Carols in Canonbury
with Union Chapel Singers
Design by Caroline Grimshaw
The Union Chapel Singers will be singing Carols in Canonbury Square on Monday 16th December, 19:45-20-30.
Below you can find lyrics to join in the singing
Ding Dong Merrily On High
George Ratcliffe Woodward / Jehan Tabourot (aka Thoinot Arbeau)
1. Ding dong merrily on high,
In heav'n the bells are ringing:
Ding dong! verily the sky
Is riv'n with angel singing.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
2. E'en so here below, below,
Let steeple bells be swungen,
And "Io, io, io!"
By priest and people sungen.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
3. Pray you, dutifully prime
Your matin chime, ye ringers;
May you beautifully rime
Your evetime song, ye singers.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Gaudete
traditional
Gaudete, gaudete! Christus est natus
Ex Maria virgine, Gaudete!
Gaudete, gaudete! Christus est natus
Ex Maria virgine, Gaudete!
Verses 1-4 with Chorus in between and at the end.
In the Bleak midwinter
Christina Rosetti / Gustav Holst
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ.
Angels and Archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him: give my heart.
Good King Wenceslas
Václav Alois Svoboda (transl. John Mason Neale,Thomas Helmore) / trad.
Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight gathering winter fuel
"Hither, page, and stand by me If thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain."
In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted.
Heat was in the very sod which the Saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank pos-sessing;
Ye who will now bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.
Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight gathering winter fuel.
O holy Night
Placide Cappeau / Adolphe Adam
1.
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, oh hear the angels’ voices!
Oh night divine, oh night when Christ was born;
Oh night divine, oh night, oh night divine.
2.
Let by the light of faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by the cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from Orient land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, weakness is no stranger,
behold your King before him bend!
Behold your King, behold, behold your King.
3. (repeat 1.)
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, oh hear the angels’ voices!
Oh night divine, oh night when Christ was born;
Oh night divine, oh night, oh night divine.
Silent Night
Joseph Moor / Franz Xaver Gruber
Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child!
Holy infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Saviour is born!
Christ the Saviour is born!
Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth!
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth!
Once in Royal David’s city
C. F. Alexander / H. J. Gauntlett
Once in Royal David's city
Stood a lowly cattle shed
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for his bed
Mary was that mother mild
Jesus Christ, her little Child
He came down to earth from heaven
Who is God and Lord of all
And His shelter was a stable
And His cradle was a stall
With the poor, and mean, and lowly
Lived on earth, our Saviour holy.
And our eyes at last shall see Him
Through His own redeeming love
For that Child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above
And He leads His children on
To the place where He is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable
With the oxen standing by
We shall see Him but in heaven
Set at God's right hand on high
When like stars his children crowned
All in white shall wait around.
Coventry Carol
text from 15th century / harmonised by M. F. Shaw
Sung by the Union Chapel Singers
Hark! the herald angels sing
Charles Wesley / F. Mendelssohn
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!"
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th'angelic hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"
Refrain:
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin's womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th'incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Refrain
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Refrain
We wish you a merry Christmas
traditional English / harm. Edward L. Stauff
1.
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year
Refrain
Good tidings we bring
To you and your kin
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year
2.
Now bring us a figgy pudding
Now bring us a figgy pudding
Now bring us a figgy pudding
And bring some out here
Refrain
3.
We won’t go until we get some
We won’t go until we get some
We won’t go until we get some
So bring some out here:
Refrain
4.
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year!
Thank you !
Join us any and every Monday 7:30pm
in the Union Chapel Lower Hall.
Everyone who likes to sing is welcome!
Merry Christmas!