Cantata no.1

This is my first cantata, based on Martin Luther's chorale "Vom himmel hoch da komm ich her" ("From heaven above to earth I come").The chorale is used as a cantus firmus throughout the entire piece.The lyrics are in Icelandic (my language)I. OuvertureAf himnum ofan boðskap ber / oss, börnum jarðar, englaher / Vér fögnum þeirri fregn í trú, / af fögnuð hjartans syngjum nú."From heaven above to earth I come / To bear good news to every home / Glad tidings of great joy I bring / Whereof I now will say and sing."II. Aria (Soprano)Í dag er heimi frelsi fætt, / er fær vor mein og harma bætt, / það barnið þekkjum blessað vér, / vor bróðir Jesús Kristur er."To you this night is born a child / Of Mary, chosen virgin mild / This little child, of lowly birth / Shall be the joy of all the earth."III. CoroOg oss til merkis er það sagt: / Í aumum reifum finnum lagt / það barn í jötu', er hefur heim / í hendi sér og ljóssins geim. "These are the tokens ye shall mark /The swaddling-clothes and manger dark / There ye shall find the Infant laid / By whom the heavens and earth were made."IV. Aria (Basso)Því gleðjumst allir, góðir menn, / og göngum þangað allir senn, / þá jólagjöf, Guðs son, að sjá, / er sauða hirðar gleðjast hjá. "Now let us all with gladsome cheer / Go with the shepherds and draw near / To see the precious gift of God, / Who hath His own dear Son bestowed."V. CoroÆ, velkominn oss vertu þá, / er vorar syndir tókst þig á. / Oss, Jesús, kenn að þakka þér, / að þínir bræður urðum vér."Welcome to earth, Thou noble Guest, / Through whom the sinful world is blest! / Thou com'st to share my misery / What thanks shall I return to Thee?"VI. Duet (Alto & Tenore)Ó, Guð, sem ráð á öllu átt, / hví ertu kominn hér svo lágt, / í tötrum lagður hart á hey, / sem hefðir dýrri bústað ei?"Ah, Lord, who hast created all / How weak art Thou, how poor and small / That Thou dost choose Thine infant bed / Where humble cattle lately fed!"VII. ChoraleÞótt veröld öll sé víð og löng, / sú vaggan er þér samt of þröng / og þín ei verð, þótt væri' hún full / af vegsemd þeirri', er skín sem gull.Svo hefur, Drottinn, þóknast þér, / og þá vilt speki kenna mér, / að heimsins auð og allt hans glys / þú eigi virðir meira' en fis."Were earth a thousand times as fair / Beset with gold and jewels rare / It yet were far too poor to be / A narrow cradle, Lord, for Thee." "And thus, dear Lord, it pleaseth Thee / To make this truth quite plain to me / That all the world's wealth, honor, might / Are naught and worthless in Thy sight."

Cantata no.1

Ooh! Íslensku! Þú sérð greinilega hvað mér finnst Íslandi vegna nafns míns, Heklaphone. :)

Mvt. 1: I really like this one. Such nice harmonies, and the entries are perfect.

Mvt. 2: An aria, eh? hvernig ágætur, hvernig ágætur :D. I still can't find a problem. Maybe to much like mvt. 1, but really, not a problem.

Mvt. 3: Ahh... there is the dissonance I wanted. Very subtle dissonances, but very important. Sets it appart from mvts. 1 and 2.

Mvt. 4: Well, this one wasn't my favorite. To much the same, and it didn't seem to be an aria. More random bass parts stuck into an oboe duet...

Mvt. 5: Well, you did it. You changed it on a dime, and it works perfectly. A bit hard to follow though..

Mvt. 6: When You first listen, it's hard not to smile. But once it plays for the 4th time in a row, it's hard not to notice.. good movement, though.

Mvt. 7: The ending.. and what a grand ending it was! No problems, and nothing to fuss over :)

Heklaphone