Christmas Time is Here (SATB 8-part)
Orig. Lee Mendelson and Vince Guaraldi
Arr. Julian Yves
Performed by me, choir, and voice actor friends.

Christmas Time is Here (Acapella Cover)

Alleluia

Premiere of "Marées" by Marie-Claire Saindon, text by Rina Lasnier
Under the musical direction of François A. Ouimet
Performed by le Choeur des jeunes de Vincent-d'Indy & le jeune choeur du Conservatoire de Rouen on October 28, 2022, in Montréal, QC.

Score available in SAB and SSA on www.marieclairesaindon.com

Marées

Composer: by Nathanaël Wsiaki
Publisher: Cypress Choral Music

visit https://cypresschoral.com to study the score while you listen

Pour vous - by Nathanaël Wsiaki

Les chansons des roses - Morten Lauridsen 
Lyrics: Reiner Maria Rilke
Conductor: Gary Graden
Piano: Mathias Spitzbarth

Recorded for documentation purposes by Mathias Spitzbarth the 30th of May 2013 in St Jacobs Church.
 
Lyrics in English:
1. In One Single Flower (En Une Seule Fleur)
it is rather we who did propose you fill up your chalice.
Enchanted with this contrivance, you ventured the deed.
You were rich enough to become a hundred times yourself in one single flower; 
such is the plight of one who loves -- nor did you think otherwise.

2. Against Whom, Rose (Contra Qui, Rose)
Against whom, rose, did you take on these thorns?
Was it your sheerest joy that forced you to become this armed thing?
But from whom does it protect you, this exaggerated weapon?
How many enemies have I removed from you who failed to fear it?
On the contrary, from summer through autumn,
it is you who wound the affections that they bestow upon you.

3. Drowsy in Dream (De Ton Reve Trop Plein)
Drowsy in dream, flowers aplenty within,
wet as a weeping woman, you stoop toward dawn.
Your soft strength, sleeping in vague desire, reveals the tender contour of cheek or breast.

4. The Perfect Rose (La Rose Complete)
I am so conscious of your being, perfect rose, that my mind makes no distinction between you and my heart in celebration.
I breath you in as if you were, rose, all of life itself, and I feel myself the perfect friend of such a friend.

5. So They Say (Dirait-on)
Unrestraint overwhelmed with unrestraint, fondness touching fondness... 
It's your inner-self that never ceases caressing itself, or so they say; 
caressing itself by its own nature, by its own sparkling reflection.
Thus do you forge the image of Narcissus praying, or so they say.


17. V - Dirait-on - Les Chansons des Roses - Lauridsen

Les chansons des roses - Morten Lauridsen 
Lyrics: Reiner Maria Rilke
Conductor: Gary Graden

Recorded for documentation purposes by Mathias Spitzbarth the 30th of May 2013 in St Jacobs Church.
 
Lyrics in English:
1. In One Single Flower (En Une Seule Fleur)
it is rather we who did propose you fill up your chalice.
Enchanted with this contrivance, you ventured the deed.
You were rich enough to become a hundred times yourself in one single flower; 
such is the plight of one who loves -- nor did you think otherwise.

2. Against Whom, Rose (Contra Qui, Rose)
Against whom, rose, did you take on these thorns?
Was it your sheerest joy that forced you to become this armed thing?
But from whom does it protect you, this exaggerated weapon?
How many enemies have I removed from you who failed to fear it?
On the contrary, from summer through autumn,
it is you who wound the affections that they bestow upon you.

3. Drowsy in Dream (De Ton Reve Trop Plein)
Drowsy in dream, flowers aplenty within,
wet as a weeping woman, you stoop toward dawn.
Your soft strength, sleeping in vague desire, reveals the tender contour of cheek or breast.

4. The Perfect Rose (La Rose Complete)
I am so conscious of your being, perfect rose, that my mind makes no distinction between you and my heart in celebration.
I breath you in as if you were, rose, all of life itself, and I feel myself the perfect friend of such a friend.

5. So They Say (Dirait-on)
Unrestraint overwhelmed with unrestraint, fondness touching fondness... 
It's your inner-self that never ceases caressing itself, or so they say; 
caressing itself by its own nature, by its own sparkling reflection.
Thus do you forge the image of Narcissus praying, or so they say.


16. IV - La Rose Complète - Les Chansons des Roses - Lauridsen

Les chansons des roses - Morten Lauridsen 
Lyrics: Reiner Maria Rilke
Conductor: Gary Graden

Recorded for documentation purposes the 30th of May 2013 in St Jacobs Church.
 
Lyrics in English:
1. In One Single Flower (En Une Seule Fleur)
it is rather we who did propose you fill up your chalice.
Enchanted with this contrivance, you ventured the deed.
You were rich enough to become a hundred times yourself in one single flower; 
such is the plight of one who loves -- nor did you think otherwise.

2. Against Whom, Rose (Contra Qui, Rose)
Against whom, rose, did you take on these thorns?
Was it your sheerest joy that forced you to become this armed thing?
But from whom does it protect you, this exaggerated weapon?
How many enemies have I removed from you who failed to fear it?
On the contrary, from summer through autumn,
it is you who wound the affections that they bestow upon you.

3. Drowsy in Dream (De Ton Reve Trop Plein)
Drowsy in dream, flowers aplenty within,
wet as a weeping woman, you stoop toward dawn.
Your soft strength, sleeping in vague desire, reveals the tender contour of cheek or breast.

4. The Perfect Rose (La Rose Complete)
I am so conscious of your being, perfect rose, that my mind makes no distinction between you and my heart in celebration.
I breath you in as if you were, rose, all of life itself, and I feel myself the perfect friend of such a friend.

5. So They Say (Dirait-on)
Unrestraint overwhelmed with unrestraint, fondness touching fondness... 
It's your inner-self that never ceases caressing itself, or so they say; 
caressing itself by its own nature, by its own sparkling reflection.
Thus do you forge the image of Narcissus praying, or so they say.


15. III - De Ton Rêve Trop Plein - Les Chansons des Roses - Lauridsen

14. II -  Contre Qui, Rose - Les Chansons des Roses - Lauridsen

13. I - En Une Seule Fleur - Les Chansons des Roses - Lauridsen

the score is available here:  https://alliance-editions.ca/products/vita-arboris-satb?variant=2579647234072

English translation at the end

Latin text:

Jampridem memini,
quando eram sola,
dulci manu benigna
posita sum in terra.

Submissim dixit mihi :
«esto fortis et magna
nam non erit vita
semper clemens tibi.»

Inde mihi dedit
ultimum osculum,
ultimum complexum,
ac procul abivit.

Sic, adolevi et accrevi
dum diei lucem viderem.
Crevi hic et adhuc accrevi
ut illas nubes attingerem.

Solem pluviamque amavi
et fulmen flammasque timui.
Cum vento mi placuit saltare
et semper perrexi accrescere.

Per tempora anni vixi,
autumnum, hibernum, ver, æstatem;
Per dies noctesque vidi
memet conservare datam fidem.

Hanc manum benignam sensi,
defatigatam, fragilem;
eam sensi morientem;
et submissim dixit mihi :

«Memini bene, jampridem,
parvulum granum videbam;
et nunc, video arborem,
arborem fortem et magnam.»

Dein mihi gratias egit,
inde oculos suos clausit,
ultimum flatum suspiravit,
atque in arbore revixit.

----------
English translation:

I remember long ago,
when I was lonely,
I was put to the ground
by a soft and benevolant hand.

The hand told me softly :
''be great and strong,
because life won't always
be clement towards you.''

Then the hand gave me
one last kiss,
one last hug
and left afar.

Thus, I grew and grew
till I could see the light of the day.
I grew and grew again
till I could reach for the clouds.

I loved the sun and the rain
and I feared thunder and the flames.
I took pleasure to dance with the wind,
as I was continuing to grow.

I lived through the seasons
autumn, winter, spring, summer;
I saw through days and nights
that the promise I had made was respected.

I felt this benevolent hand :
tired, fragile;
I felt it dying;
and the hand told me softly :

''I remember well, long ago,
I saw this little seed,
and today I see a tree :
a great and strong tree.''

After, the hand thanked me,
then closed its eyes,
sighed one last breath
and was reborn as a tree.

October 2016

Vita Arboris (McGill University, Schulich Singers -- Jean-Sébastien Vallée, conductor)

Faute de pouvoir vous offrir un concert, l'ensemble Phœbus vous souhaite de très joyeuses fêtes avec ce classique de notre concert du 9 décembre 2019!

Vita Arboris (McGill University, Schulich Singers -- Jean-Sébastien Vallée, conductor)

Rémi St-Jacques, composer

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