Awww ... don't you hate that? Bach's PUER NATUS EST ... 1944
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    A Christmas tradition of my choirs has been to always sing Bach's PUER NATUS EST at Christmas.

    Formerly, I'd thought I was one of the only choir directors to use this piece.

    Looks like I was dead wrong . . . Fascinating YouTube
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    No, you are not the only one. My choir either sings it, or I at least play an arrangement of it every year.
  • Heath
    Posts: 934
    Sheesh, how much grumbling do you hear from the basses? What a line!
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    We basses like accidentals! :-)
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    I have been doing this piece with choirs since 1976. I have my own arrangement which I will put up. Love this piece. In fact, I composed the ordinary using it as a musical theme to be used for the Christmas season.
  • Ralph BednarzRalph Bednarz
    Posts: 489
    Was that Frogman Jones leaning against the pillar.

    Mike Praetorius' " Puer Natus." is #1 here!
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,151
    I'm well acquainted with the original (2nd movement chorale from BWV 65 "Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen", where the text is:

    Die Kön'ge aus Saba kamen dar, kamen dar
    Gold, Weihrauch, Myrrhen brachten sie dar.
    Alleluja, alleluja!

    Bach, in his wisdom and as his custom, only used this single verse. The overall setting (harmonization) seems more like that of a stately procession (as reflected in the video clip), but then Bach was a master at adapting a melody to the situation at hand. I agree that, as a hymn, the Praetorius setting fits the original "Puer natus in Bethlehem" better.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Ralph, the last I leaned against a pillar it cost me money...at Chartres you are allowed to take pictures. But if you lean against a pillar or the wall, a men runs up and you have to pay for a ticket to do "supported" photographs...a tripod fee even without a tripod.

    In 1969 you could drive underneath the Eiffel Tower and park there. A man comes up and collects a fee...it's not for parking, its for insurance against the tower falling on your car...those days are long gone.
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