The Savior’s Birth

SATB choir, unaccompanied
SSAA choir, unaccompanied
TTBB choir, unaccompanied (Coming soon!!)
Negro Spiritual-anthem

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This setting is based on the familiar Christmas spiritual, “Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow” and combines traditional Latin texts for the season and two additional Christmas spirituals.

Hodie Christus natus est:
Today Christ is born;
hodie Salvator apparuit.
today the Savior has appeared.

There’s a star in the East on Christmas morn,
Rise up, shepherd, and follow,
It will lead to the place where the Savior’s born
Rise up, shepherd, and follow. 

Follow, follow, rise up, shepherd, and follow.
Follow the star of Bethlehem.

Venite, venite in Bethlehem:
Come, O come to Bethlehem:
Mary had a baby, Yes, Lord.
What did she name Him? Yes, Lord!
She name Him King Jesus, Yes, Lord!
Natum videte Regem Angelorum.
See the new-born King of Angels.

If you take good head to the Angel’s word,
You’ll forget your flock, you’ll forget your herd.
Leave your flocks and leave your lambs,
Leave your sheep and leave your rams. 

Puer natus est nobis,
A boy is born to us,
Puer natus est in Bethlehem,
A boy is born in Bethlehem,
Hic jacet in praesepio
Here lies in a manger,
et vocabitur nomen ejus,
and his name shall be called:
magni consilii Angelus.
the Angel of great council. 

Oh, Mary, what you gonna call yo’ pretty little baby?