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Timothy Hoekman
Timothy Hoekman Music
Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming
A lovely new setting of the well-known Christmas carol.
SATB chorus, soprano solo, flute, organ
This is a unique setting of the famous Christmas carol “Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen,” using a soprano soloist to sing the first stanza in German, interspersed with the tenors and basses singing in English. The second stanza is in four-part harmony with the tune migrating among the parts, and the third stanza has the choir singing in unison. The flute weaves its own melodies through the first and third stanzas.
The original German text for this carol dates from the 15th century. Over the years, it has accrued several extra stanzas and various English translations. In this setting, the first two stanzas are from the original anonymous German text and the third was added by Friedrich Layriz in 1844. All three were translated into English in 1894 by Theodore Baker.
Composer’s Notes
This setting of “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” is dedicated to Michael Corzine, organist/choir director at the First Presbyterian Church of Tallahassee, Florida, where he has served for the past 45 years. -Timothy Hoekman
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.
Lo, how a rose e’er blooming,
From tender stem hath sprung,
Of Jesse’s lineage coming,
By faithful prophets sung.
It came, a floweret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.
Isaiah ‘twas foretold it,
The rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God’s love aright
She bore for us a Savior,
When half spent was the night.
O Flower, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air,
Dispel with glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere;
True man, yet very God,
From sin and death now save us,
And share our every load.
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