The Choir of St John S College, Cambridge s1

The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge

Andrew Nethsingha – Director
Joseph Wicks/Glen Dempsey – Piano

Cadogan Hall

Monday 12 December 2016

The Annunciation

The angel and the girl are met,
Earth was the only meeting place.
For the embodied never yet
Travelled beyond the shore of space.
The eternal spirits in freedom go.
See, they have come together, see,
While the destroying minutes flow,
Each reflects the other’s face
Till heaven in hers and earth in his
Shine steady there. He’s come to her
From far beyond the farthest star,
Feathered through time. Immediacy
Of strangest strangeness is the bliss
That from their limbs all movement takes.
Yet the increasing rapture brings
So great a wonder that it makes
Each feather tremble on his wings.
Outside the window footsteps fall
Into the ordinary day
And with the sun along the wall
Pursue their unreturning way
Sound’s perpetual roundabout
Rolls its numbered octaves out
And hoarsely grinds its battered tune.
But through the endless afternoon
These neither speak nor movement make,
But stare into their deepening trance
As if their gaze would never break.

Words Edwin Muir Music Jonathan Harvey

(1887–1959) (1939–2012)

Ave Maria

Ave, Maria, gratia plena;

Dominus tecum:

benedicta tu in mulieribus,

et benedictus fructus ventris tui.

Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace;

the Lord is with thee:

blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

Amen.

Words Traditional Christian Prayer Music Robert Parsons

Luke 1 vv. 28, 42 (1530–1570)

The Angels

Should you hear them singing among stars

or whispering secrets of a wiser world,

do not imagine ardent, fledgeling children;

they are intelligences old as sunrise

that never learnt right from left, before from after,

knowing but one direction, into God,

but one duration, now.

Their melody strides not from bar to bar,

but, like a painting, hangs there entire,

one chord of limitless communication.

You have heard it in the rhythms of the hills,

the spiralling turn of a dance, the fall of words,

the touch of fingers at the rare, right moment,

and these were holy, holy.

Words John Vernon Taylor Music Jonathan Harvey

(1914–2001) (1939–2012)

Piano Solo played by Glen Dempsey

J S Bach – Prelude and Fugue in A-flat Major, BWV 864

Jesus Christ the apple tree

The tree of life my soul hath seen,

Laden with fruit and always green:

The trees of nature fruitless be

Compared with Christ the apple tree.

His beauty doth all things excel:

By faith I know, but ne’er can tell

The glory which I now can see

In Jesus Christ the apple tree.

For happiness I long have sought,

And pleasure dearly I have bought:

I missed of all; but now I see

’Tis found in Christ the apple tree.

I’m weary with my former toil,

Here I will sit and rest awhile:

Under the shadow I will be,

Of Jesus Christ the apple tree.

This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,

It keeps my dying faith alive;

Which makes my soul in haste to be

With Jesus Christ the apple tree.

Words from ‘Divine Hymns or Music Elizabeth Poston

Spiritual Songs’, 1784 (1905–1987)

I Wonder as I Wander

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,

How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die

For poor on’ry people like you and like I.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

When Mary birthed Jesus, ’twas in a cow’s stall,

With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.

But high from the heavens a star’s light did fall,

And promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,

A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,

Or all of God’s angels in heaven for to sing,

He surely could have it, ’cause he was the King.

Words John Niles Music Carl Rütti

(1892–1980) (b. 1949)

The Shepherd’s Carol

We stood on the hills, Lady,

Our day’s work done,

Watching the frosted meadows

That winter had won.

The evening was calm, Lady,

The air so still,

Silence more lovely than music

Folded the hill.

There was a star, Lady,

Shone in the night,

Larger than Venus it was

And bright, so bright.

Oh, a voice from the sky, Lady,

It seemed to us then

Telling of God being born

In the world of men.

And so we have come, Lady,

Our day’s work done,

Our love, our hopes, ourselves

We give to your son.

Words Clive Sansom Music Bob Chilcott

(1910–1981) (b. 1955)

Out of your sleep

Out of your sleep arise and wake!

For God mankind now hath ytake

All of a maid without any make.

Of all women she beareth the bell.

Glory to God in the highest.

And through a maiden fair and wise

Now man is made of full great price;

Now angels kneelen to man’s servyse,

And at this time all this befell.

Glory to God in the highest.

Now man is brighter than the sun;

Now man in heaven on high shall won;

Blessed be God this game is begun

And his mother that beareth the bell.

Glory to God in the highest.

That ever was thrall, now is he free;

That ever was small, now great is she;

Now shall God deem both thee and me

Unto his bliss if we do well.

Glory to God in the highest.

Now, blessed Brother, grant us grace

At doomes day to see thy face,

And in thy court to have a place

That we may there sing thee ‘Nowell’.

Glory to God in the highest.

Words Anonymous, 14th century Music Anthony Milner

(1925–2002)

Dormi, Jesu!

Dormi, Jesu! Mater ridet Sleep, Jesus! Mother smiles

Quae tam dulcem somnum videt, Who sees such sweet sleep,

Dormi, Jesu, blandule. Sleep, Jesus, gentle.

Si non dormis, Mater plorat If you sleep not, Mother weeps

Inter fila cantans orat, While she spins, in song she prays,

Blande, veni, somnule. Come, gentle little sleep.

Dormi, Jesu, blandule. Sleep, Jesus, gentle.

Sleep, sweet baby! my cares beguiling:

Mother sits beside thee, smiling;

Sleep, my darling, tenderly.

Dormi, Jesu, blandule. Sleep, Jesus, gentle.

Words from a print of the Virgin, Germany Music John Rutter

(b.1945)

Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing day

Tomorrow shall be my dancing day:

I would my true love did so chance

to see the legend of my play,

to call my true love to my dance:

Sing, O my love, O my love, my love, my love;

this have I done for my true love.

Then was I born of a virgin pure,

of her I took fleshly substance;

thus was I knit to man’s nature,

to call my true love to my dance:

Sing, O my love, O my love, my love, my love;

this have I done for my true love.

In a manger laid and wrapped I was,

so very poor this was my chance,

betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass,

to call my true love to my dance:

Sing, O my love, O my love, my love, my love;

this have I done for my true love.

Then afterwards baptized I was;

the Holy Ghost on me did glance,

my Father’s voice heard from above,

to call my true love to my dance:

Sing, O my love, O my love, my love, my love;

this have I done for my true love, for my true love.

Words Traditional English Carol Music John Gardner

(1917–2011)

INTERVAL

Prayer to the Father of Heaven

O radiant luminary of light interminable,

Celestial Father, potential God of might,

Of heaven and earth O Lord incomparable,

Of all perfections the essential most perfite,

O maker of mankind, that formed day and night,

Whose power imperial comprehendeth every place,

Mine heart, my mind, my thought, my whole delight

Is after this life to see thy glorious face;

Whose magnificence is incomprehensible,

All arguments of reason which far doth exceed;

Whose deity doubtless is indivisible,

From whom all goodness and virtue doth proceed:

Of thy support all creatures have need;

Assist me, good Lord, and grant me thy grace

To live to thy pleasure in word, thought and deed,

And after this life to see thy glorious face.

Words by John Skelton Music by R. Vaughan Williams

(c.1463–1529) (1872–1958)

Piano Duet played by Joseph Wickes and Glen Dempsey

Mozart – Sonata in C Major for Four Hands, K521

I saw Three Ships

I saw three ships come sailing in,