First a little music — the second track from my album, Cheerful voices, available at Bandcamp. As I’ve written there: This carol is from the Piae Cantiones, a cllection of Scandinavian sacred music published in 1582. Only the music for the chorus is given; the traditional tune for the verses is taken from other songs from around that time.
Thanks to Ruth Moss for the English half of the chorus. In this version I’ve stuck to Latin for the verses, but at the Carol Service at St Andrew’s Leytonstone later today (5.30pm, if you want to come), we’ll be using her translation of the verses into English, too. Moss and Jones have an album released a few weeks ago, Gaudete, which includes their interpretation of this ancient carol.
I had some struggles on the Liturgical Hair end of things last night; suffice to say that the bleach did not entirely remove the residue of purple from my hair, but rather turned it a shade of light turquoise. As today is not known as “Mermaid Sunday” I have had to resort to a back-up plan of hair gel in a shade that I can only describe as “PINK ENOUGH FOR YOU?” rather than the pastel rose I had hoped for. Oof. I’m not so worried about today, as tomorrow it is back to deep purple which will cover any aquatic tones, but the season of “gold or white” which is coming up does have me a bit rattled. If you want to prolong my agony, the sponsorship page is the way to do so.
So, why Gaudete?
It means rejoice, and it originally comes from the Introit for the day:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:4-6
Enough said!