Tuesday, December 31, 2013

All the best for 2014

Catching up with things a few days ago I got to hear the Festival of Lessons and Carols from Kings College. I look forward to what carols they will sing, what arrangements they will use, what new descants will they sing, and especially how they will put the service together. The gem this year was John Tavener's The Lamb followed by Britten's A New Years Carol. I had forgotten how beautiful the words were for the Britten

Here we bring new water from the well so clear
For to worship God with, this happy New Year
Sing levy dew, sing levy dew, the water and the wine;
The seven bright gold wires and the bugles that do shine.

Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her toe,
Open you the West Door, and turn the Old Year go.
Sing levy dew, sing levy dew, the water and the wine;
The seven bright gold wires and the bugles that do shine.

Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her chin,
Open you the East Door, and let the New Year in.
Sing levy dew, sing levy dew, the water and the wine;
The seven bright gold wires and the bugles that do shine.

About levy dew, there are 2 ways of looking at this, "Levez a Dieu" ("raise to God") or treat it as a corruption of "levedy" ("lady"). It seems, as so many of our customs, to be based in ancient rituals of using water to cleanse and purify, along with song and dance. 

Wishing you all the very best for the New Year; love, health, hope and much creativity, and thanks for all your lovely comments throughout the year.



7 bright gold wires, 2013

To listen to A New Years Carol [link here], 

To listen to Kings sing John Tavener's The Lamb [link here]

or The Sixteen do a great job of it here [link here]


6 comments:

  1. Happy new year, Liz! Looking forward to your creations in 2014.

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    1. Thanks so much Ersi, and all the very best to you and yours!

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  2. We listened too on our way north to be with our family for Christmas. The singing is always such a pleasure and seems to open the door to Christmas for us.
    Happy New Year - looking forward to seeing where the year takes you.

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    1. Thanks Charlton, love how you say "it opens the door to Christmas", For me Christmas has always been about the music and I have been having an orgy of choral music on youtube, amazing source!

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  3. Stepping into 2013 with you, now! Watching, learning the changes in your art and loving the song lyrics that you just quoted. Lovely experience to go back in time...:)🌻Laura

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    1. Thanks so much Laura, and special thanks for going through the blog like this!

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.