Composition Details
- Composed by: Traditional French
- Arranged by: Roger Stratton
- Published by: Alliance Music Publications
- Cat No: AMP 0641
- Canadian Work: No
- Duration: 2:30
Performed in Concert
Program Notes:
A cheerful invitation to hurry to the stable to witness the birth of the Christ Child.
Conductor Notes:
SSA and piano. There are many arrangements of this delightful, up tempo French carol, known in English as “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabelle”. I was attracted to this one because the setting seemed to match the naive enthusiasm of the message. We sang it in English (words not in the score but we wrote them in) except the middle verse, because I wanted the audience to really hear the invitation to come into our story of the nativity.
Translation:
A torch, Jeanette, Isabelle,
Let us run to the cradle.
It is Jesus, good people of the hamlet.
Christ is born, Mary is calling.
Ah! How beautiful is the mother.
Ah! How handsome is the child.
It’s too bad when he’s sleeping.
It’s too bad when he cries so hard.
First of all, be quiet everyone.
At the slightest noise Jesus awakens, Sh! Sh!
He is sleeping so wonderfully! Sh! Sh!
See how he is sleeping!
A torch, Jeanette, Isabelle,
Let us run to the cradle.
It is Jesus, good people of the hamlet.
Christ is born, Mary is calling.
Ah! How beautiful is the mother.
Ah! How handsome is the child.
Translation by Janine Cortell