French And German Carols.

Subject: French And German Carols.
From: Parson
Date: 09 Dec 00 - 11:04 PM

I have a CD of Christmas Carols featuring some beautiful trumpet music by Maurice Andre. The songs are also sung in either French or German & a few of them I know, but most of them, I do not. I will list them all. Can anyone tell me what they are about? Here goes:

Il est ne le Divin Enfant. "The Divine Infant is Born." We have a carol with this tune in our hymnal.

Stille Nacht. "Silent Night." I know this one too.

Les Bergerettes

Marche Des Rois Mages "March of the Wise Men???"

Susser die Glocken nie Klingen

White Christmas. In English no less. Beautiful French accented English!

Dans une estable obscure. "In an obscure stable???" High School French may be paying off! :-).

Noel des petits santons

Les anges dans nos campagnes

Mon beau sapin. O Tennenbaum. Sung in both French & German.

Adeste Fideles. "Oh Come All Ye Faithful."

Minuit chretien.

Or vous tremoussez

Als ich meinen schafen wacht

Venez Divin messie. "The Divine Messiah has come???" I'm guessing.

On entend partout carillon.

I have the lyrics to all of these songs in the liner notes. I don't see a copyright, but most of the writing on that page is in French also. I would assume that these songs are traditional & therefore not subject to copyright. So if someone wants me to post the lyrics in either French or German, depending on the notes, I will be glad to do so.

Thanks for your help.

Randall

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From:
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 07:58 AM

Unfortunately I know little about French or German composers and song to know what would be traditional. Is there any site devoted to either language for song lyrics. I was able to find lyrics to a couple of the songs. Some of them listed a name. Have a look

Susser die Glocken nie Klinge
Fete De Rois Mages
Les Rois Mages
Fete de Rois Mages

With the names, you might be able to do research on when they were written from when the author/composer lived.

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: John P
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 08:52 AM

Here is some information about some of them that I found in "The International Book of Christmas Carols" by Walter Ehret and George K. Evans.

Il est ne le Divin Enfant. "The Divine Infant is Born." We have a carol with this tune in our hymnal.
If that is the name of the song in your hymnal, it is probably a translation of the French carol. Words are anonymous from the 19th century, music from the 18th.

Marche Des Rois Mages "March of the Wise Men???"
The March of the Kings; the words are listed as traditional and the melody is a 13th century Provencal carol.

March of the Kings

This great day, I met upon the way,
The Kings of East as they came riding proudly,
This great day, I met upon the way,
The Kings of East with all their fine array.
The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh,
Were guarded close by a band of sturdy warriors,
Their swords, their shields, and their bucklers bright,
A-gleam and sparkling in the morning light.

Als ich meinen schafen wacht
"While By My Sheep", words: traditional German; music: Trier Gesangbuch, 1871. The words are about a shepherd who is expressing joy that Jesus has been born. Lots of joy. Joy joy joy.

John

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 09:37 AM

Les Anges dans nos Campagnes -- according to my liner notes from the Revels "Sing We Now Of Christmas" is "Angels we have heard on high" in English. 17th Century French carol from Lorraine.

btw, I heartily recommend all of the Revels CDs for Christmas. Great fun!

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 09:39 AM

Whooops. Forgot to add that there's a great version of "March of the Kings" on Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians "Now is the Caroling Season" -- finally out on CD this year. Different words than above.

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Jeri
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 10:02 AM

There are carols, as well as other hymns and songs, from quite a few countries here. (Opinion: this is a great site!)

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Parson
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 01:49 PM

Thanks to all you have responded. Perhaps more will want to add their bits of wisdom.

Randall

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 05:53 PM

Randall, 'Suesser die Glocken nie klingen' is - very generally - about the spirit of Christmas:

The bells never sound sweeter than at Christmas time, it's like angels' songs about peace and joy, just as they sang that blessed night, bells with a holy sound, ring all about the earth (this last line occurs in every verse)

Hearing the bells, the Christ child hurries down to earth from Heaven, blesses the father, the mother, the child ...

Let your lovely sound carry far over the seas, that everybody may enjoy a blessed Christmas time. They all rejoice with happy song ...

There are a few misprints in the lyrics George's link takes you to:
Title: nie should have a small n
l.2: Frieden und Freud (joy, not Freund, friend)
l.10: no comma and seliger Weihnachtszeit
Merry Christmas, Susanne

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Hotspur
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 10:45 PM

"Minuit, Chretiens" is "O Holy Night." The words translate differently from the usual Emglish version:

Midnight, Christians, it is the solemn hour When the Man of God descended to us To erase the original sin And to stop the rages of his Father. The whole world trembles in hope On this night which gives us a savior. Fall to your knees! Await your deliverance! Christmas, Christmas! Here is your Redeemer! Christmas, Christmas! Here is your Redeemer! (I wonder if, like in English, Noel orginally was Nowell, meaning news? Don't know)

Here are translations of the titles of the French carols, none of them are ones I know, but if you want to post the lyrics I can translate them for you.

"Dans un etable obscure"=in a dark stable

"Les Bergerettes" translates to "The Shepherdesses,".

"On entend partout carillon,"= One hears bells everywhere. ("We hear bells everywhere" sounds better in English)

"Or vous tremoussez"=Now bestir yourselves.

"Venez Divin messie"= Come, Divine Messiah

I found "Als ich bei meinen Schafen wacht" in one of my books.

1. While by my sheep I watched at night, Glad tidings brought an angel bright.

(cho) How great my joy, great my joy. Joy, joy, joy! Joy, joy, joy! Praise we the Lord in heaven on high. Praise we the Lord in heaven on high.

2. There shall be born, so he did say, In Bethlehem, a Child today.

3. There shall He lie, in manger mean, Who shall redeem the world from sin.

4. Lord, evermore to me be nigh, Then shall my heart be filled with joy!

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Parson
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 11:16 PM

Hey Folks, you are doing great. This is really some super information you are sending. Now I can enjoy the CD even more since I have an idea now of what they are singing about. Thanks to all.

Randall

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Parson
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 11:21 PM

BTW, I meant to add to the previous post that I read somewhere that Noel is from the word "Nowell" and that Nowell may possibly be the shout of a town-crier saying "All is NOW WELL!" Since Christ has come, all is "Now Well." It's a nice thought, anyway.

Randall

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Haruo
Date: 10 Dec 00 - 11:49 PM

Nice folk etymology, Parson, on "Noel < Nowell < Now...well", but the "scientifically valid" version of the history is that Noel is cognate with "Novel" ("Nowell" is just an oddball older English spelling) and means "New(s)" as in "Glad Tidings of Great Joy" as in "Evangel".

Liland

Speaking of Glad Tidings, does anybody have any verses beyond the first of the Fanny Crosby/Robert Lowry Christmas hymn by that title? The hymn is popular in Hawaii, and three verses are commonly printed in the Hawaiian version, but I've never seen more than one verse of it in English. (The Hawaiian title is Nu 'Oli.)

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 03:40 AM

Hmm. Is that how you transliterate it? I thought it was "Suber" die glocken nie Klingen... Tells you how little German I know.

There's a version of it on a CD I have by Boney M called "The 20 Greatest Christmas Songs" and they've translated the title to "Sweet Bells". It's very pretty.

I think they sing it in English, too, and will try to figure out the lyrics if asked.

If you like the German carols, this CD also has "Leise reiselt der Schnee" (Snow Falls over the Ground), "O Tannenbaum", "Es Wird scho' glei dumpa"(Darkness is Falling) and "Tochter Zion"(Zion's Daughter) as well as "Petit Papa Noel".

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Mrrzy
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 01:28 PM

Minuit Chretienne is Christian Midnight, not Midnight, Christians, but it's still O Holy Night in French. I have it by Joan Baez on her old Vanguard $mas album. Lovely. I'd like to hear Ouaite Chreesmasse, which is how I imagine them to be singing White Christmas...

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Hotspur
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 03:13 PM

Mrrzy, on the version I have it's written "Minuit, Chretiens," not Minuit Chretienne (which it wouldn't be anyway, b/c minuit is masculine.) I'm Not trying to be contentious! Perhaps there ARE different sets of words?

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: GUEST,dan evergreen
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 03:39 PM

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: simon-pierre
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 03:44 PM

I don't think there's a different set of words. I've always heard it (in french, of course) with the lyrics you gave in english. I also always tought it was "Minuit chrétien", where "chrétien" qualifies "Minuit", and not like an apostrophe, like it is obvious in the english lyrics "Midnight, Christians" - but I might be wrong on that.

SP

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: GUEST,dan evergreen
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 03:47 PM

Parson, I really appreciate the offer to post some of these lyrics. I would like the French and German words to Stille Nacht, Adeste Fideles, Mon Beau Sapin, and Minuit Chretiens.

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Parson
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 05:29 PM

OK Dan, happy to oblige. BTW "Evergreen" is a great Christmas name! Hope this is not a violation of any copyright laws. If anyone thinks it is, Max, please delete this post. I would assume that these are traditional carols & are not subject to copyright. I can't think of the proper phrase. "They are in the ....?" (Is it "Public Domain?" Something like that, I think.)

What I have is:

Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht! Alles schlaft, einsam wacht nur das traute, hochheilige Paar, holder Knabe im lockigen Haar, schlaf in himmlischer Ruh.

Douce Nuit, Sainte Nuit

Douce nuit, Sainte nuit Dans les cieux l'astre luit Le Mystere annonce s'accomplit Cet enfant sur la paille endormi C'est l'Amour infini.

Adeste Fideles

Adeste fineles Laeti triumphantes Venite, Venite Bethleem

Natum videte regem angelorum Venite adoremus (Ter) Dominum

(The above is, I believe, Latin.)

Venez Tous (same thing in French.)

Venez tous Exultant et triomphant Venez, venez tous a Bethleem

Voyez, le roi des anges est ne Venez, adorons Notre Seigneur!

Minuit Chretien

Minuit, Chretien, C'est l'heure aolonnelle Ou l'Homme Dieu descendit jusqu'a nous Pour effacer la tache originnelle Et de son Pere apaiser le courroux.

Le monde entier tressaille d'esperance En cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur. Peuple a genoux, attends ta deliverance Noel, Noel, voici le Redempteur. (Bis)

Mon Beau Sapin

Mon beau sapin, Roi des forets Que j'aime ta verdure Quand par l'hiver bois et guerets Sont depouilles de leurs attraits Mon beau sapin, roi des forets Tugardes ta parure.

O Tannenbaum

O Tannenbaum, O tannenbaum, wie grun sind deine Blatter! Du grunst nicht nur zuf Sommerszeit, nein, auch im Winter, wenn es schneit. O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, wie grun sind deine Blatter.

(Hope I didn't mispell too many words. It's tough trying to type words you don't recognize! Hope you enjoy the carols. In case you are interested, the CD is entitled Les Plus Beaux Noels. It is on the Erato label, & features Maurice Andre on the trumpet. There is also the number ECD 88160)

Take care.

Randall

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 06:58 PM

Parson, your spelling of the German words is o.k.(apart from the mis-spelling of 'zur Sommerszeit' in the last one). The trouble for any non-German speakers are the 'Umlaute' - a, o and u with the two dots on top. They're usually represented as ae, oe, ue, so in 'Stille Nacht' it's 'alles schlaeft', in 'O Tannenbaum' it's 'wie gruen sien deine Blaetter'. That's it.

rabbit, 'Stille Nacht' should be in the public domain by now. I think it was written more than a hundred years ago. One spelling mistake: It's 'Leise rieselt der Schnee'. And did you know 'Tochter Zion' is sung to the same tune as the English 'See the Conquering Hero Come'?

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 07:13 PM

Ah, i before e and all of that... I can't manage those words in English, much less any other language!

Tochter Zion is actually a pretty neat song. I'd never heard it before I picked up this CD.

I'm at the point now that I buy Christmas music if it names a song I don't already have -- and considering that my list of song names runs to 6plus pages in the tiniest type on the computer (although there are many repeats. O Tannenbaum and Oh Tannenbaum, for example) this can be tricky. I recently picked up a "Christmas from Around the World" CD with two songs from Transylvania. "Maria, Maria" and "Kis Jezus Koszonto". It has 3 from Germany (just so I don't thread drift too much) -- "Still Still Still", "Kling, Glockchen Klingelingeling" (fast becoming a favorite!) and another rendition of "Suesser Die Glocken Nie Klingen."

(And for some reason it includes "The Little Skillet Pot" from Ireland. Good song, but is it really a Christmas song?)

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Wolfgang
Date: 12 Dec 00 - 04:17 AM

Herbei, Oh Ihr Gläubigen (Adeste fideles) In German and if you go on clicking several other languages including French.

And for Stille Nacht you'd really go to the Stille Nacht Webpage that has some 150 versions in more than 100 languages, among them all languages you have been asking for.

Minuit, Chrétiens in several languages

Mon beau sapin

rabbitrunning, can you imagine that 'Kling, gloeckchen, klingelingeling' is a big favourite for parodies at the football stadiums?

In general, for christmas songs in other languages, start here.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 07:05 AM

I'm totally impressed by this font of knowledge in the whole of the thread .
Question - Can you give me the name of the German carol which is sang to the tune of the "Red Flag".- (Sorry that's the best way I can describe it) .
My colleague reckons it's "Tannenbaum Oh Tannenbaum " but the Tune does not seem to match the Lyrics.
Can you convince me ?
regards,

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 07:38 AM

There's a very good TV doco on "Silent Night" which goes into all the roots of the tune, etc. Been played in Aus several times.

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Wolfgang
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 07:40 AM

You are perhaps both right:

Oh Tannenbaum

That should convince you that he is right.

Oh Tannenbaum

That should convince him he is wrong.

Solution: There are at least three German Christmas carols titled Oh Tannenbaum.

The most popular is Oh Tannenbaum wie grün sind Deine Blätter and that's the Red flag one.
Less popular but also know is Oh Tannenbaum, oh Tannenbaum, Du trägst ein grünen Zweig the second I have linked too.

Where I have gone to copy the midis has even a thrid Oh Tannenbaum song which was unknown to me.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Wolfgang
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 07:43 AM

A link to the page with all three songs (including lyrics)

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Ferrara
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 09:21 AM

ON ENTEND PARTOUT CARILLONS (from memory, excuse probable errors...)

On entend partout carrillons
Sur les monts du Judea
Annoncont du roi du Zion
Sur terre l'arrivee'

Qui nous a donne', ce dit-on,
La vierge mere du poupon

San lui le mond
aurait peri, mon ami!

ENGLISH:
One hears bells everywhere
On the mountains of Judea
Announcing the arrival on earth
Of the kind of Zion.

Who was given to us, they say,
(by) the virgin mother of the baby (little doll)

Without him the world
would have perished, my friend!
Announ

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Ferrara
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 09:26 AM

LES ANGES DAN NOS CAMPAGNES (only know the first verse, sorry)
ENGLISH VERSION: ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

Les anges dan nos campagnes
Ont entonne' (?) l'hymne des cieux
Et l'echo de nos montagnes
Redit ce chant melodieux:

Glo-o-o-o-ria In excelsis Deo! (twice)

Angels in (above) our fields
Have intoned the hymn of the heavens
And the echo from our mountains
Speaks again this melodious chant:

Glory to God in the heavens!

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Ferrara
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 09:43 AM

IL EST NE', LE DIVIN ENFANT (copied from Jeri's site above :-) This is a great song for MacArthur harp. So are the two above.

Refrain:
Il es né le divin enfant
Jouez hautbois, résonnez musettes
Il est né le divin enfant
Chantons tous son avènement.

1. Depuis plus de quatre mille ans
Nous le promettaient les prophètes,
Depuis plus de quatre mille ans
Nous attendions cet heureux temps.
                   (Refrain)

2. Ah! qu'il est beau, qu'il est charmant,
Ah! que ses grâces sont parfaites,
Ah! qu'il est beau, qu'il est charmant,
Qu'il est doux, ce divin enfant.
                   Refrain

3. Une étable est son logement,
Un peu de paille est sa couchette,
Une étable est son logement,
Pour un Dieu quel abaissement!
                           Refrain

4. O Jésus, ô roi tout puissant,
Tout petit enfant que vous êtes,
O Jésus, ô roi tout puissant,
Régnez sur nous entièrement.
                        Refrain:

This was a pain in the neck to format so I'm going to submit it before cyberspace or the gremlins can eat it, then post the English separately.
Rita

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Ferrara
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 09:55 AM

LO, THE HEAVENLY BABE IS BORN

There are singable translations but this one is literal. I've tried to use English words that are as close to the French ones as possible, even if it's not the most satisfying translation.... Always a hard choice.

Back in my high school days I dreamed of majoring in languages but couldn't picture a career as an academic and didn't think there were too many jobs available as translators. I find I do love trying my hand at translations! Bless the Mudcat for providing an outlet for so many of my otherwise useless hidden talents...

Hope these posts add a bit to your enjoyment, Parson.

CHORUS:
He is born, the divine child, (divine infant)
Play the oboes, sound the flutes!
He is born, the divine child,
Let us all sing (to celebrate) his arrival.

1
Depuis plus de quatre mille ans
Nous le promettaient les prophètes,
Depuis plus de quatre mille ans
Nous attendions cet heureux temps.

For more than four thousand years
The prophets have been promising --
For more than four thousand years
We have been awaiting this happy time.

2
Ah! qu'il est beau, qu'il est charmant,
Ah! que ses grâces sont parfaites,
Ah! qu'il est beau, qu'il est charmant,
Qu'il est doux, ce divin enfant.

Ah! but he is beautiful, he is charming,
Ah! but his graces are perfect,
Ah he is beautiful, he is charming,
He is so sweet, this divine infant!

3
Une étable est son logement,
Un peu de paille est sa couchette,
Une étable est son logement,
Pour un Dieu quel abaissement!

A stable is his lodging,
A bit of straw is his crib,
A stable is his lodging,
For a God what an abasement (how demeaning it is)!

4
O Jésus, ô roi tout puissant,
Tout petit enfant que vous êtes,
O Jésus, ô roi tout puissant,
Régnez sur nous entièrement.

O Jesus, O all powerful king,
Tiny infant that you are,
Oh Jesus, O all powerful king,
Reign over us completely (entirely.)

Subject: RE: French And German Carols.
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 04 Dec 03 - 02:23 PM

Les anges dans nos campagnes: We sang and played it for years in this German version, and there I had to learn that the carol is of French origin!

Wilfried