Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Program Notes

Puer natus est nobis is a famous Gregorian chant Introit that is sung as part of the Christmas day mass.  This chant begins with an Antiphon, followed by a Psalm verse and then closes with the Antiphon again.  An Antiphon is a short sentence chanted before or after a Psalm.  The Old Testament of the Bible is the source of text for both the Antiphon and the Psalm (see: Isaiah 9:6 and Psalms 98:1). 

Puer natus est nobis,
Et filius datus est nobis:
Cujus imperium super humerum ejus:
Et vocabitur nomen ejus,
Magni consili Angelus.  
Psalm:  Cantate Domino canticum novum:
Quia mirabilia fecit. 
Gloria Patri.  Saeculorum, Amen.


A boy is born to us,
And a son is given to us,
Upon whose shoulders authority rests
And his name will be called
“The Angel of Great Counsel”
Psalm:  Sing to the Lord a new song,
Because he has done the miraculous.
Glory be to the Father.  Forever, Amen.

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