Something Told the Wild Geese music by Sherri Porterfield lyrics by Rachel Field
The text of this piece is positioned 1st in this program because it is such a beautiful poem & unfamiliar to many listeners. Remainder of program is in concert order.
Something told the wild geese it was time to go.
Though the fields lay golden, something whispered, “Snow.”
Leaves were green & stirring, berries luster glossed.
But beneath warm feathers something cautioned, something cautioned, “Frost.”
All the sagging orchards steamed with amber spice.
But each wild breast stiffened at remembered ice.
Something told the wild geese it was time to fly.
Summer sun was on their wings.
Winter, winter, winter in their cry.
Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson
[Verse 1]
Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring, ting, tingling too
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you
Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling, "yoohoo"
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you
[Verse 2]
Giddy-yap, giddy-yap, giddy-yap, let's go
Let's look at the show
We're riding in a wonderland of snow
Giddy-yap, giddy-yap, giddy-yap, it's grand, just holding your hand
We're gliding along with a song of a wintery fairyland
[Verse 3]
Our cheeks are nice and rosy, and comfy cozy are we
We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be
Let's take that road before us and sing a chorus or two
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you
[Verse 4]
There's a birthday party at the home of Farmer Gray
It'll be the perfect ending of a perfect day
We'll be singing the songs we love to sing without a single stop
At the fireplace while we watch the chestnuts pop, pop, pop, pop
[Verse 5]
There's a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy
When they pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie
It'll nearly be like a picture print by Currier and Ives
These wonderful things are the things we remember all through our lives
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yuletide gay
Next year all our troubles will be miles away
Once again, as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more
Someday soon, we all will be together
If the fates allow
Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now
Habiytak bel Sayif Natartal bel Sheti by Fairouz & Rahbani Brothers
I Loved You in the Summer, I Waited for You in Winter
(Lyrics translated into English )
In the cold days, in the days of winter
When the sidewalk has become a lake & the street is drowned
This girl has come from her old house to await him
He told her to wait, but he has gone away
And forgotten her, and she pines away in winter
I loved you in the summer, I waited for you in winter
Your eyes are summer, my eyes are winter
And our reunion, oh my love, is beyond summer & beyond winter
The stranger passed by & gave me a message
My love had written with his tears
I opened the message whose letters were lost
And days passed, years made us strangers
While winter had erased the letters of the message
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas by Irving Berlin
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white
O Christmas Tree by Ernst Anschütz
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
Not only green in summer’s heat,
But also winter’s snow and sleet.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming by Michael Praetorious
Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse’s lineage coming,
As men of old have sung.
It came, a flow’ret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.
Isaiah ’twas foretold it,
The Rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright,
She bore to men a Savior,
When half spent was the night.
This Flow’r, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere.
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death He saves us,
And lightens every load.
Deck the Halls, Welsh Air
Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Don we now our gay apparel, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
See the blazing Yule before us, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Strike the harp and join the chorus. Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Follow me in merry measure, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
While I tell of Yuletide treasure, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Fast away the old year passes, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Sing we joyous, all together, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Heedless of the wind and weather, Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Dona Nobis Pacem by Anonymous
The title contains the full text. It is a Latin phrase meaning, “Grant us peace.”
Joy to the World music by George Frideric Handel lyrics by Isaac Watts
Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her king
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven & nature sing
And heaven & nature sing
And heaven & heaven & nature sing
Silent Night by Franz Xaver Gruber
Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
’round yon virgin mother and child!
Holy infant, so tender & mild,
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.
First Noel by John Stainer
The first Noel the angel did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay.
In fields where they lay tending their sheep on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, “Born is the King of Israel!”
Chanukah, Oh Chanukah music by Mordkhe Rivesman lyrics by Theodore Bikel
Chanukah, Oh Chanukah Come light the menorah
Let's have a party, we'll all dance the hora
Gather ‘round the table, we’ll give you a treat
Dreidels to play with & latkes to eat and
When we are playing the candles are burning low
One for each night, they shed a sweet light to remind us of days long ago
One for each night, they shed a sweet light to remind us of days long ago
Happy Birthday Traditional (origins disputed)
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear students,
Happy birthday to you!
O Come, Little Children music by Johann A. P. Schulz lyrics by Christoph von Schmid
Oh, come, little children, Oh, come, one and all.
Oh, come to the cradle In Bethlehem’s stall.
Come look in the manger this glorious night,
And see the Lord Jesus In heavenly light.
Oh, see in the manger, this strange little bed;
The Son, sweet & gentle Is resting His head.
God’s Son, for a gift, has been sent you this night
To be your Redeemer, your joy and delight.
Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Traditional
Jolly old St.Nicholas
Lean your ear this way
Don't you tell a single soul
What I'm going to say
Christmas Eve is coming soon
Now, you dear old man
Whisper what you'll bring to me
Tell me if you can
When the clock is striking twelve
When I'm fast asleep
Down the chimney broad and black
With your pack you'll creep
All the stockings you will find
Hanging in a row
Mine will be the shortest one
You'll be sure to know
Jingle Bells by James Lord Pierpont
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!
We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Arthur Warrell
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year!
