Nowell (4 voice program)
Christmas Songs Old & New

Vocal ensemble Liber unUsualis presents their first four-voice program for the holiday season: a unique and broad-ranging collection of pieces from the middle ages and renaissance, combined with a few exquisite modern choral works based on ancient texts. The program intertwines carols, villancicos, motets, and lullabies from across Europe with modern works such as Hugo Distler's "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen," John Joubert's "There is no rose," and John Harbison's "O magnum misterium." 

PROGRAM (subject to change):

Salve Regina VI (Pierre de La Rue, c.1452–1518)
Gabriel, fram heven-king (Anonymous, 13th-14th c.)
Gabriel Angelus (Thomas Crecquillon, c.1505-15–c.1557)

Veni, veni, Emanuel (Anonymous, 13th c.)
O florens rosa (Johannes Ghiselin, fl.1491–1507)
Salve Virgo Virginum (Anonymous, 14th c.)

Era la noche más fría (Anonymous, 16th c.)
Senhora del mundo (Anonymous, 16th c.)
O magnum misterium (John Harbison, b.1938)
Ave mundi rosa (Anonymous, 14th c.)
Noe, psallite noe (Jean Mouton, before 1459–1522)

~Intermission~

Es ist ein Roess entsprungen
(Michael Praetorius, c.1571–1621/Hugo Distler, 1908–1942)
The fader of heven (Peter Maxwell Davies, b.1934)
Gaude Virgo immaculata (Anonymous, 14th c.)

O admirabile commercium (Loyset Compère, c.1445–1518)
Gaude Virgo (Josquin des Prez, c.1450-55–1521)

Lullay: I saw a swete semly syght (Anonymous, 15th c.)
Swete was the song (arr. Thomas Hamond, d.1662)
Ther is no rose (Anonymous, 15th c./John Joubert, b.1927)

Beata progenies (Leonel Power, d.1445)
O magnum mysterium (Tomás Luis de Victoria, 1548–1611)