| AVRIL | Leo Delibes |
| April! Scent of the breezes from Cyprus, perfume of the gods in Heaven,
it is your hand that sets the flowers and harvest to growing, sweetening the air and the earth. It is you, kind and gentle, who entice the birds to return; the swallows who depart and then return as messengers of Spring, April! | |
| C'EST DIEU! | Leo Delibes |
| Do you know who pours out around us the flowers, the crops, and the vines?
Who directs the paths of the wind and the waves? Who makes the day and the night, who gives the firmament its beautiful stars and blue mantle? It is God, my child, it is God! Do you know who gives the grass and flowers their glory, the breezes their murmur, and the birds their song? Who blesses our bright mornings and beautiful days? Who gives balm to our tears and comfort to our farewells? It is God, my child, it is God! | |
| CE MOYS DE MAY | Clement Janequin |
| This month of May I will don my green jacket, I will rise on a lovely morning.
One jump, two jumps, three leaps I will make, to the road to se my true love, where we will kiss. | |
| NOW IS THE MONTH OF MAYING | Thomas Morley |
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Now is the month of Maying, when merry lads are playing! Fa la la la la!
Each with his bonny lass, a-dancing on the grass, Fa la la la la! The Spring, clad all in gladness, doth laugh at Winter's sadness! Fa la la la la! And to the bagpipes' sound, the nymphs tread out the ground, Fa la la la la! Fie! Then why sit we musing, youth's sweet delight refusing? Fa la la la la! Say, dainty nymphs and speak! Shall we play barley break? Fa la la la la! | |
| APRIL IS IN MY MISTRESS' FACE | Thomas Morley |
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April is in my mistress' face. And July in her eyes hath place. Within her bosom is September, But in her heart a cold December. | |
| D'ORRIDA SELCE ALPINA | Heinrich Schütz |
| Of the dreadful rock of the Alps, woman, I believe you were born!
And you drank the milk of wild tigers, so unrelenting are you, so unyielding to my pleas! Whether tigress or rock, alas, you have a heart of stone! | |
| OCH GLADJEN DEN DANSAR | Einojuhani Rautavaara |
| With joy we go dancing through flowers and fields;
the summer comes in and to autumn it yields. True peace and contentment from friendship we'll draw, and lilies they will bloom again in springtime, in springtime. The world it is long and the world it is wide and sorrows are borne on the winds, but here in our cottage our love it will flower, though sorrows be borne on the wind and the tides... good folk are born and all good folk must die, like white crested waves on the billowing tide; the last flowers are soon covered with snow but lilies will bloom again in spring -- with joy we go dancing through meadows of flowers in spring. (old wedding tune, words in Swedish, from Sundom, Finland.) | |
| SONGS OF SPRINGTIME | E. J. Moeran |
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1. UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE (William Shakespeare, 1564-1616) Under the greenwood tree, who loves to lie with me, And turn his merry note unto the sweet bird's throat, Come hither, come hither, come hither: Here shall he see no enemy but winter and rough weather. Who doth ambition shun, and loves to live i' the sun, Seeking the food he eats, and pleased with what he gets, Come hither, come hither, come hither: Here shall he see no enemy but winter and rough weather. | |
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2. SPRING, THE SWEET SPRING (Thomas Nashe 1567-1601; Summer's Last Will and Testament, 1600; acted 1592) Spring, the sweet Spring, is the year's pleasant king; Then blooms each thing, then maids dance in a ring, Cold doth not sting, the pretty birds do sing, Cuckoo, jug, jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo! The palm and May make country houses gay, Lambs frisk and play, the shepherds pipe all day, And we hear aye birds tune this merry lay, Cuckoo, jug, jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo! The fields breathe sweet, the daisies kiss our feet, Young lovers meet, old wives a sunning sit In every street, these tunes our ears do greet, Cuckoo, jug, jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo! Spring, the sweet spring! | |
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3. GOOD WINE (William Browne of Tavistock, 1591-1643; A Round) NOW that the Spring hath filled our veins With kind and active fire, And made green liveries for the plains, And every grove a choir; Sing we a song of merry glee, And Bacchus fill the bowl. Then here's to thee! And thou to me And every thirsty soul. Nor care nor sorrow e'er paid debt, Nor never shall do mine; I have no cradle going yet, Not I, by this good wine. No wife at home to send for me, No hogs are in my ground, No suit at law to pay a fee; Then round, old jockey, round! Shear sheep that have them, cry we still, But see that no man 'scape To drink of the sherry That makes us so merry, And plump as the lusty grape. | |
| HALELUYAH | Salamone Rossi |
| Haleluyah! I will praise the Lord as long as I live, as long as I have breath.
Put not your trust in those who are highly placed; such a one returns to the earth when his breath departs. Happy is he who trusts in God, who made all things, who guards the truth, gives justice to the oppressed, and food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, opens the eyes of the blind, and lifts those who are bowed down. God loves the righteous, watches over the sojourner, helps the widowed and fatherless. The way of the wicked shall be cut off. The Lord will reign forever. Haleluyah! | |
| AGNUS DEI (from Missa Paschalis) | Orlandus Lassus |
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Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
Miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem. |
O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant unto us peace. |
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