Latin Christmas Music

[Love_is_Patient]

Can anyone recommend some good Latin hymns for Christmas? As a post-Vatican II Catholic, all I can think of is Adeste Fideles…

Merry Christmas,
Love is Patient

 

[puzzleannie]

I have some chant CDs of the offices of Christmastide and Advent, Puer Natus Est and some of the other hymns included are favorites, as well as the psalms themselves.

 

[Caesar]

The ‘O Antiphons’ are probably the most famous. They are ancient prayers sung during during the office of Vespers of the Octave before Christmas Eve.
Article and recordings of the O Antiphons

Based on the O Antiphons is Veni, Veni Emmanuel (O Come, Emmanuel). The text is from the 9th century, the usual music is from the 15th.

There is also Adeste, Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful), Puer Natus in Bethlehem (which dates from the 14th century).

 

[NPC]

Some of my favourite Latin carols are:
‘Quem Pastores Laudavere’ - from old German words and tune,

‘Divinum Mysterium’ - sung to the hymn-tune of the same name (though I think the tune is also called Corde Natus) - it’s from Piae Cantiones, 1582

‘Gaudete, gaudete, Christus est Natus’ - also from Piae Cantiones

You can’t go wrong with Adeste - a great carol; you can get the Latin words for Veni Emmanuel on the internet - the English version is sung to the same tune as the original Latin… Also, the Gregorian chants for Christmas are lovely, and very do-able: ‘Puer natus est nobis’ and ‘Hodie Christus natus est’ are two of my favourites!

 

[Love_is_Patient]

Thank you!

 

[kenmay]

I couldn’t find a copy of the translation of the Puer Natus Chant anywhere so I made one myself.

Check it out at:

catholichosting.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6&p=7#p7
I also posted a PDF of the music, and a NWC of the midi, so anyone can do it themselves.

Check it out, I’m trying to add a lot of Catholic music and information about the Chant and the Tridentine mass to my site. I run a Catholic Webhosting Business: catholichosting.org.

Merry Christmas!

 

[brotherhrolf]

It should be remembered that there are any number of Latin carols and motets for the Christmas season - not just chant.

amazon.com/Medieval-Christmas-Joel-Cohen/dp/B000005IVR/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198685744&sr=1-1

amazon.com/Renaissance-Christmas-Cohen-Boston-Camerata/dp/B000005IXX/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198685901&sr=1-1

amazon.com/Noel-Francais-French-Christmas-1200-1600/dp/B000000SCC/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198686029&sr=1-11

I have these three albums and my choir has sung many of these carols and motets over the years. They are not difficult to sing and if you can add the instruments the effects are spectacular in a church with any kind of good acoustics.

 

[belgianwaffles9]

Here are my favorite “Catholic” Christmas albums:

Creator of the Stars - Alexander Blachly Pomerium
Has traditional Latin carols and antiphons recorded a few times in different numbers of voices. Good to pray to.

Christmas around Europe - various artists
Traditional carols from the renaissance. Included is my favorite mass setting so far, done by Jan Wanski. Very good.

Christmas Chants - The Benedicte Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos
It has antiphons and some sections of the Mass

Christmas at the National Shrine - The Choir of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Mostly english carols, but some latin, and a good setting of the mass, although it is NO

Once as I remember - John Eliot Gardiner; Monteverdi Choir
His recreation of a nativity play, in choral form. Very good; has traditional carols in Latin, English, German, Provencal, French… very fun to listen to.

Les Chorales de Noël - les chanteurs de la chapelle sainte Cecile and Les petits chanteurs
By various French childrens choirs, who sing traditional French carols, and some latin ones, to a backdrop of organs. very nice, and easier than studying for my french final.

And, just off the cuff… the BEST version of “Veni Veni” I’ve ever heard was done, surprisingly, by Mannheim Steamroller