A serene, meditative setting of the beloved German carol, Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, this arrangement features singing glasses for an ethereal shimmer. With accessible voicings (SAB, SSA, TBB), gentle polyphony, and luminous dissonances, it offers a peaceful centerpiece for sacred or secular holiday concerts — both emotionally resonant and musically rewarding.

Composer’s Notes

Rooted in personal and cultural connection to my German heritage, this setting reflects my deep affection for traditional sacred repertoire and the timeless beauty of this carol. Writing it in German was important to me because it honors my mother, a first-generation German immigrant. Originally composed for Cantus’s touring program, the piece was designed to be both transcendent and transportable.

The vocal writing was crafted by a singer, for singers. Rather than pushing extreme ranges or demanding long, impractical lines, I prioritized what voices do best: shaping graceful, legato phrases that let the text bloom. The melody remains intact and honored — no reinvention, just thoughtful enhancement of something already beautiful.

Cantus is a TTBB ensemble, so I added singing glasses as a shimmering treble register — akin to sopranos and altos — bringing an ethereal lift that feels essential and enchanting. The SAB and SSA versions are equally lovely and offer the same serene beauty.

I envisioned this piece as a moment of stillness and weightlessness — a choral breath in a program. Whether as a final blessing or moment of sonic wonder, Es ist ein Ros entsprungen invites performers and listeners to linger in the mystery and peace of the season.

-Alexander Nishibun

Text

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,
aus einer Wurzel zart,
wie uns die Alten sungen,
von Jesse kam die Art.

Und hat ein Blümlein bracht
mitten im kalten Winter,
wohl zu der halben Nacht.

Das Röslein, daß ich meine,
davon Jesaias sagt,
hat uns gebracht alleine,
Marie, die reine Magd.

Aus Gottes ew’gem Rat
hat sie ein Kind geboren
welches uns selig macht.

-Traditional German

TRANSLATION:
A rose has sprung forth,
from a tender root,
as the elders once sang to us,
of Jesse’s noble line.

It brought a little flower
amid the cold of winter,
deep in the midnight hour.

The little rose I speak of,

foretold by Isaiah,
hath been brought forth to us,
by Mary, the purest maid.

From God’s eternal wisdom,
she bore a child
to bring us salvation.

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