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Digital download
- Ben Parry
Three Angels
- Peters Edition Limited (World)
- SATB; 2org
- SATB
- 2 min 30 s
- Garth Bardsley
Programme Note
The jaunty, irregular 5/8 metre of this carol conjures up the excitement and joyfulness of the approaching Christmas season. The six-stanza macaronic poem by Garth Bardsley, with exclamatory Latin interjections, is a cunning acrostic spelling out the first names of the lyricist and his family. Three Angels was first performed by the Britten-Pears Chamber Choir in Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Suffolk in December 2010, and was part of the BBC “Carols from King's” broadcast, Christmas Eve 2012, conducted by Stephen Cleobury. It received its American premiere at the President’s church in Washington DC, St John LaFayette in December 2012, conducted by Ben Hutto.
Three angels came to visit me
And brought with them such riches to see
Before my eyes these gifts they did show
In dulci, dulci jubilo!
The first to me did turn and say:
Have faith for God this very day
A child, he brings, this earth, to bless
Mirabile, miranda res!
In time, the next did sing hereto:
Rejoice for hope is born anew
All sorrow now at once dispel
Natus Emmanuel!
Did then, the third, proclaim above:
All things on earth are ruled by love
For loving hearts are hearts well blessed
In quo Christus natus est!
Oh! may these gifts fore’er be mine;
New faith, new hope, new love divine
All happiness, will now ensure
Gaudeamus igitur!
All men should know, that by their side
Are angels there to teach and guide
Then look to them and hear them sing
Hallelujah to the King!
© Garth Bardsley