my forest
1\import{table-macros}
2\def\percent{\startverb%\stopverb
3 }
4\parent{loc-000P}
5\title{2nd Sunday of Advent 2025}
6\tag{cmc}
7\date{2025-12-07}
8\author{liamoc}
9\quote{
10 Populus Sion, ecce Dóminus véniet ad salvándas gentes: et audítam fáciet Dóminus glóriam vocis suæ, in lætítia cordis vestri.}
11\p{This was a big Sunday at [All Saints Ainslie](https://allsaintsainslie.org.au). In the morning a small group of us sang Bach's [Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5Df7f_BLU8):}
12\quote{
13 \poem{
14 \line{Jesu, joy of man's desiring,}
15 \line{Holy wisdom, love most bright;}
16 \line{Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring}
17 \line{Soar to uncreated light.\br}
18
19 \line{Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,}
20 \line{With the fire of life impassioned,}
21 \line{Striving still to truth unknown,}
22 \line{Soaring, dying round Thy throne.\br}
23
24 \line{Through the way where hope is guiding,}
25 \line{Hark, what peaceful music rings;}
26 \line{Where the flock, in Thee confiding,}
27 \line{Drink of joy from deathless springs.\br}
28
29 \line{Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure;}
30 \line{Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.}
31 \line{Thou dost ever lead Thine own}
32 \line{In the love of joys unknown.}
33 }
34}
35\p{But, more significantly, we had our annual Lessons and Carols service. I cantored for the initial [Matin Responsory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uJdSvo1e2U) based on a Nunc Dimittis by Palestrina (despite the fact the Carols for Choirs edition says it's based on a Magnificat):}
36\quote{\poem{\line{\strong{I look from afar,}}
37\line{And lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole Earth.}
38\line{\strong{Go ye out to meet him and say:}}
39\line{Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?}
40\line{High and low, rich and poor, one with another,}
41\line{Go ye out to meet him and say:}
42\line{Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep,}
43\line{Tell us, art thou he that should come?}
44\line{Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come}
45\line{To reign over thy people, Israel.}
46\line{\strong{Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.}}
47\line{I look from afar,}
48\line{And lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole Earth.}
49\line{Go ye out to meet him and say:}
50\line{Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?}}}
51
52\p{ We had several guest singers join us including Rachel Mink and Dan Walker from Luminescence. Rachel sang the initial verse of [Once In Royal David's City](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA4Ng96nb3Y), after which we processed to the remaining verses. After the first lesson from yours truly, we performed Ord's [Adam Lay Ybounden](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oykLGvCfGCI): }
53\quote{\poem{\line{Adam lay ybounden, bounden in a bond.}
54\line{Four thousand winter thought he not too long.}
55\line{And all was for an apple, an apple that he took,}
56\line{As clerkes finden written in their book.}
57\line{Ne had the apple taken been, the apple taken been,}
58\line{Ne had never our ladye a been heavené queen.}
59\line{Blessed be the time that apple taken was,}
60\line{Therefore we moun singen \em{Deo Gracias}.}}}
61\p{Following another reading, we had one of my favourite Christmas classics, Prätorius' [Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RjAXOcTebI). }
62\quote{
63 \table{
64 \tr{
65 \td{Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,}
66 \td{There is a rose up-springing,}
67 }\tr{
68 \td{aus einer Wurzel zart,}
69 \td{from a tender root,}
70 }\tr{
71 \td{wie uns die Alten sungen,}
72 \td{as the ancients have sung,}
73 }\tr{
74 \td{von Jesse kam die Art}
75 \td{it comes from Jesse's branch.}
76 }\tr{
77 \td{und hat ein Blümlein bracht}
78 \td{Its blossom flowering bright,}
79 }\tr{
80 \td{mitten im kalten Winter,}
81 \td{amidst the cold winter,}
82 }\tr{
83 \td{wohl zu der halben Nacht.}
84 \td{when half the night remains.}
85 }\tr{
86 \td{\br}
87 \td{}
88 }\tr{
89 \td{Das Röslein, das ich meine,}
90 \td{This little rose of which I sing,}
91 }\tr{
92 \td{davon Jesaja sagt,}
93 \td{of which Isaiah spoke, }
94 }\tr{
95 \td{hat uns gebracht alleine}
96 \td{was brought to us solely by}
97 }\tr{
98 \td{Marie, die reine Magd.}
99 \td{Mary, the pure maiden.}
100 }\tr{
101 \td{Aus Gottes ew'gem Rat}
102 \td{By God's eternal plan,}
103 }\tr{
104 \td{hat sie ein Kind geboren}
105 \td{a child was born to her}
106 }\tr{
107 \td{und blieb doch reine Magd.}
108 \td{but she remained a pure Maiden.}
109 }\tr{
110 \td{\br}
111 \td{}
112 }\tr{
113 \td{Das Blümelein so kleine,}
114 \td{That little blossom, so tiny,}
115 }\tr{
116 \td{das duftet uns so süß,}
117 \td{that to us smells so sweet,}
118 }\tr{
119 \td{mit seinem hellen Scheine}
120 \td{with its bright shining}
121 }\tr{
122 \td{Vertreibt's die Finsternis.}
123 \td{drives away the darkness.}
124 }\tr{
125 \td{Wahr' Mensch und wahrer Gott,}
126 \td{True man and truer God,}
127 }\tr{
128 \td{hilft uns aus allem Leide,}
129 \td{He aids us from all suffering,}
130 }\tr{
131 \td{rettet von Sünd und Tod.}
132 \td{and saves us from sin and death.}
133 }
134 }
135}
136\p{After the next reading was the original traditonal arrangement of the [Coventry Carol](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WII-nEAykqY) with the crunchy false relation in the cadence.}
137\quote{
138 \poem{
139 \line{Lully, lullay, þow littell tyne childe,}
140 \line{by, by, lully, lullay.}
141 \line{þow littell tyne childe:}
142 \line{by, by, lully, lullay.}
143 \line{\br}
144 \line{O! Sisters too, how may we do}
145 \line{for to preserve this day}
146 \line{this pore yongling for whom we do singe:}
147 \line{by, by, lully, lullay?}
148 \line{\br}
149 \line{Herod, the king, in his raging,}
150 \line{chargid he hath this day,}
151 \line{his men of might in his owne sight,}
152 \line{all yonge children to slay.}
153 \line{\br}
154 \line{That wo is me, pore childe, for Thee}
155 \line{and ever morne and day}
156 \line{for thi parting nether say nor singe:}
157 \line{by, by, lully, lullay.}
158 }
159}
160\p{The next reading was followed by [O little town of Bethlehem](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRuXdOb6TrA) with the Willcocks descant. Then, after the next reading we sang the \em{significantly} less common arrangement of the Basque carol \em{Gabriel's Message}, also known as \em{the Angel Gabriel} or the [Most Highly Flavoured Gravy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJnJ6Ko_kyw).}
161\quote{
162 \poem{
163 \line{The Angel Gabriel from heaven came,}
164 \line{his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;}
165 \line{'All hail', said he, 'thou lowly maiden Mary}
166 \line{Most highly favoured lady, \em{Gloria}.'}
167 \line{\br}
168 \line{'For known a blesséd Mother thou shalt be,}
169 \line{all generations laud and honour thee,}
170 \line{thy Son shall be Immanuel by seers foretold;}
171 \line{Most highly favoured lady, \em{Gloria}.'}
172 \line{\br}
173 \line{Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,}
174 \line{'To me be as it pleaseth God', she said,}
175 \line{'My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name':}
176 \line{most highly favoured lady, \em{Gloria}.}
177 \line{\br}
178 \line{Of her, Immanuel, the Christ was born}
179 \line{in Bethlehem all on a Christmas morn,}
180 \line{and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say:}
181 \line{'most highly favoured lady, \em{Gloria}.'}
182 }
183}
184\p{After one more reading, we performed what I think was a highlight of the whole service, and one of our best performances, Lauridsen's [O Magnum Mysterium](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ-nuU-hda8):}
185\quote{
186 \table{
187 \tr{
188 \td{O mágnum mystérium}
189 \td{O great mystery,}
190 }\tr{
191 \td{et admirábile sacraméntum,}
192 \td{and wondrous sacrament,}
193 }\tr{
194 \td{ut animália vidérent Dóminum nátum,}
195 \td{that animals should see the newborn Lord,}
196 }\tr{
197 \td{jacéntem in præsépio.}
198 \td{lying in a manger.}
199 }\tr{
200 \td{Beáta virgo, cújus víscera meruérunt}
201 \td{Blessed virgin, whose womb was worthy}
202 }\tr{
203 \td{portáre Dóminum Chrístum. Alleluia}
204 \td{to bear the Lord Christ. Alleluia}
205 }
206 }
207}
208\p{Then we processed out [while shepherds washed their socks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOA2Y9Ms34s) and ascended to the organ loft for the remainder of the service, where we performed Warlock's [Bethlehem Down](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQnuxaqbYx8). I heard that anthem was written on a napkin by an alcoholic and antitheist Peter Warlock in exchange for beer money, and that he died a few years after writing it. But the anthem itself is quite special.}
209\quote{\poem{\line{When He is King we will give him the King's gifts,}
210 \line{Myrrh for its sweetness, and gold for a crown,}
211 \line{"Beautiful robes", said the young girl to Joseph}
212 \line{Fair with her first-born on Bethlehem Down.}
213 \line{\br}
214 \line{Bethlehem Down is full of the starlight}
215 \line{Winds for the spices, and stars for the gold,}
216 \line{Mary for sleep, and for lullaby music}
217 \line{Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.}
218 \line{\br}
219 \line{When He is King they will clothe Him in grave-sheets,}
220 \line{Myrrh for embalming, and wood for a crown,}
221 \line{He that lies now in the white arms of Mary}
222 \line{Sleeping so lightly on Bethlehem Down.}
223 \line{\br}
224 \line{Here He has peace and a short while for dreaming,}
225 \line{Close-huddled oxen to keep Him from cold,}
226 \line{Mary for love, and for lullaby music}
227 \line{Songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.}}}
228\p{This was followed by another congregational carol with Willcocks descant, [Hark the Herald Angels Sing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Bwn0k0k8xI) and our last anthem of the evening, Wood's [Hey you! The Middle Ball](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf202pdjMZk). }
229\quote{
230 \poem{
231 \line{O thou the central orb of righteous love,}
232 \line{Pure beam of the Most High,}
233 \line{Eternal Light of this our wintry world,}
234 \line{Thy radiance bright awakes new joy in faith,}
235 \line{Hope soars above.}
236 \line{\br}
237 \line{Come, quickly come and let thy glory shine,}
238 \line{Gilding our darksome heav'n with rays divine.}
239 \line{Thy saints with holy lustre round thee move,}
240 \line{As stars about thy throne, set in the height}
241 \line{Of God's ordaining counsel, }
242 \line{As thy sight gives measured grace to each.}
243 \line{Thy power to prove.}
244 \line{\br}
245 \line{Let thy bright beams disperse the gloom of sin,}
246 \line{Our nature all shall feel eternal day,}
247 \line{In fellowship with thee,}
248 \line{Transforming day to souls erewhile unclean,}
249 \line{now pure within.}
250 \line{\br}
251 \line{Amen.}
252 }
253}
254\p{Of course, it wouldn't be a Christmas Carols service without the "Word of the Father" chord, so we finished up with Willcocks' arrangement of [O Come, All Ye Faithful](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkS57yCIk7E).
255}
256