Jubilo

Carrying on with my Christmas Carol theme, today we have another traditional and rather ancient piece. The original version of this was written in about 1328 by a German called Heinrich Seuse. One of the latest and better known incarnations of the piece was by Mike Oldfield as far back as 1976 when it reached number 4 in the charts. It is, of course, In Dulce Jubilo.

The words sung here are a little different from the original but roughly are as follows:

In dulci jubilo

Let us our homage show;

Our heart' joy reclineth

In praesepio,

And like a bright star shineth

Matris in gremio;

Alpha es et O,

Alpha es et O.

O Jesu parvule,

My heart is sore for Thee;

Hear me, I beseech Thee,

O Puer optime;

My prayer let it reach Thee,

O Princeps gloriae;

Trahe me post te,

Trahe me post te.

O Patris caritas!

O Nati lenitas!

Deeply we were stained

Per nostra crimina;

But Thou for us hast gained

Caelorum gaudia:

Oh, that we were there!

Oh, that we were there!