Gaudete

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"Gaudete" ("Rejoice") is a sacred Christmas carol, composed sometime in the 16th century, most likely in reference to Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday in Advent. It is celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church falling between December 11 and December 17 inclusive. The song was published in the Piae Cantiones, a collection of Finnish/Swedish sacred songs published in 1582. No music is given for the verses, but the standard tune comes from older liturgical books.

The text, in Latin, is a typical song of praise, probably stemming from the Middle Ages. It follows the standard pattern for the time - a uniform series of four-line stanzas, each preceded by a two-line refrain (in the early English carol this was known as the burden). Carols could be on any subject, but typically they were about the Virgin Mary or the Saints of Christmas.

The complete text of the Gaudete, including the refrain:

''Gaudete, gaudete! Christus est natus

''Ex Maria virgine, gaudete!

''Tempus adest gratiae

''Hoc quod optibamus,

''Carmina laetitiae

''Devote redamus.

''Deus homo factus est

''Natura mirante,

''Mundus renovatus est

''A Christo regnante.

''Ezechielis porta

''Clausa pertransitur,

''Unde lux est orta

''Salus invenitur.

''Ergo nostra cantio,

''Psallat iam in lustro;

''Benedicat Domino:

''Salus Regi nostro.

Translating as :

Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born

Of the Virgin Mary, rejoice!

It is now the time of grace

That we have desired;

Let us sing songs of joy,

Let us give devotion.

God was made man,

And nature marvels;

The world was renewed

By Christ who is King.

The closed gate of Ezechiel

Has been passed through;

From where the light rises

Salvation is found.

Therefore let our assembly now sing,

Sing the Psalms to purify us;

Let it praise the Lord:''

Recordings

The folk rock group Steeleye Span had a hit in 1974 (#11, UK singles chart) with an a cappella recording of the song. It remains to this day the only UK hit single sung entirely in Latin. Guitarist Bob Johnson visited a church with his father-in-law in Cambridge and heard a folk-carol service. He was attracted by the song and brought it to the attention of the rest of Steeleye Span. In 1997 it was recorded by the classical group Mediaeval Baebes as part of their No. 2 selling classical recording Salva Nos.

External links

[The Score, Lyrics and Translation for Gaudete]

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