More Songs

When I began this month posting about the Christmas songs that I just love, I forgot how many of them there would be. I started out doing just one a day and then I wanted to post about something else and then I got sick and....

So today there will be more than one song.

I Saw Three Ships
Historians love to debate the symbolism found within the words of the Christmas hymn, "I Saw Three Ships." Do the seafaring vessels represent Columbus's voyage? Or are they indirect references to: the Holy Trinity, the three Wise Men, or I Corinthians 13:13 (King James Version, "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity")? Whatever the intent of the song's lyricist, "I Saw Three Ships" has been a popular hymn since its publication in 1666. Notably, Cecil Sharp, an English collector of folk songs, discovered several versions of this melody throughout the British Isles. (taken from How Stuff Works)

I have no idea what this song is about, I just know that I really like the tune the way that Jon Schmidt plays it. It also reminds me of Donovan. That is one song that he learned (the Jon Schmidt version on the play list on this blog) and I miss him being home to play the piano for me.




Ok, I just realized that most of the songs I am picking today are my favorite when played by Jon Schmidt. The picture above is my favorite Christmas album by him, even though he has two out now. Click on the picture to go to his website, you can even listen to some of his music.

Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella
Fourteenth-century French socials often included the ritournelle, a lively court dance. One ritournelle melody survives as the song that became the French Christmas carol "Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella." The central characters of the song might have served as inspiration for the two serving maids depicted at the nativity in a famous painting by Georges de La Tour. The lyrics are said to have originated in either Anjou or Burgundy. They were paired with the melody and first published in 1553 by a wealthy nobleman in Cantiques de Premiere Advenement de Jesus-Christ."Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella"


Lyrics


1. Bring a torch, Jeannette, Isabella!Bring a torch to the cradle run!
It is Jesus, good folks of the village;
Christ is born and Mary's calling:
Ah! ah! beautiful is the mother!
Ah! ah! beautiful is her Son!

2. It is wrong when the Child is sleeping
It is wrong to talk so loud;
Silence, all, as you gather around,Lest your noise should waken Jesus:
Hush! hush! see how fast He slumbers:
Hush! hush! see how fast He sleeps!

3. Softly to the little stable,Softly for the moment come;
Look and see how charming is Jesus,See how He smiles, Oh see how rosy!
Hush! hush! see how the Child is sleeping;
Hush! hush! see how He smiles in dreams.
(howstuffworks)

But again it is the Jon Schmidt version I like the best. His notes let me see Jeanette's feet running to greet the baby, her white linen dress flowing behind her as she scurries. Who is Jeanette? Is she the midwife hurrying to help the babe enter the mortal world? Or perhaps is she one that heard the joyous news from the shepherds and recognized the sign and is on her way to great her Lord and Savior?


Süsser de Glocken
The bell carol. I love listening to the music swell and fade and swell again. So sweet, so light, so beautiful, lilting and it carries me away.

We Three Kings
I remember learning this song for a Christmas program in elementary school and it has been one of my favorite every since then (but it took me a few years to figure out where orientare was located).