A Bell Awakened

Music by Joan Szymko (b. 1957)
Text by Denise Levertov (1923-1997)
“Variations on a Theme by Rilke”

A certain day became a presence to me;
there it was, confronting me--a sky, air, light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honor and a task, The day's blow
rang out, metallic--or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what I heard was my whole self
saying and singing what it knew: I can.

Sleep Song

Music by Margaret Bonds (1913-1972)
Text by Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918)

The Lady World
Is sleeping on her white and cloudy bed.
Like petals furled
Her eyelids close. Beside her dream-filled head
Her lover stands in silver cloak and shoon,
The faithful Moon. So Love, my Love,
Sleep on, my Love, my Life, be not afraid.
The Moon above,
Shall guard the World, and I my little maid.
Your life, your love, your dreams are mine to keep,
So sleep, so sleep.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Music by Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847), adapted by William H. Cummings (1831–1915)

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 host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ by highest heav'n adored,
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a Virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

The Birds’ Lullaby

Music by Katerina Gimon (b. 1993)
Text by E. Pauline Johnson (Tekahionwake) (1861-1913)

I

Sing to us, cedars; the twilight is creeping
With shadowy garments, the wilderness through;
All day we have carolled, and now would be sleeping,
So echo the anthems we warbled to you;
While we swing, swing,
And your branches sing,
And we drowse to your dreamy whispering.

II

Sing to us, cedars; the night-wind is sighing,
Is wooing, is pleading, to hear you reply;
And here in your arms we are restfully lying,
And longing to dream to your soft lullaby;
While we swing, swing,
And your branches sing.
And we drowse to your dreamy whispering.

III

Sing to us, cedars; your voice is so lowly,
Your breathing so fragrant, your branches so strong;
Our little nest-cradles are swaying so slowly,
While zephyrs are breathing their slumberous song.
And we swing, swing,
While your branches sing,
And we drowse to your dreamy whispering.

La flor de la miel
The flower of the honey

Music by Alberto Grau (b. 1937)
Text by Manuel Felipe Rugeles (1903-1959)

Duerme niño, duérmete niño
Duerme que habrás de soñar con cuentos
de rosa y albas de cristal.
Duerme niño, que vas a tener en
un caramelo la flor de la miel,
Duerme niño, que mañana el sol
ha de encender moras y hojitas de olor.
Duerme niño.

Sleep child, go to sleep child,
Sleep to dream of tales
of roses and crystal dawns.
Sleep child, for you will have
candy the flower of honey;
Sleep, for tomorrow the sun
will light up berries and sweet-scented leaves
Sleep child

Two Lullabies

Music by Jocelyn Hagen (b. 1980)

I. My Bed is a Boat

Text by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)

My bed is like a little boat;
Nurse helps me in when I embark;
She girds me in my sailor's coat
And starts me in the dark.

At night I go on board and say
Good-night to all my friends on shore;
I shut my eyes and sail away
And see and hear no more.

And sometimes things to bed I take,
As prudent sailors have to do;
Perhaps a slice of wedding-cake,
Perhaps a toy or two.

All night across the dark we steer;
But when the day returns at last,
Safe in my room beside the pier,
I find my vessel fast.

II. All the pretty little horses

Traditional text

Hush-a-bye, don't you cry
Go to sleepy little baby
When you wake, you’ll have cake
And all the pretty little horses

Black and bay, dapple and grey,
Coach and six-a-little horses
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry
Go to sleepy little baby

Way down yonder, down in the meadow
There's a poor wee little lamby
Bees and butterflies pickin’ at its eyes
The poor wee thing cried for her mammy

Hush-a-bye, don't you cry
Go to sleepy little baby
When you wake, you’ll have cake
And all the pretty little horses

The Word Was God

Music by Rosephanye Powell (b. 1962)
Text from the book of John 1:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Ave Maria

Music by Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Dominus tecum;
benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.
Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis.
Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Amen.

Angels We Have Heard on High

French carol, 18th cent.

Angels we have heard on high
sweetly singing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply
echo back their joyous strains.

Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

Shepherds why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
Say, what may the tidings be
which inspire your heavenly song?

Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him Whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria In Excelsis Deo!
Gloria In Excelsis Deo!

Zion Hears the Watchmen Singing

J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
Original text and melody by Philipp Nicolai
English text by Curtis Hanson

Zion hears the watchmen singing,
and in her heart for joy is springing.
She watches and makes haste to rise.

Her friend comes from heav’n all glorious,
in mercy strong, in truth victorious.
Her starlight brightens in the skies.

Now come, O worthy crown.
Lord Jesus, God’s own Son. Hosanna!

We follow, all, to joy’s glad hall,
and share the Eucharistic call.

Only in Sleep

Music by Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977)
Text by Sara Teasdale (1884-1933)

Only in sleep I see their faces
Children I played with when I was a child
Louise comes back with her brown hair braided
Annie with ringlets warm and wild

Only in sleep Time is forgotten—
What may have come to them, who can know?
Yet we played last night as long ago
And the doll-house stood at the turn of the stair

Only in sleep I see their faces
Children I played with when I was a child
Louise comes back with her brown hair braided
Annie with ringlets warm and wild

Only in sleep Time is forgotten—
What may have come to them, who can know?
Yet we played last night as long ago
And the doll-house stood at the turn of the stair
I met their eyes and found them mild—

Do they, too, dream of me, I wonder
And for them am I too a child?

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Oh, come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant!
Oh, come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold him,
Born the King of angels;

[Chorus]
Oh, come, let us adore him;
Oh, come, let us adore him;
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord.

God of God,
Light of Light,
lo, He abhors not the virgin's womb;
very God, begotten not created

[Chorus]

Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation;
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above!
Glory to God!
Glory in the highest;

[Chorus]

Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory giv’n.
Son of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing.

[Chorus]

Now let every tongue adore Thee

Melody by Philipp Nicolai (1556-1608)
Harmonization by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
English text by Paul England

Now let ev'ry tongue adore Thee!
Let men with angels sing before Thee!
Let harps and cymbals now unite!
All Thy gates with pearl are glorious,
When we partake through faith victorious,
With angels round Thy throne of light.
No mortal eye hath seen,
No mortal ear hath heard
Such wondrous things;
Therefore with joy our song shall soar
In praise to God forevermore.
Amen.