Thanks to Recta Ratio for listing some of his favorite Carols since I found one that was a childhood favorite. The Boar’s Head Carol is an English carol that also has Latin verses and I found a free mp3 version of it that is quite good on this page.
The same site also has some other excellent Carols also in mp3 format.
Angelus ad Virginem – Bonus points for it being totally in Latin and being cool to replay on the Annunciation. (The page provides a side by side translation)
For the opposite Victor Lams links to truly horrible version of Oh, Holy Night
Here are mp3 versions of Rudolphus rubrinasus (Rudolf the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) in Latin.
Rudolphus rubrinasus
Rudolphus rubrinasus fulgentissimo naso,
vidisti et si eum dicas quoque candere.
Omnes tarandi ceteri ridebant vocantes nomina;
non sinebant Rudolphum interessa ludentes.
olim crassa nocte Christi, Nicolaus it dictum:
“ Rudolphe, naso tam claro, agesne traham meam?”
Qui tum tarandis amor conclamantibus eum,
“ Rudolphe, rubrinase descendes historia!”
Update: Corrected composer of Ave Maria as per reader comment.
8 comments
LOL! Rudolphus rubrinasus! I sent the link to the song to several of my cool Latin friends (one being an avid Rudolph fan herself!)
That’s just so cool. :))
Our choir director at school a couple years ago sent the Oh Holy Night mp3 over our listserv as an example of “skillful vocal production, especially for tenors.” Just too funny.
Oh, and there’s a little mix-up on the chanticleer track. It’s not the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria, it’s the Franz Biebl Ave Maria. The Cornell University Glee Club was the first group to ever sing it in the US and they do it at all of their homecoming concerts. It’s one of the most beautiful choral pieces ever written–I especially love the little bits of plainsong in between the verses.
That Rudolph in Latin is way cool! And accompanied by organ! WOOHOO!
BMP
You don’t have Noel Sing We! Admittedly I haven’t heard any music for it that sounds nice (I was only able to find one thing for it on the internet and it sounded horrid), but the lyrics are extremely worthwhile as poetry. And everything in Latin is an allusion. It’s 15th century, and the more you study it, the more you realize just how well done it is.
Burden:
Noel sing we, both all and some
Now Rex pacificus is y-come
Exortum est is in love and liss
Now Christ his grace he gan us gyss
And with his body us bought to bliss
Both all and some.
De fructus ventris of Mary bright
Both God and man in her alight
Out of disease he did us dight
Both all and some
Puer natus to us was sent
To bliss us bought, fro bale us blent
And else to woe we had y-went
Both all and some
Lux fulgebit with love and light
In Mary mild his pennon pight
In her took kind with manly might
Both all and some
Gloria tibi, ay and bliss
God unto his grace he us wiss
The rent of heaven that we not miss
Both all and some
My (non-poetic) translation:
Refrain:
Noel sing we, both all and some
Now the peace-bringing King has come
It is risen with love and release
Now Christ began (to apply) his grace in our manner and conduct.
And with his body us bought to bliss
Both all and some
The fruit of the womb of Mary bright
Both God and man in her alight
Out of disorder he did us place
Both all and some
A new-born boy to us was sent
He bought us to bliss and turned us away from evil
Or else to woe we would have gone
Both all and some
The Light shines with love
In Mary mild he pitched his pennon
In her he took the nature of man
Both all and some
Glory to you, ay and bliss
God unto his grace he us guides
The reward of heaven that we not miss
Both all and some
Sorry. The line should have read ‘Exortum est in love and liss’. There’s no ‘is’ there.
Oh, and, ouch on “O Holy Night!” After a minute, my wife said, “ok you can shut it off; he’s done!”
BMP
Man, that version of O Holy Night had me in tears, I was laughing so hard. I just gets worse and worse, unbelievable!