Praetorius & PUER NOBIS
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,968
    I'm a bit puzzled by this tune, usually to "What star is this" but coming up soon as "That Easter Day with joy was bright", and using two harmonizations both attributed to Praetorius: The Hymnal '82 at least cites its "alt." to the Cowley Carol Book (1902). There is a 4vv Puer nobis/Ein Kind geborn in Musae Sionae VI (no. 34), which is however a different tune. "Uns ist…" seems another dead end; where shall I look next for an urtext?
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,579
    From the 1993 Presbyterian Hymnal Companion

    Screenshot 2026-03-27 at 4.33.56 PM.png
    1214 x 1864 - 935K
    Thanked by 2Roborgelmeister Richard Mix
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,579
    https://kantoreiarchiv.imslp.eu/archiv/a_cappella/motets/praetorius/geborn/geborn.pdf

    And something the OP has probably already seen:

    https://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/Ein-Kind-geborn-zu-Bethlehem.htm
  • rich_enough
    Posts: 1,088
    It's no. 44 of the same publication of Praetorius you linked to (Musae Sionae, VI; no. 34 is Puer natus, not Puer nobis).

    The version in the The Hymnal 1982 has the same melody as the Cowley Carol Book but the harmonization is altered. A note in the latter (at no. 21) says "M. Praetorius, 1609, as given by Layriz. Melody, a variation of Puer nobis nascitur (see No. 25 in this book), Harmonized by the Rev. G. R. Woodward." I don't know who "Layriz" might be; no 25 in the book is the well-known "Unto us a Boy is Born," H82 no. 98).
    Thanked by 2Liam Richard Mix
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,968
    Yes, VI.44 w/o upbeat in 7676 ; the LM Geborn ist uns is no.'s 61 & 62!

    Neale's text is a little tricky to find too: it originally began "Joy dawned again on Easter-Day". At my wife's church they sing "All praise, O risen Lord, we give / to you, once dead, but now alive", an eye-rhyme to end all eye-rhymes.
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