DECEMBER 24, VIGIL OF THE NATIVITY Lectionary #13
The Vigil readings (used for Masses before the Mass at Midnight) focus on Jesus' connection to the history of Israel.
Isaiah 62:1-5. Preaching to the community after the Babylonian Exile, the prophet called “Third Isaiah” looks at a ruined city and prophesies its glorious resurrection. The cause for hope is that God is bonded to Israel, so that Israel's history is part of God's unfolding plan.
Psalm: Ps (88) 89. Though the whole psalm is a royal lament, in which the king speaks for the people, the passages we sing at the Vigil contain the praise of God for remaining faithful to the covenant.
Cantaré Eternamente/Forever I Will Sing (Reza) FYC 229/JS 64
For Ever I Will Sing (Alstott) JS 63/BB
For Ever I Will Sing (Carroll/Gelineau) WOR 778/RS 119/LPGG 778/SS
For Ever I Will Sing (della Picca) PRM B5/PMB 566/WS
For Ever I Will Sing (Foley) PCY7 29
For Ever I Will Sing (Guimont) GC 953/RS 117/LPMG 13
For Ever I Will Sing (Haugen) PCY2 27/GC 82/GC2 49/CBW 448/RS 118/SS
For Ever I Will Sing (Hughes) CCS 2027
For Ever I Will Sing (Hunstiger) SS
For Ever I Will Sing (Kogut) PCY10 41
For Ever I Will Sing (Kreutz) PMB 157/WC 423/WS
For Ever I Will Sing (Ridge) GP 226
For Ever I Will Sing (Schiavone) LP 20/JS 890
For Ever I Will Sing (Schoenbachler) GP 227
For Ever I Will Sing (Somerville) CBW 27
For Ever I Will Sing (Twynham) CCS 2022
Forever Will I Sing (Bolduc) WC 424
Acts 13:16-17, 22-25. Preaching to a Jewish congregation, Paul summarizes the Christian teaching that Jesus was part of God's plan for Israel and was a descendant of David.
Matthew 1:1-25. The “book of the genealogy” of Jesus Christ connects him to all of Israelite history, schematized in three groups. It also connects Jesus to non-Israelite history through the women (other than Mary), who were all non-Jews.
[For other songs for the liturgy, see Solemnity of the Nativity.]
| Title of Anthem, Voicing & Instrumentation | Composer/arranger/editor | Publisher & edition # | |
| All My Heart This Night Rejoices (SATB, 2 Treble instruments, Keyboard) | Ebeling, Johann Georg | Concordia (97-537) | G |
| All the Earth is Waiting (SSA) | Taule/Gunderson | Concordia (Logia) (98-3233) | C |
| All the Way from Nazareth 9SATB, Organ) | Van Hulse, Camil | AMSI (199) | G |
| Almighty God, Which Hast Me Brought | Ford, T. | CPDL | G |
| And the Glory of the Lord from “Messiah” (SAB, SATB, keyboard or orchestra) | Handel, George F. | Various editions | C |
| Angelus Ad Pastores Ait (3 equal voices, Latin) | Monteverdi, Claudio | Mercury (#24) | G |
| Angelus Ad Pastores Ait (SATB, English/Latin) | Hassler, Hans Leo/Harris, Roy Hassler, Hans Leo Hassler, Hans Leo/Richter, Clifford Hassler, Hans Leo Hassler, Hans Leo |
G. Schirmer (8860) Walton (6002) Associated (A-405) E.C. Schirmer (ECS 7978) CPDL |
G |
| Angelus Ad Pastores Ait (SATBB, English/Latin) | Lasso, Orlando di/Cramer, John | Marks (4298) | G |
| Angelus Ad Pastores Ait (SSAATB/TTTBBB, Latin) | Gabrieli, Giovanni/Winter, Paul | C.F. Peters (5930) | G |
| Angelus Ad Pastores Ait 9SSATB, keyboard, Latin) | Sweelinck, J.P. | St. Mary’s Press | G |
| Babe Is Born, A (SATB, Organ, or Piano duet) | Mathias, William H. | Oxford (3430231) | G |
| Before the Marvel of This Night (SATB, Organ) | Schalk, Carl | Augsburg (0800646037) | G |
| Behold! A Virgin Shall Be with Child (SATB) | LaMontaine, John | H.W. Gray (CMR-2374) | G |
| Behold, I Bring You Good Tidings (SATTB) | Victoria, Tomas Luis | Novello (90) | G |
| Blessed Is the People (SATB) | Wiscomb, Jeff | Boston Music (13935) | PS |
| Boy Was Born, A (SATB) | Britten, Benjamin | Oxford (X92) | G |
| Cantate Domino (SATB, Latin) | Berger, Jean | Concordia (98-1557) | P |
| Cantate Domino (SATB) | Croce, Giovanni | Arista (AE 199) | P |
| Cantate Domino | Cruger | CPDL | P |
| Cantate Domine (SSATTB, English/Latin) | Gabrieli, Giovanni/Schnee/Karl-Heinz | Walton (6048) | P |
| Cantate Domino (SATB, English/German) | Hassler, Hans Leo | Hanssler (HE1.125) | P |
| Cantate Domino (SATB, English/Latin) | Hassler, Hans Leo | E.C. Schirmer (2979) | P |
| Cantate Domino (SSA, English/Latin) | Hassler, Hans Leo | E.C. Schirmer (821) | P |
| Cantate Domino (SATB, English/Latin) | Hassler, Hans Leo | J.W. Chester (JWC 55107) | P |
| Cantate Domino (TTBB, English/Latin) | Hassler, Hans Leo | E.C. Schirmer (68) | P |
| Cantate Domino | Hassler, Hans Leo | CPDL | P |
| Cantate Domino | Pitoni | CPDL | P |
| Cantate Domino (SSATB, organ, Latin/English) | Sweelinck, J.P./Colton, Donald | Concordia (98-1937) | P |
| Cantate Domino (SSATB, organ, Latin/English) | Sweelinck, J. P./Ehret, Walter | Walton (6029) | P |
| Cantate Domino (SSATB, organ, Latin/English) | Sweelinck, J.P./Klein, Maynard | G. Schirmer (12102) | P |
| Cantate Domino (SATB, organ Latin/English) | Viadana, Lodovico/Cramer, John | Marks (4291) | P |
| Child Is Born, A (SATB) | Nestor, Leo | E.C. Schirmer (4389) | G |
| Christmas (Unison, narration, Orff Inst. & Speech Choir) | Maeker, Nancy | Augsburg (11-3504) | G |
| Christmas Night (SAT) | Rutter, John | )xford (84.316) | G |
| Christmas Procession (2-part mixed, 4 Handbells) | Proulx, Richard | GIA (G-1708) | G |
| Christmas Story, The (SATB, Narrator, keyboard) | Billings, William/Van Camp, Leonard | Concordia (97-5258) | G |
| For Unto Us A Child Is Born (SAB, Soprano, Alto, Bass soli, 2 violins, continuo, English/German) | Krieger, J. P. | Concordia (97-4692) | 1 |
| For Unto Us A Child Is Born from “Messiah” (SAB, SATB, keyboard or orchestra) | Händel, G. F. | Various Editions | 1 |
| From Heaven Above (SSB, Organ) | Schein, Johann H. | GIA (G-300) | G |
| From Heaven Above from “Christmas Oratorio” (SATB, Keyboard) | Bach, Johann Sebastian | Bärenreiter (BA 5014.90) | G |
| From Heaven Above to Earth I Come (S(S)ATB, Solo, 2 Treble instruments, opt. strings, Keyboard) | Burkhardt, Michael | MorningStar (MSM 50-1040) | G |
| From Heaven Above to Earth I Come (SSATB, Keyboard) | Bach, Johann Sebastian | Augsburg (080065854X) | G |
| Gloria in excelsis Deo (SATB) | Bach, Johann Sebastian | Augsburg (080065854X) | G |
| Gloria in excelsis Deo from “Christmas Cantata” (SATB, Organ, 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones) | Pinkham, Daniel | Robert King (602) | G |
| Gloria, Op. 52 (TTBB & Organ) | Mathias, William | Oxford (A-285) | G |
| Glory to God (SAB, SATB, organ or keyboard or orchestra) | Händel, G. F. | Various editions | G |
| Glory to God (SATB, Junior Choir, organ) | Powell, Robert J. | Abingdon (APM 585) | G |
| Glory to God (SSATTB, Continuo) | Schütz, Heinreich/Ehret, Walter | Abingdon (APM-416) | G |
| Glory to God in the Highest (SAB, Organ/Piano) | Corelli, Arcangelo/Stone, Benjamin | Boston Music (13895) | G |
| Glory to God in the Highest (SATB) | Thompson, Randall | E.C. Schirmer (2470) | G |
| Glory to God in the Highest (SATB, Organ) (SATB, Organ) (SATB, Organ) (SAB, Keyboard) |
Pergolesi, G.B./Barnes Pergolesi, G.B./Riegger, Wallingford Pergolesi, G.B./Novello, Vincent Pergolesi, G.B. |
Ditson (322.14507) Flammer (84265) Plymouth Lorenz (9658) |
G |
| Glory to God in the Highest (SATB/TBB, Piano or Organ) | Distler, Hugh/Ehret, Walter | Flammer (A-5571) | G |
| Glory to God in the Highest (SATB/TTB, Organ) | Hammerschmidt, Andraes/Hellmann, D. | C.F. Peters (66305) | G |
| Glory to God in the Highest (SSA) | Distler, Hugo | Concordia (97-4846) | G |
| Glory to God in the Highest (SSATB/TTB, keyboard) | Distler, Hugo/Oberdoerffer, Fritz | Concordia (98-1811) | G |
| Good Christian Friends Rejoice (SATB/divisi) | Bedford | St. James Press | G |
| Go Tell It on the Mountain (SATB) | Spiritual, arr. by Paul Sjolund | Hinshaw (HMC 543) | G |
| God Sent Forth His Son (SATB, Organ) | Gibbs, Allen O. | Abingdon (APM-966) | 2, G |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est (SATB, keyboard) | Bedford, Michael | Choristers Guild (CGA- ) | P |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est (SATB, Organ, Latin/English) | Aston, Peter | Novello (MW 44) | P, G |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est (SB) | Gumpeltzheimer, Adam/Tortolano, William | GIA (G-5270) | P, G |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est | Marenzio | CPDL | G |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est | Palestrina | CPDL | G |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est (SSATB) | Sweelinck, J. P. Sweelinck, J. P. |
Novello (290162) CPDL |
P, G |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est (SSATTB) | Schütz, Heinreich | G. Schirmer (HL 50318390) | P, G |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est (Unison/ 2-part, keyboard) | Bedford, Michael | Choristers Guild (CGA-421) | P, G |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est (SATB, keyboard) | Bedford, Michael | Choristers Guild (CGA- ) | G |
| Hodie Christus Natus Est from “Ten Venetian Motets” (SSA/SATB, Latin) | Bassano, Giovanni | Oxford | P, G |
| Hodie! Emmanuel! Gloria! (SATB, percussion) | Price, Milburn | Hinshaw (HMC-157) | G |
| In Excelsis Gloria (SATB) | Mathias, William H. | Oxford (343168) | G |
| In Every Place Incense Shall be Offered Up (SATB, Organ) |
West, John E. | Novello (619) | 1 |
| It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (SAB, Cong., Organ, Trumpet) | Willis, Richard S./arr. Proulx, Richard | GIA (G-4323) | G |
| It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (SATB, Cong., String Quartet, Organ) | Willis, Richard S./arr. Powell, Robert J. | GIA (G-2534) | G |
| Jubilant Gloria, A (2-part, keyboard) | Lightfoot, Mary Lynn | Heritage Music (15/1795H) | G |
| Laetentur Caeli (SATB, Latin) | Hassler, Hans Leo | J.W. Chester (JWC 55017) | P |
| Laetentur Caeli (SSA, Organ, Latin) | Pinkham, Daniel | C.F. Peters (66709) | P |
| Let the Whole Earth Stand in Awe (SAB) | Händel, G.F. | Concordia (98-2473) | P |
| Lo, How a Rose (SATB) Lo, How a Rose (SATB) |
Neswick von Herzogenberger |
St. James Press St. James Press |
G |
| Lo, the Angel Said to the Shepherds (SATTBB, organ ad. lib.) | Gabrieli, Andrea/Agey, C. Buell | G. Schirmer (10865) | G |
| Lord Said to Me, The (SATB, Organ, 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones & Timpani) | Ferris, William | GIA (G-1389) | E |
| O Beloved Shepherds (SATB, 2 Violins, Continuo, English/German) | Hammerschmidt, Andraes | Concordia (97-5395) | G |
| O magnum mysterium (SATB) | Poulenc, Francis | Salabert (12525) | G |
| O magnum mysterium (SATB) | Poulenc, Francis | Salabert (12525) | G |
| O magnum mysterium | Handl | CPDL | G |
| O magnum mysterium (SATB) | Victoria, Tomás Luis de Victoria, Tomás Luis de |
G. Schirmer (10193) CPDL |
G |
| O magnum mysterium (Unison, Organ) | Near, Gerald | Kalmus (6003) | G |
| O magnum mysterium from “Christmas Cantata” (SATB, Organ, 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones) | Pinkham, Daniel | Robert King (602) | G |
| O Sing Unto the Lord a New Song (SATB) | Bender, Jan | Concordia (98-1876) | P |
| O Sing Unto the Lord a New Song (SATB, Organ, strings) | Purcell, Henry | Novello (29.0146.03) | P |
| O Sing Unto the Lord a New Song from “Six Easy 3-Part Anthems” (SAB, opt. Organ) | Morley, Thomas/Greening, Anthony | RSMC | P |
| O Sing Unto the Lord, Op. 29 (SATB, Organ) | Mathias, William | Oxford (A-228) | P |
| People Who Walked in Darkness, The (SAB) | Gieseke, Richard W. | Concordia (97-5481) | 1 |
| Prepare the Way! (SAB or SATB, Organ) | Brandon, George | Concordia (98-2269) * | 1 |
| Puer Natus Est Nobis (SAB, Latin, English) | Morales, Cristobal/Stone, Kurt | Broude Brothers (BB 4071) | 1 |
| Quem vidistis pastores from “Christmas Cantata” (SATB, Organ, 2 Trumpets, 2 Trombones) | Pinkham, Daniel | Robert King (602) | G |
| Savior of the World is Born (SATB) | Holst, Gustav | Concordia (98-2184) | G |
| Shepherds Awake (Unison) | Jothen, Michael | Choristers Guild (CGA 234) | G |
| Shiru L’adonai (SATB, Organ, Percussion, Hebrew) | Gottlieb, Jack | Presser (312-40774) | P |
| Sing a New Song (SATB) | Kreutz, Robert | Summy-Birchard (5256) | P |
| Sing a New Song (Unison children, Oboe, Piano or Organ) | Watson, Walter | Lusqif (C-1163) | P |
| Sing to the Lord a New Song (SATB & Children’s Choir) | Scott | Concordia (98-3124) | P |
| Sing to the Lord Now, All the ends… (SATB) | Schütz, Heinreich | Concordia (97-4880) | P |
| Singet dem Herr nein neues Lied (SATB/SATB, German) | Pachelbel, Johann | Hanssler (HE1.008) | P |
| There Were Shepherds (SATB, keyboard) (SSAATB/TTTBBB, 2 pianos) | Wyton, Alec Wyton, Alec/Klein, Maynard | Flammer (A 5243) J. Fischer (7863) | G |
| To Us A Child Is Born (SATB, organ) | Schütz, Heinrich/Wunderlich, R.E. | Concordia (98-1494) | 1 |
| Unto Us A Child Is Born (SATB/SATB) | Franck, Melchior/Ehret, Walter | Shawnee (A-1522) | 1 |
| Unto Us A Child Is Born from “We Praise Thee,” Vol. 1 (SSA) | Willan, Healey | Concordia (97-7564) | 1 |
| Verbum caro factum est (SAB or TTB, Latin/English) (SSATTB, Latin) (SSATTB, Latin) |
Hassler, Hans Leo/Wilhelm, Roger Hassler, Hans Leo Hassler, Hans Leo Hassler, Hans Leo |
Mark Foster (MF 129) Arista (AE 289) Tetra/A. Broude (AB-140-9) CPDL |
C |
| Verbum caro factum est (SAB, Latin/English) | Morales, Cristobal/Stone, Kurt | Broude Brothers (BB 4071) | C |
| Verbum caro factum est (SATB) | 15th Century English Carol/ed. Proulx, R. | GIA (G-4158) | C |
| Virgin’s Slumber Song, The (SSA, Keyboard) | Reger, Max | G. Schirmer (HL50482659) | G |
| Wake, O Shepherds (Unison, Keyboard, C instrument) | Rameau, Jean Phillippe/ed. Nelson, Ronald A | Augsburg (0800675967) | G |
| Word Became Flesh, The (SA & Keyboard) | Willan, Healey | Concordia (97-7160) | C |
| Word Became Flesh, The (Unison or SA & Keyboard) | Rohlig, Harald | Concordia (97-5165) | C |
| Your Love, O Lord, Forever Will I Sing (SATB, Organ) | Hallock, Peter | GIA (G-2078) | PS |