Caroling

The New Oxford Book of Carols is a book I like to check out from the library every Christmas. If you are seeking for carols beyond the most famous and traditional, this book offers an amazing amount of lesser known carols for your perusal. It includes musical settings and historical notes, too.

Every Christmas I seem to "discover" a new, lovely carol and this year it's "The Angel Gabriel Came Down," a traditional Basque carol. It is featured on my Aled Jones Christmas CD (a beautiful rendition, by the way), but I never really stopped to listen to the lyrics before. I think this is an appropriate carol for this year since I had previously decided to memorize the Magnificat this month.

The angel Gabriel from Heaven came,
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
“All hail,” said he, “thou lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favored lady,” Gloria!

“For know a blessèd mother thou shalt be,
All generations laud and honor thee,
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
Most highly favored lady,” Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
“To me be as it pleaseth God,” she said,
“My soul shall laud and magnify His holy Name.”
Most highly favored lady, Gloria!

Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say—
“Most highly favored lady,” Gloria!