Joy, joy, joy

Huh—we’re all the way to Gaudete Sunday, the third in Advent. This is the day that Christians can shake loose some of the somber reflection and revel for a bit in joyful anticipation of the birth of the Messiah.

So today’s selection is “How Great Our Joy”, which dates back to 16^th Century Germany; unknown author. It’s the Nativity told from the perspective of the shepherds.

I have to say that it’s dang near impossible to find a version in English that hasn’t been tinkled on by John Rutter; the only other arrangement, by Craig Courtney, sounds like a dirge. What’s up with that? So I went back to the original German. (And I have to say that it’s still a challenge finding a decent performance.)

Here are a bunch of choirs and choral societies performing it at Sint-Pieterskerk, in Antwerp.

And here’s the only passable English version I could find, by Liana D. A. Lloyd.