.
About Early Music Missouri:
Early Music Missouri, the region’s foremost promoter and presenter of Early Music concerts, offers regular concerts of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque repertoire performed on period instruments by specialist performers from the region and across the country. We also promote Early Music through education and research as well as performance. Begun as informal concerts in 2018, Early Music Missouri offers concerts, workshops, master classes and presentations focused on Early Music across the region. Informed by historical documents and original musical scores and guided by modern research, Early Music Missouri offers performances that reflect an Historically Informed Approach to technique, interpretation and performance. To meet this end, Early Music Missouri presents expert performers and performer/scholars who are some of the finest musicians of our region as well as out-of-town guest artists.
For more information or to subscribe to our email newsletter, visit our website, earlymusicmissouri.net