Pax hominibus bonae voluntatis A frosty Christmas eve When the stars were shining Fared I forth alone, Where westward falls the hill And from many a village In the water'd valley, Distant music reached me Peals of bells [aringing]1 The constellated sounds, Ran sprinkling on earth's floor As the dark vault above, With stars was spangled o'er. Then sped my thoughts to keep, That first Christmas of all When the shepherds watching By their folds ere the dawn Heard music in the fields And marveling could not tell Whether it were angels Or the bright stars singing. Now blessed be the tow'rs, That crown England so fair, That stand up strong in prayer, Unto God for our souls: Blessed be their founders, [(said I) an']2 our country folk Who are ringing for Christ In the belfries to-night With arms lifted to clutch The rattling ropes that race Into the dark above And the mad romping din. But to me heard afar It was [starry]3 music. Angels' song, comforting As the comfort of Christ When He spake tenderly, To His sorrowful flock: The old words came to me, By the riches of time Mellow'd and transfigured, As I stood on the hill Heark'ning in the aspect Of th' eternal silence.
In terra pax
Set by Gerald Finzi (1901 - 1956), "In terra pax", alternate title: "A Christmas poem", op. 39 (1951-4), published 1958 [ soprano, baritone, satb chorus, strings, harp or piano, and cymbals ], note: the excerpt from the Bible is actually interpolated into the Bridges text, replacing the third stanza  [sung text checked 1 time]
Note: this setting is made up of several separate texts.
Authorship:
- by Robert Seymour Bridges (1844 - 1930), "Noël: Christmas Eve 1913", from The Times, first published 1913
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View original text (without footnotes)1 Finzi: "were ringing"
2 Finzi: "and"
3 Finzi: "heavenly"
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them: "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward [men]1. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thee thanks for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty." "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Luke 2:8-17 and the Book of Common Prayer [an adaptation]
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View original text (without footnotes)1 Finzi: "all"; this is the last word set by Finzi of this text.
Researcher for this page: Ahmed E. Ismail