Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
by Laura Farnell
Choir - Sheet Music

Choral Piano, alto, soprano 2, soprano voice

SKU: CF.BL1219

Composed by Anonymous. Arranged by Laura Farnell. 8 pages. Duration 1 minute, 20 seconds. BriLee Music #BL1219. Published by BriLee Music (CF.BL1219).

UPC: 672405010719. Key: F major. English, German. German Hymn.

The Christmas hymn "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming" ("Es ist ein Ros entsprungen") is one of Germany's most beloved carols. The familiar melody of this hymn was first published in the late 1500s. Then, in 1609 Michael Praetorius, a German composer, added harmonies to the melody and published it. To this day, his lovely harmonization remains the most well-known and commonly-performed version of the hymn and is an important part of choral music history. While the original author of the text is unknown, the words can be traced back to a manuscript from a German monastery in the 1400s. The rose in the text symbolizes Mary, the mother of Jesus. The text also incorporates imagery from the Bible (Isaiah 11:1) that describes how "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse". In other words, the Biblical writer, Isaiah, foretold that the Messiah to come would be a descendant of Jesse. The English translation of the text used in this version generally lines up with the meaning of the original German text. However, the last line "Welches uns selig macht" translates more accurately to "which makes us glad" (rather than the rhyming "when half spent was the night") The harmonies used in this two (opt three part) version of the hymn are similar to the harmonies used by Praetorius in his lovely SATB work. In this setting, the optional piano part adds some of the harmony notes included in the composer's original version. However, like much choral music of that time period, this piece was originally composed to be sung a cappella (without accompaniment). Singing this piece in a large, resonant space may help provide an idea of how it might have sounded when performed in large, echoing cathedrals, just as it has been performed many times over the past several hundred years. As is often the case with music from the Renaissance period, the rise and fall of the notes can help shape your phrases. Increase your dynamic intensity as you approach the highest notes of the phrase, then sing softer on the lower notes in each phrase. As you perform this piece, strive for a supported choral sound, very legato (connected) singing, and remember the many singers throughout history who have enjoyed the timeless beauty of this enduring Christmas hymn.
The Christmas hymn "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming" ("Es ist ein Ros entsprungen") is one of Germany's most beloved carols. The familiar melody of this hymn was first published in the late 1500s. Then, in 1609 Michael Praetorius, a German composer, added harmonies to the melody and published it. To this day, his lovely harmonization remains the most well-known and commonly-performed version of the hymn and is an important part of choral music history.While the original author of the text is unknown, the words can be traced back to a manuscript from a German monastery in the 1400s. The rose in the text symbolizes Mary, the mother of Jesus. The text also incorporates imagery from the Bible (Isaiah 11:1) that describes how "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse". In other words, the Biblical writer, Isaiah, foretold that the Messiah to come would be a descendant of Jesse.The English translation of the text used in this version generally lines up with the meaning of the original German text. However, the last line "Welches uns selig macht" translates more accurately to "which makes us glad" (rather than the rhyming "when half spent was the night")The harmonies used in this two (opt three part) version of the hymn are similar to the harmonies used by Praetorius in his lovely SATB work.  In this setting, the optional piano part adds some of the harmony notes included in the composer's original version. However, like much choral music of that time period, this piece was originally composed to be sung a cappella (without accompaniment). Singing this piece in a large, resonant space may help provide an idea of how it might have sounded when performed in large, echoing cathedrals, just as it has been performed many times over the past several hundred years.As is often the case with music from the Renaissance period, the rise and fall of the notes can help shape your phrases. Increase your dynamic intensity as you approach the highest notes of the phrase, then sing softer on the lower notes in each phrase. As you perform this piece, strive for a supported choral sound, very legato (connected) singing, and remember the many singers throughout history who have enjoyed the timeless beauty of this enduring Christmas hymn.