IN TERRA PAX
A Symphonic Christmas Concert
With the Montview Choirs and Orchestra
December 8, 2024 • 4:00pm
Adam Waite, Minister of Music and Conductor
Yinying Luo, Associate Minister of Music
Becki Cornwall, Minister of Children’s Music
Heidi Shriver, Music Ministry Administrator
Welcome
Rev. Clover Reuter Beal, Co-Pastor
Gloria, I. Allegro
John Rutter (b. 1945)
Sung in Latin
I. Gloria in excelsis Deo
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men.
We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you, we give
you thanks for your great glory.
For Unto Us a Child Is Born, from Messiah
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
For unto us a Child is born.
Unto us, a Son is given,
And the government shall be upon His shoulder,
And his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.
A La Nanita Nana
Traditional Spanish Carol
arr. Ruth Elaine Schram
Bel Canto Choir
(Refrain)
A la nanita nana, nanita e-a, nanita e-a,
Dear blessed little Baby, so very sleepy, so very sleepy.
Sparkling stream that is flowing,
Bubbling so cheerily;
Nightingales in the forest,
Singing so clearly; (Refrain)
Hush while the little cradle,
Rocks Him so sweetly.
A la nanita nana, nanita e-a.
Come Healing
Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)
Jubilate Singers
O, gather up the brokenness
Bring it to me now
The fragrance of those promises
You never dared to vow
The splinters that you carried
The cross you left behind
Come healing of the body
Come healing of the mind
And let the heavens hear it
The penitential hymn
Come healing of the spirit
Come healing of the limb
Behold the gates of mercy
In arbitrary space
And none of us deserving
Of cruelty or the grace
O, solitude of longing
Where love has been confined
Come healing of the body
Come healing of the mind
O, see the darkness yielding
That tore the light apart
Come healing of the reason
Come healing of the heart
O, troubledness concealing
An undivided love
The heart beneath is teaching
To the broken heart above
And let the heavens falter
Let the earth proclaim
Come healing of the altar
Come healing of the name
O, longing of the branches
To lift the little bud
O, longing of the arteries
To purify the blood
And let the heavens hear it
The penitential hymn
Come healing of the spirit
Come healing of the limb
O let the heavens hear it
The penitential hymn
Come healing of the spirit
Come healing of the limb
Adam Lay Ybounden
Carson Cooman (b. 1982)
Adam lay Ybouden, Bounden in a bond;
Four thousand winter Thought he not too long.
And all was for an apple, An apple that he took,
As clerkes finden Written in their book.
Ne had the apple taken been, The apple taken been,
Ne had never our lady A been heavené queen.
Blessed be the time that apple taken was,
Therefore we moun singen, “Deo gracias!”
15th century
Bring A Torch / Angels We Have Heard on High
From the Many Moods of Christmas, Suite 3
arr. Robert Shaw (1916-1999)
Bring a torch, Jeannette Isabella,
Bring a torch, come hurry and run.
It is Jesus, good folk of the village,
Christ is born, and Mary’s calling:
Ah! Ah! Beautiful is the mother;
Ah! Ah! Beautiful is the Child.
Skies are glowing, the heavens are cloudless,
Bright the path to the manger bed.
Hasten all who would see little Jesus,
Shining bright as yonder star.
Ah! Ah! Beautiful is the mother;
Ah! Ah! Beautiful is the Child.
It is wrong when the Baby is sleeping,
It is wrong to speak so loud.
Silence now as you come near the cradle,
Lest you awaken little Jesus.
Ah! Ah! Beautiful is the mother;
Ah! Ah! Beautiful is the Child.
(Refrain)
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply,
Echoing their joyous strains. (Refrain)
Come to Bethlehem and see,
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King. (Refrain)
Alleluia! Alleluia!
See Him in the manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts with love we raise. (Refrain)
Still, Still, Still
arr. Norman Luboff (1917-1987)
Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.
For all is hushed, the world is sleeping,
Holy Star its vigil keeping,
Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
‘Tis the eve of our Saviour’s birth.
The night is peaceful all around you,
Close your eyes, let sleep surround you,
Sleep, sleep, sleep,
‘Tis the eve of our Saviour’s birth.
Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come.
While guardian angels without number
Guard you as you sweetly slumber,
Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come.
In Terra Pax
Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)
Caleb Meyerhoff, baritone
Jayden Greicius, soprano
Baritone Solo
A frosty Christmas Eve, when the stars were shining
Fared I forth alone where westward falls the hill,
And from many a village, in the water’d valley
Distant music reach’d me, peals of bells aringing:
The constellated sounds, ran sprinkling on earth’s floor
As the dark vault above, with stars was spangled o’er.
Then sped my thoughts to keep, that first Christmas of all
When the shepherds watching, by their folds ere the dawn
Heard music in the fields, and marveling could not tell
Whether it were angels, or the bright stars singing.
Chorus
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them:
Soprano Solo
Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
Chorus
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Baritone Solo
But to me heard afar, it was starry music
Angels’ song, comforting, as the comfort of Christ
When he spake tenderly, to his sorrowful flock:
The old words came to me, by the riches of time
Mellow’d and transfigured, as I stood on the hill
Heark’ning in the aspect, of th’ eternal silence.
Chorus
And on earth peace, good will toward men.
words by Robert Bridges and from St. Luke 11:8-14
E’en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come
Paul Manz (1919-2009)
Peace be to you and grace from Him
Who freed us from our sins,
Who loved us all and shed His blood
That we might saved be.
Sing Holy, Holy to our Lord,
The Lord Almighty God,
Who was and is and is to come;
Sing Holy, Holy, Lord!
Rejoice in heaven, all ye that dwell therein,
Rejoice on earth, ye saints below,
For Christ is coming, is coming soon,
For Christ is coming soon!
E’en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come,
And night shall be no more;
They need no light nor lamp nor sun,
For Christ will be their All!
Story of Silent Night
Adam Waite (b. 1978)
Barbara Wollan, Narrator
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
arr. Arthur Harris (1927-1992)
ADVENT & CHRISTMAS AT MONTVIEW CHURCH
Advent
Love Unbound: A Service of Remembrance
December 16 | 7:00pm
Sanctuary & Livestream
Service of Lessons and Carols
December 22 | 8:30 and 11:00am
Sanctuary & 11am Livestream
Christmas Tea and Children’s Craft Fair
December 22 | 9:30am
Fellowship Hall
Christmas Eve
2pm – Family Service
Sanctuary & Livestream
4pm – Family Service
Sanctuary
6pm & 8pm – Candlelight
Sanctuary & 6pm Livestream
7:15pm – Witness to the Light
Candlelight and music along Montview Blvd
10pm – Candlelight with Choir
Sanctuary
TODAY’S CONCERT PRESENTED IN PART BY THE MONTVIEW SACRED CONCERT FUND
Founded by Conductor and Composer John Kuzma, the Montview Sacred Concert Fund promotes important sacred major concert work repertoire through free annual
performances.
Past concerts include Paul Hindemith’s When Lillacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d, Dvorak: Mass in D and Duke
Ellington’s Sacred Concert.
The fund has also commissioned important new works such as Let The River Flow, a 16-movement jazz mass by Ike Sturm and Chanda Rule, a full orchestral realization of Nancy Galbraith’s Missa Mysterium, and a multitude of works by young composers through the John Kuzma Young Composers Award.
Montview’s Sacred Concert Fund is vital to the continuation of these deeply moving pieces of music. It is only through and with your support that this will happen. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today.
WAYS TO DONATE
By Check / Cash / Credit Card at our Sacred Concert Info Table
Online at Montview.org/giving (select “Sacred Concerts”)
Check by mail (1980 Dahlia St Denver, CO 80220 “Memo: Sacred Concerts”)
MONTVIEW BOULEVARD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1980 Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80220
303.355.1651 | www.montview.org