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Leo Sowerby (1895-1968), the composer of 550 works for virtually every musical medium except opera, is mainly remembered for his organ and choral music, his work as choirmaster, organist and teacher at Chicago's St. James Cathedral and the College of Church Musicians at Washington Cathedral, and his distinctions as first recipient of the American Prix de Rome, the 1946 Pulitzer Prize and a quarter century as the most frequently performed American composer of symphonic music. For the first half of the 20th Century he was as widely known for his symphonic and chamber music. At century's end, his highly personal style lyrical, romantic and tinged with acknowledged influences of medieval and classical masters, American folk music and jazz is steadily regaining a place in the repertory.
Sowerby's choral music has never been out of the repertory and several of his works for Christmas, particularly this collection's title anthem, Love Came Down at Christmas, and the Epiphany anthem, Now There Lightens Upon Us, are prominent among the reasons why. This collection, which includes nearly all of Sowerby's Christmas repertory, presents a comprehensive overview from his very first, A Carol for New Year's Day, dating from his eighteen year, to A Prayer for Christmas, composed in his 72nd year for the choir of his own last parish church, Christ Church, Georgetown.
From the immediately engaging arrangements of traditional folk tunes, to the soaring vocal height and harmonic moodiness of the a capella A Great and Mighty Wonder to the virtuosic choral/organ collaborations, the composer displays a sure and ever-changing harmonic spectrum woven brilliantly into the choral fabric. They are a true testament to Leo Sowerby's craft and faith and his convictions of the joy and splendor of this magnificent season.
John Delorey and Francis Crociata
ConVivium was founded by John Delorey and Patricia Snyder as a professional venue for the highest caliber choral singers in central Massachusetts. ConVivium is committed to the presentation of choral music with a unique ensemble sound which features pure, straight-toned treble voices, paired with a full male vocal range, from bass to countertenor. ConVivium's mission is to preserve, promote and foster public awareness and appreciation of the choral art through performance, recording, and the commissioning of new music.
Patricia Snyder is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and Yale University, where she received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree. She was awarded the Premier Prix and Prix d'Excellence from the Conservatoire de Rueil Maintaison, France, where she was a student of Marie-Claire Alain. She is a former winner of the Royal Canadian College of Organists National Competition and the Manchester International Organ Competition, England. She has given recitals throughout North America, Europe and Japan. She is currently the Director of Music at Pakaehoag Church, Auburn, Massachusetts and a faculty member at Pakaehoag Community Music School.
John Delorey received his B.A. in Music History from Vassar College, studied conducting at Harvard University with Jameson Marvin and composition at Berklee College of Music. He received his early choral training in the historic Choir of Men and Boys at All Saints Church, Worcester, Massachusetts, under the direction of Henry Hokans. He was also a member of the nationally renowned Berkshire Boys Choir working with Sir George Guest, Allen Wicks and Alan Ridout, from which he was chosen to sing at the opening of the Kennedy Center in the premier of Leonard Bernstein's Mass. He now sings and records with the Boston Camerata, Schola Cantorum of Boston and Schola Discantus of San Francisco. He is currently Director of Spirituality and the Arts at All Saints Church, Worcester.
Ronald Stalford has been the Choirmaster and Organist at All Saints Church, Worcester since 1979. He studied with Alexander McCurdy and, at Washington Cathedral's College of Church Musicians, Paul Callaway, Preston Rockholt and Leo Sowerby. Chosen by Sowerby to be his executor, Stalford has played, conducted and lectured on the music of Leo Sowerby the world over.
1. A Great and Mighty Wonder
A great and mighty wonder,
The virgin bears the infant
The Word becomes Incarnate,
And Cherubim sing anthems
To Shepherds from the sky.
And we with them triumphant
"To God on high be glory,
And peace on earth to men."
2. Come Ye, And Let Us Go Up
And it shall come to pass in the last days.
that the mountain of the Lord' s house
shall be established on the top of the mountains,
and shall be exalted above the hills;
and all nations shall flow unto it.
And many people shall go and say,
Come ye, and let us go up
to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;
and he shall teach us of his ways,
and we will walk in his paths:
for out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
And he shall judge among the nations,
and shall rebuke many people;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob, come ye,
and let us walk in the light of the Lord.
3. A Prayer for Christmas
Blessed art Thou, O Christmas Christ,
that Thy cradle was so low
that shepherds could yet kneel beside it,
and look level eyed into the face of God.
Blessed art Thou, that Thy cradle was so high
that the Magi could yet come to it
to hazard their wisdom's store
Blessed art Thou, that having grown to manhood,
Thou didst fashion a Christmas Altar,
So that all simplicity and all wisdom,
all poverty and all wealth,
all righteousness and all penitence for sin,
might find sanctuary there.
Be this our Christmas haste,
O Christmas Christ, to seek that Altar,
and, at this season of Thy Birth,
unafraid of the Time's complaint,
may we be found kneeling still. Amen.
4. Little Jesus, Sweetly Sleep
(translated by Percy Dearmer, 1867-1936)
Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, do not stir,
We will lend a coat of fur,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
See the fur to keep you warm,
Snugly round your tiny form.
Mary's little baby, sleep, sweetly sleep,
Sleep in comfort, slumber deep,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will serve you all we can,
Darling, darling little man.
5. Love Came Down At Christmas
Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
Starts and Angels gave the sign.
Love incarnate, Love divine;
But wherewith for sacred sign?
Love be yours and love be mine;
Love for plea and gift and sign.
translated by Winfred Douglas
Here betwixt ass and oxen mild,
Sleep, sleep, sleep my little child.
Keeping watch above the incarnate God of love.
Here in the crib, secure from harms,
Sleep, sleep in your mother's arms.
Here betwixt rose and lily white,
Sleep, sleep, sleep my son tonight.
On this fair night of holy joy,
Sleep, sleep, sleep my little boy.
Lovely Infant, dearest Saviour,
Jesus, Friend, we love the best,
See, we all invite thee kindly,
Come within our hearts to rest.
See, I come, my heart to offer,
Make it now a crib for thee.
Come, O Jesus, lovely Infant,
Enter in and stay with me.
8. There Comes A Ship A'Sailing
translated by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)
There comes a ship a'sailing
She bears a splendid cargo
This ship is fully laden,
Right to her highest board;
She bears the Son from heaven,
This ship moves in to shore,
To bring us all the riches
She has within her store.
And that ship's name is Mary
Of flowers the rose is she,
And brings to us her baby
The ship made in this fashion,
In which such store was cast,
Her sail is love's sweet passion,
9. Carol in Praise of the Holly and the Ivy
Holly and Ivy made a great party,
Who should have the mast'ry in lands where they go.
Who should have the mast'ry in lands where they go.
Then spake Holly, "I am fierce and jolly.
I will have the mast'ry in lands where we go."
Then spake Ivy, "I am loud and proud,
And I will have the mast'ry in lands where we go.
I will have the mast'ry in lands where we go."
Then spake Holly and bent him down on his knee,
In the lands where we go,
In the lands where we go."
12. Can You Count The Stars?
Can you count the stars that brightly
Twinkle in the midnight sky?
Can you count the clouds, so lightly
O'er the meadows floating by?
God, the Lord, doth mark their number
With his eyes that never slumber;
He hath made them, ev'ry one,
He hath made them, ev'ry one.
Do you know how many children
Rise each morning blithe and gay?
Can you count their jolly voices,
Singing sweetly day by day?
God hears all the happy voices,
In their merry songs rejoices;
And he loves them, ev'ry one,
And he loves them, ev'ry one.
Hush! my dear, lie still and slumber;
Holy angels guard thy bed,
Heav'nly blessing without number
Gently falling on thy head.
How much better thou'rt attended
Than the Son of God could be,
When from heaven he descended
And became a child like thee.
Soft and easy is thy cradle;
Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay,
When his birthplace was a stable
And his softest bed was hay.
May'st thou live to know and fear him,
Trust and love him all thy days;
Then go dwell forever near him,
See his face and sing his praise.
14. The Snow Lay On The Ground
Traditional (Venite Adoremus)
The snow lay on the ground,
When Christ our Lord was born on Christmas night.
Venite adoremus Dominum, Venite adoremus Dominum!
'Twas Mary, virgin pure of Holy Anne,
That brought into the world
The ass and oxen shared the roof with them.
Saint Joseph, too, was by
To guard him and protect his mother mild:
The angels hovered round,
15. All My Heart This Night Rejoices
trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1858
All my heart this night rejoices
"Christ is born," their choirs are singing,
Hark a voice from yonder manger,
"Flee from woe and danger!
Brethren, come! from all doth grieve you,
Come then, let us hasten yonder!
Love him how with love is yearning!
Bright with hope is burning!
Thee, dear Lord, with heed I'll cherish;
But abide in life eternal
I shall be filled with joy supernal.
16. Carol for New Year's Day
Oh! dearest Jesus, Holy Child,
Make thee a bed, soft, undefil'd
Within my heart that it may be
A quiet chamber kept for thee.
My heart for very joy doth leap,
My lips no more can silence keep.
I, too, must sing with joyful tongue
The sweetest ancient cradle song,
"Glory to God in highest heaven
Who unto man his Son hath given."
While angels sing with pious mirth,
"A glad New Year to All the Earth!"
17. Now There Lightens Upon Us
Now there lightens upon us a holy daybreak.
Come, come, all good people,
and praise the Lord with gladness.
For the star which we have looked
for shines forth a sign to all men.
18. Jesu, Bright and Morning Star
Trans. by G.R. Woodward and C. Winkworth
Jesu, bright and morning star,
Star of Jacob, seen afar,
Guide our footsteps with yon Sages,
Till we also, of thy grace,
Though the winter night be drear,
Courage high he straight will borrow,
Wonder Star of eastern skies,
Grant that, at thy next appearing,
With our bodies we may rise,
Joyfully thy summons hearing,
And to realms of endless day
Produced by John Delorey and Patricia Snyder. ·Recording Engineer: Charles Paquette, M.D. · Mastered by Joseph Chilorio · Cover: Dunn and Rice Design, Inc. · Special Thanks: Janet Delorey, Malcolm Halliday, Joyce Hokans, Richard Jones, Dennis Knight and Pakaehoag Church, Mark Beckwith and All Saints Church, John Zamoida, and the Leo Sowerby Foundation.
Love Came Down At Christmas
John Delorey & Patricia Snyder, Music Directors
Patricia Snyder & Ronald Stalford, Organists
A Great and Mighty Wonder (2:55)*
March 20, 1963, H.392, Sowerby Foundation
Come Ye, And Let Us Go Up (5:15)*
January 26, 1952, H.310, Sowerby Foundation
A Prayer for Christmas (5:34)*
1967, H.471, Sowerby Foundation
Little Jesus, Sweetly Sleep (2:48)
July 4, 1959, H.370a, H.T. FitzSimons Co.
Love Came Down At Christmas (2:53)
1935, H.227, H.T. FitzSimons Co.
November 26, 1954, H.328, H.W. Gray Co.
March 18, 1963, H.391, H.W. Gray Co.
There Comes A Ship A'Sailing (2:07)*
July 2, 1959, H.369, H.T. Sowerby Foundation Co.
A Carol in Praise of the Holly and the Ivy (2:13)*
c. 1943, Sowerby Foundation
Good King Wenceslas (3:00)
1943, H.275, H.T. FitzSimons Co.
November 23, 1954, H.327, Sowerby Foundation
Can You Count The Stars? (1:52)*
July 6, 1953, H.313, Sowerby Foundation
July 7, 1953, H.314, Sowerby Foundation
The Snow Lay On The Ground (2:16)
1951, H.309, H.W. Gray Co.
All My Heart This Night Rejoices (2:48)*
June 29, 1966, H.458, H.T. FitzSimons Co.
A New Year's Carol (5:12)*
May 13, 1913, H.85, Sowerby Foundation
Now There Lightens Upon Us (7:52)
November 23, 1934, H.225, H.W. Gray Co.
Jesu, Bright and Morning Star (3:27)
October 3, 1958, H.358, H.T. FitzSimons Co.
* indicates world premiere recording
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