A final celebration, this time of the approaching Christian and pagan Winter festivities:
Advent: and the wise men set out on their quest for the King of the Jews.
Botticelli shows us their eventual arrival, oddly(?) enough Mary, Joseph and the Child have ended up surrounded by the painter’s patrons – the family and friends of the Medicis.
The most famous of Advent carols; its melodic line shows the influence of Hebraic modality.
Put the Botticelli and the Advent carol together and you get this – the second of Resphigi’s Trittico botticelliano, L’adorazione dei Magi.
Then there’s the day itself.
The lucky congregation at the St. Thomas Church, Leipzig get to celebrate Christmas morning with trumpets and drums:
Bach: Christmas Oratorio, Part 1
0:00 Jauchzet, frohlocket (Chor)
7:38 Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit (Rezitativ)
8:58 Nun wird mein liebster Bräutigam (Rezitativ)
9:51 Bereite dich, Zion (Arie)
14:51 Wie soll ich dich empfangen (Choral)
16:00 Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn (Rezitativ)
16:23 Er ist auf Erden kommen arm (Rezitativ)
19:35 Großer Herr, o starker König (Arie)
24:20 Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein (Choral)
Britten’s welcome to the day manages to conflate Christian and pagan symbolism in this 15th century text:
… but Handel had no doubt about the meaning of the festivities:
Three British representatives of paganism in the form of wassailing:
This was originally from Yorkshire (but has here been appropriated by Irish Americans!)
… a more laddish and earthy version from Gloucestershire:
And, finally, from just across the river Loughor…
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Pontarddulais!
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