Taco Tuesday #110: All I Want for Christmas is Tacos
Danny Johnson
Howdy! It appears that we are firmly ensconced in December and we shouldn’t waste time/space talking the good parts of Thanksgiving. I know you’re tired of me fonting about pumpkin spice, though I will admit that the pumpkin spice brake pads add a really nice touch to being stuck on Mopac or I-35; sometimes I just stop again to get a relaxing whiff! Anyway, we’re in December, and we know where that’s heading, so we’re serving up a nice Christmas Taco from our 2022 concert. (The next Taco, in two weeks, will be from 2023, and there won’t be any repeats with pieces coming up on our 2024 concert. More about that later!)
An Early Christmas
December 10 and 11, 2022
Ye sons of men, with me rejoice 🙞 Ireland, traditional, 18th century; arr. D. Johnson (2008; rev. 2022)
Daniel Johnson, soloist
Ye sons of men, with me rejoice, from the Wexford Carols, is part of an oral tradition handed down through the Devereux family of Kilmore, Ireland. The text is by Fr. William Devereux, fl. 1728; unlike our version, the Wexford Carols version contains twenty-seven verses.
Ye sons of men, with me rejoice, and praise the heavens with heart and voice!
For joyful tidings you we bring of this heavenly Babe, the newborn King.
Who from His mighty throne above came down to magnify His love
To all such as would Him embrace and would be born again in grace.
The mystery for to unfold: when the King of Kings He did behold
The poor unhappy state of man, He sent His dear beloved Son.
Within a manger there He lay; His dress was neither rich nor gay.
In Him you truly there might see a pattern of humility.
Give Him your heart the first of all, free from all malice, wrath, and gall;
And, now He’s on His throne on high, He will crown you eternally.
Lullay, lullay: Als I lay on Yoolis Night 🙞 Anonymous, 14th century, Cambridge University Add. 5943, f. 169;
Poem by John Grimestone, 1372: Edinburgh: National Library of Scotland, MS Advocates 18.7.21, f. 3v–4v;
arr. D. Johnson (2011; rev. 2022)
Jenny Houghton, soloist
TEMP has performed Lullay, lullay: Als I lay on Yoolis Night in a few of our Christmas concerts since 2011. This mystical poem in the form of a dialogue by the Franciscan friar John Grimestone in 1372 is preserved in the National Library of Scotland. Although we use only seven verses, there are thirty-seven verses in all; some middle verses may have been added later. The melody, not present in the Scottish source, is found in a separate English manuscript that gives the refrain and first verse. Our arrangement adds some polyphony, first for the mother’s reply and then for the Christ-Child’s responses. The responses of the Angel are in fauxbourdon style.
Lullay, lullay, my dear mother, sing lullay.
As I lay on Christmas Night, alone in my desire,
I thought I saw a very lovely sight,
A maid rocking her child.
Lullay, lullay, my dear mother, sing lullay.
The maiden wanted, without singing,
To put her child to sleep.
To the child it seemed that she wronged him,
And he told his mother to sing.
Lullay, lullay, my dear mother, sing lullay.
“Sing now, mother,” said the child,
“What is to befall me in the future,
When I am grown up, for all mothers do that.”
“Every mother, truly,
Who knows how to watch over her cradle,
Knows how to lull lovingly
And sing her child to sleep.”
Lullay, lullay, my dear mother, sing lullay.
“Sweet mother, fair and free, since that is so,
I pray you lull me and sing something as well.”
“Sweet son,” said she, “Of what should I sing?
I never knew anything more about you
Than Gabriel’s greeting.”
Lullay, lullay, my dear mother, sing lullay.
Certainly I saw this sight, I heard this song sung,
As I lay this Christmas Day, alone in my desire.
Lullay, lullay, my dear mother, sing lullay.
Berger, secoue ton sommeil profond! 🙞 Contrafacta of La bella noeva, Anonymous, Italy, 17th century;
France, traditional, 18th-century text; arr. D. Johnson (2013; rev. 2022)
Jenifer Thyssen, soloist
Berger, secoue ton sommeil profond! is an adapted 18th-century poem that I used to create a contrafacta of the Italian folksong La bella noeva. It is typical of the traditional music of the time, blending classical and folk elements around a simple story, in this case a very popular noël!
Shepherd, shake off your deep sleep!
The Angels from heaven sing very strongly,
Bringing us great news.
Shepherd, in chorus sing Noel!
See how the flowers open anew,
Seeing the snow as summer’s dew,
See the stars glitter again,
Throwing their brightest rays to us.
Shepherd, get up, hurry!
Seek the Babe before the break of day.
He is the hope of every nation,
All find redemption through Him.
Carol for St. Stephen’s Day (Come mad boys, be glad boys) 🙞 Anonymous, New Christmas Carols, 1642;
arr. D. Johnson (2012; rev. 2022)
Joel Nesvadba & Gil Zilkha, soloists
Saint Stephen’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Stephen, commemorates Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr or protomartyr, celebrated on 26 December in the Latin Church, and so it is the second of the twelve days of Christmas. This text was set long ago to “Bonny sweet robin,” one of the more popular tunes of the mid-17th century.
Come mad boys, be glad boys for Christmas is here, and we shall be feasted with jolly good cheer;
Then let us be merry, ’tis St. Stephen’s Day, let’s eat and drink freely, here’s nothing to pay.
My master bids welcome and so doth my dame, and ’tis yonder smoking dish doth me inflame;
Anon I’ll be with you, tho’ you me outface, for now I do tell you I have time and place.
I’ll troll the bowl to you then let it go round, my heels are so light they can stand on no ground;
My tongue it doth chatter and goes pitter patter, here’s good beer and strong beer, for I will not flatter.
And now for remembrance of blessed St. Stephen, let’s joy at morning, at noon, and at e’en;
Then leave off your mincing and fall to mince pies, I pray take my counsel be ruled by the wise.
We hope that some of this helps you get past Thanksgiving nostalgia and looking forward certain other celebrations (HINT HINT: Joy and Light on December 14 and 15)! We will be back in approximately exactly two weeks featuring hits from the 2023 “Joy and Light” concert!
Stay safe, stay sane! If you’re wondering, blue is my favorite color.
Danny
Joy and Light
Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 7:30pm at St. Martin’s Lutheran Church
Sunday, December 15, 2024 at 3:00pm at Redeemer Presbyterian Church