Saturday, December 20, 2008

It Does Not Get Better Than This


My honey got this for me for my birthday. Oh, what a absolutely lovely album. I'm a Loreena McKennit fan anyway but I have really been enjoying this very Celtic spin on Christmas.
This is my favorite but it's hard to pick one! The whole album is wonderful.

Good King Wenceslas
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath'ring winter fuel

"Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know'st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither."
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather

"Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing



Here is a great sample of each song. The album is called "A Midwinter Night's Dream"




2 comments:

Karen said...

Happy Birthday, Alicia!!!

Joan said...

Have you seen the illustrated book version of Good King Wenceslas? I got it last year for Christmas (I think) and it's beautiful!