There is no rose of such virtue As is the rose that bare Jesu: Alleluya. For in this rose contained was Heaven and earth in little space: Res miranda1. By that rose we may well see That he is God in [person]2 three: Pari forma3. The angels sung the shepherds to: "Gloria in excelsis Deo", Gaudeamus3. Leave we all this worldly mirth, And follow we this joyful birth: Transeamus.
J. Rutter sets stanzas 1-2
E. Maconchy sets stanzas 1-4
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Res miranda = thing of wonder.
2 Maconchy: "persons"
3 Pari forma = Equal in form.
4 Gaudeamus = Let us rejoice.
Authorship
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 15th-century )  [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "There is no rose", op. 28 no. 3 (1942) [treble chorus, solo voices, and harp], from A Ceremony of Carols, no. 3 [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Elizabeth Maconchy (1907 - 1994), "There is no rose", 1984, stanzas 1-4 [chorus] [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by William James Mathias (1934 - 1992), "There is no rose of such virtue", op. 453 no. 3, from Ave Rex, no. 3 [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by John (Milford) Rutter, CBE (b. 1945), "There is no rose", stanzas 1-2 [chorus], from Dancing Day; A cycle of traditional Christmas carols, no. 4 [ sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Bertram Kottmann , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission FRE ; composed by Gary Bachlund.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Thomas Jaenicke
This text was added to the website: 2004-03-29
Line count: 15
Word count: 69