TEXT AND TRANSLATIONS

Away in a Manger                                     William J. Kirkpatrick
                                                                          arr. Andrew Sims

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;
The stars in the heavens looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
 

The cattle are lowing; the poor baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love thee, Lord Jesus; look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
 

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
 

Star in the East                                       Reginald Heber

Hail, the blest morn, see the great Mediator,
Down from the region of glory descend!
Shepherds, go worship the babe in the manger,
Lo for his guard the bright angels attend.
 

[Refrain]
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning!
Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid;
Star in the east, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer was laid.
 

Cold on his cradle the dewdrops are shining;
Low lies his bed, with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore him in slumbers reclining,
Wise men and shepherds before him do fall. [Refrain]
 

Say, shall we yield him, in costly devotion,
Odors of Eden, and offerings divine,
Gems from the mountain and pearls from the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine? [Refrain]
 

Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gold we his favor secure.
Richer by far is the heart’s adoration:
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor. [Refrain]
 

I Wonder as I Wander                       Appalachian Carol 

                   arr. John Jacob Niles & Lewis Henry Horton

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,

How Jesus the Savior did come for to die.

For poor on’ry people like you and like I...

I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

 

When Mary birthed Jesus ‘twas in a cow’s stall,

With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.

But high from God’s heaven a star’s light did fall,

And the promise of ages it then did recall.

 

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,

A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing,

Or all of God’s angels in heav’n for to sing,

He surely could have it, ‘cause he was the King.
 

What Shall We Bring to the Babe in the Manger?           Catalan Carol                       
                                                                                        arr. Steven Sametz

 What shall we bring to the Babe in the manger?

What shall we bring for the beautiful Boy?

I will bring figs for him, raisins and honey,

These will I bring to the beautiful boy!

I will bring cheeses, fresh clusters of berries,

sweet cakes and flan for the Child to enjoy!

Angels, archangels they hover above him;
Seraphim, cherubim praise him with joy!

Softly he sleeps in the arms of his mother;

 gently she cradles the beautiful Boy!

Pat-a-pan                                             Burgundian Carol

Willie, take your little drum,
With your whistle, Robin, come.
When we hear the fife and drum,
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan;
When we hear the fife and drum:
Christmas should be frolicsome.

Thus the men of olden days
Loved the King of Kings to praise;
When we hear the fife and drum,
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan;
When we hear the fife and drum:
Sure our children won't be dumb!

God and man are now become
More at one than fife and drum.
When you hear the fife and drum,
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan;
When you hear the fife and drum:
Dance, and make the village hum!

Le Sommeil de l’Enfant Jésus         Françoise-Auguste Gevaert

​

 Entre le boeuf et l'âne gris

Dors, dors, dors, le petit fils:

Mille anges divins,

Mille séraphins, Volent à l’entour

de ce grand Dieu d’amour.

 

Entre les roses et les lys,

Dors, dors, dors,le petit fils:

Mille anges divins, Mille séraphins,
Volent à l’entour de ce
grand Dieu d’amour.

Between the grey ox and ass,

Sleeps the little boy

Thousands of angels,

Thousands of seraphim

hover over this great king of love.

Between the rose and the lily

Sleeps the little boy

Thousands of angels,

Thousands of seraphim

hover over this great king of love

We Three Kings of Orient Are      John Henry Hopkins

                                                             arr. Steven Sametz

We three kings of Orient are;

bearing gifts we traverse afar,

field and fountain, moor and mountain,

following yonder star.

 

[Refrain]

O star of wonder, star of light,

star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light.

 

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain,

gold I bring to crown him again,

King forever, ceasing never,

over us all to reign. [Refrain]

 

Glorious now behold him arise;

King and God and sacrifice:

Alleluia, Alleluia,

sounds through the earth and skies. [Refrain]

Lo How a Rose E’er Blooming                    14th-Century Carol

                                                                         arr. Steven Sametz

 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 for us a Savior

When half-spent was the night.
 

Masters in this Hall                                    French Carol

                                                             arr. Steven Sametz

Masters in this hall
Hear ye news today,
Brought from over seas
And ever you I pray:

[Refrain]

Noel sing we clear

Holpen [helped] are all folk on earth

For born is Goddes [God's] son so dear!

Then to Bethl'em town
Went we two by two,
To see a mighty Lord

lie in manger low [Refrain]

Therein we did see

a sweet and goodly May

And a fair old man

Upon the straw she lay .[Refrain]

This is Christ, the Lord,
Masters be ye glad!
Christmas is come in,
And no folk should be sad! [Refrain]

Noel!                                                          Steven Sametz

 
Noel sing we both all and some. 

Out of your sleep awake for God mankind

now hath he take all of a maiden

with out any make [match].

Sing we Noel! 

Here We Come A-Wassailing                     British Carol

                                                             arr. Steven Sametz

Here we come a-wassailing,

Among the leaves so green,

Here we come a wand’ring,

So fair to be seen.

 

[Refrain]

Love and joy come to you,

And to your wassail too

And God bless you and send you a Happy New Year,

And God send you a Happy New Year.

 

We are not daily beggars

That beg from door to door,

But ew are neighbors’ children

Whom you have seen before.

[Refrain]

 

Bring us out a table and spread it with a cloth;

now bring us out some moldy cheese 

and some of your Christmas loaf

[Refrain]

Ave Maria                                                       Franz Biebl

 

Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae

et concepit de Spiritu sancto.

[Refrain]

Ave Maria, gratia plena,

Dominus tecum.

Benedicta tu in mulieribus,

Et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.

Maria dixit: Ecce ancilla Domini.

Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.

[Refrain]

Et Verbum caro factum est

et habitavit in nobis.

 

[Refrain]

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis

peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae.

Amen.

 

The angel of God visited Maria

and she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

[Refrain]

Hail Mary, full of grace,

the Lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is

the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Maria said: Behold the servant of the Lord. May it happen to me according to your word.

[Refrain]

And the Word became flesh and

lived among us.

[Refrain]

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and in the hour of our death.

Amen.

Our Organization
 

Board of Directors
 

Christopher Coucill, Chair

Janice Roddenbery

Heather Kayan*, Secretary - Singer Representative
Brian Ramsey* - Singer Representative
Nadine Sine, Treasurer

Administration

Steven Sametz, Artistic Director
John Cloys, Executive Director
Heather Kayan, Librarian
Heidi Dreyfuss, Accountant


Our Donors

As a not-for-profit organization, every dollar helps us to continue in our tradition of
performing high quality, diverse music to audiences around the region. The Princeton
Singers are deeply grateful to the following individuals and businesses who have made
a contribution over the past year. Report errors/omissions to execdir@princetonsingers.org.

Angels Circle (2500+)    
The Edward T. Cone Foundation
Christopher Coucil
David Johnson
John McGoldrick
John Rassweiler
Thomas and Janice Roddenbery
Nadine Sine
   
Directors Circle ($1000-$2499)    
Peter and Helena Bienstock
Ruth Bronzan
P.J. and Diane Calello
Gabrielle Michel and Thomas Leperlier
Steven P. Sametz
Susan Wilson
   
Artists Circle ($500-$999)    
Julia D. Clark
Catherine Mineo
Romeu G. Charitable Fund
The Robins Family Fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation
Brooke Roulette
   
Advocates Circle ($250-$499)    
Toni Besselaar
John and Melanie Clarke
John Cloys
John and Jill Guthrie
Colin and Margaret Hill
   
Friends Circle ($1-$249)   
John Baker
Elisabeth Bish
Dulcie Bull and Clive Muncaster
Joan Canfield
Laurence Capo
Galina Chernaya
Elizabeth Crofts
Patricia Demers
Miguel Fernandez
Karlfried and Ricarda Froehlich
Karen Graves
Janet Haring
Nathaniel and Valerie Hartshorne
James and Elizabeth Healy
Stephanie Heidere
Elizabeth Holt
Fred Howard
Heather Kayan
Marsha Levin-Rojer
Mary Lutton
John and Patricia Magovern
Val and Martha Mathews
Cecilia Matthews
Katherine McGavern
Michelle McKenna
J. Muntz
John Neale
Katherine O'Connor
George Point
Robert Puffer
Anne Reeves
John Ricklefs and Nancy Greenspan
Llewellyn Ross
Rita Saltz
Mark and Amy Schaefer
Anne and Michael Seltzer
Susan and Alan Tarr
Marietta and Joseph Taylor
Millicent Thomas
Barbara Thomson
Daphne Townsend
Ann B. Vehslage
Judy and Torry Watkins
Linda Weaver
Bruce Woodger

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