Texts & Translations

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872—1958)

from Suite for Viola – Prelude — Carol — Christmas Dance

Valiant for Truth

Thomas Tallis (1505—1585) – Tunes from Archbishop Parker’s Psalter

Tallis Fantasia

Lord, Thou Has been Our Refuge

INTERVAL

Serenade to Music

Charterhouse Suite

Fantasia on Christmas Carols

Texts & Translations

Valiant for Truth

Music Ralph Vaughan Williams / published Oxford University Press
Text John Bunyan (1628-1688)

After this it was noised abroad that Mr (Mister) Valiant-for-truth was taken with a summons, and had this for a token that the summons was true, ‘That his pitcher was broken at the fountain.’ When he understood it, he called for his Friends, and told them of it. Then said he, ‘I am going to my Father’s, and though with great diffi culty I am got hither, yet now I do not repent me of all the trouble I have been at to arrive where I am. My Sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage, and my courage and skill to him that can get it. My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought His batt les who now will be my rewarder.’ When the day that he must go hence was come, many accompanied him to the riverside, into which, as he went, he said, ‘Death, where is thy Sting?’ And as he went down deeper, he said, ‘Grave, where is thy Victory?’ So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.

Psalms from Archbishop Parker’s Psalter

Music Thomas Tallis (c1505 – 1585)

Text Archbishop Matthew Parker (1504 – 1575)

Psalm 52 – the seventh tune

Why brag in malice high,
O thou in mischief stout?
God’s goodness yet is nigh,
All day to me no doubt.

Thou malice loves to wire,
Above all goodness walk:
And more thou loves to lie,
Then righteousness to talk.

But God once thee shall walk,
Shall stroy and scrape by hand
Thy tent from thee at last
To root thee out of land.

Psalm 2 – the third tune

Why fum’th in sight: the Gentiles spite,
In fury raging stout?
Why tak’th in hand: the people fond,
Vain things to bring about?

The kings arise: the lords devise,
in councils met thereto:
Against the Lord: with false accord,
against his Christ they go.

Let us they say: break down their ray,
of all their bonds and cords:
We will renounce: that they pronounce,
their lures as stately lords.

But God of might: in heaven so bright,
Shall laugh them all to scorn:
The Lord on high: shall them defy,
they shall be once forlorn.

The Lord in fear: your service bear,
with dread to him rejoice:
Let rages be: resist not ye,
him serve with joyful voice.

The Son kiss ye: lest wroth he be,
lose not the way of rest:
For when his ire: is set on fire,
who trust in him be blest.

Psalm 67 – the eighth tune

God grant with grace,
He us embrace,
In gentle part,
Bliss be our heart:
With loving face
Shine He in place,
His mercies all
On us to fall.

That we Thy way
May know all day,
While we do sail
This world so frail:
Thy health’s reward
Is nigh declared,
As plain at eye
All Gentiles spy

Let Thee always
The people praise,
O God of bliss,
As due it is:
The people whole
Ought Thee extol,
From whom all thing
They see to spring.

All folk rejoice,
Lift up your voice,
For Thou in sight
Shalt judge them right:
Thou shalt direct
The Gentiles sect,
In earth that be
To turn to Thee.

The earth shall bud
His fruits so good,
Then thanks most due
From it shall sue:
And God e’en He
Our God most free
Shall bless us aye
From day to day.

So God our guide
Shall bless us wide
With all increase,
No time to cease:
All folk thereby
On earth which lie
His name shall fear,
And love Him bear.

Lord, Thou Has been Our Refuge

Music Ralph Vaughan Williams

Text Psalm 90

Lord, Thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made, Thou art God from everlasting and world without end. Thou turnest man to destruction; again Thou sayest: Come again, ye children of men. For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday; seeing that is past as a watch in the night.

O God our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home.

As soon as Thou scatterest them they are even as a sleep and fade away suddenly like the grass. In the morning it is green, and groweth up, but in the evening it is cut down, dried up and withered. For we consume away in Thy displeasure, and are afraid at Thy wrathful indignation. For when Thou art angry all our days are gone; we bring our years to an end, as a tale that is told. The years of our age are threescore years and ten, and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years, yet is their strength but labour and sorrow. So passeth it away, and we are gone. Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last. Be gracious unto Thy servants. O satisfy us with Thy mercy and that soon. So shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Lord, Thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made, Thou art God from everlasting and world without end. And the glorious Majesty of the Lord be upon us. Prosper Thou, O prosper Thou the work of our hands, O prosper Thou our handywork.

Serenade to Music

Music Ralph Vaughan Williams

Text Shakespeare, from Merchant of Venice

How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music
Creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night
Become the touches of sweet harmony.
Look, how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold:
There’s not the smallest orb that thou behold’st
But in his motion like an angel sings
Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins;
Such harmony is in immortal souls;
But, whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.
Come, ho! and wake Diana with a hymn:
With sweetest touches pierce your mistress’ ear,
And draw her home with music.
I am never merry when I hear sweet music.
The reason is, your spirits are attentive:
The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not mov’d with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils;
The motions of his spirit are dull as night,
And his affections dark as Erebus:
Let no such man be trusted… Music! hark!
It is your music of the house.
Methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day.
Silence bestows that virtue on it.
How many things by season season’d are.
To their right praise and true perfection!
Peace, ho! the moon sleeps with Endymion,
And would not be awak’d.
(Soft stillness and the night
Become the touches of sweet harmony.)

Fantasia on Christmas Carols

Music Ralph Vaughan Williams

Text Traditional

This is the Truth
This is the truth sent from above,
The truth of God, the God of love;
Therefore don’t turn me from your door,
But hearken all, both rich and poor.

The first thing, which I do relate,
That God at first did man create
The next thing, which to you I tell,
Woman was made with him to dwell.

Then after this, ‘twas God’s own choice
To place them both in Paradise,
There to remain from evil free
Except they ate of such a tree.

And they did eat, which was a sin,
And thus their ruin did begin;
Ruined themselves, both you and me,
And all of their posterity.

Thus we were heirs to endless woes,
Till God the Lord did interpose
For so a promise soon did run
That He’d redeem us with a Son.

The Somerset Carol
Come all you worthy gentlemen
That may be standing by.
Christ our blessed Saviour
Was born on Christmas day.
The blessed virgin Mary
Unto the Lord did say,
O we wish you the comfort and tidings of joy!

Christ our blessed Saviour
Now in the manger lay;
He’s lying in the manger,
While the oxen fed on hay.
The blessed Virgin Mary
Unto the Lord did pray.
O we wish you the comfort and tidings of joy!

God bless the ruler of this house,
And long on may he reign;
Many happy Christmases
He live to see again!
God bless our generation
Who live both far and near;
O we wish you the comfort and tidings of joy!

Sussex Carol
On Christmas night all Christians sing
to hear the news the angels bring;
on Christmas night all Christians sing
to hear the news the angels bring:
news of great joy, news of great mirth,
news of our merciful King’s birth.

When sin departs before His grace,
then life and health come in its place;
when sin departs before His grace,
then life and health come in its place;
angels and men with joy may sing,
all for to see the newborn King.

From out of darkness we have light,
which made the angels sing this night;
all out of darkness we have light,
which made the angels sing this night:
“Glory to God and peace to men,
now and forevermore. Amen.”