Words: Authorship Unknown, 14th century, Hoenfurth Manuscript
Music: "Quem Pastores Laudavere," German Melody, Breslau, 1555
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / XML
Meter: 88 87
1. Quem pastores laudavere,
quibus angeli dixere,
absit vobis jam timere,
natus est rex gloriæ.
2. Ad quem reges ambulabant,
aurum, thus, myrrham portabant,
immolabant hæc sincere
Leoni victoriæ.
3. Exultemus cum Maria
In cœlesti heirarchia
Natum promat voce pia
Laus honor et gloria.
4. Christo regi, Deo nato,
per Mariam nobis dato,
merito resonet vere
Dulci cum melodia.
Sheet Music and Text from J. H. Hopkins, ed., Great Hymns of the Church Compiled by the Late Right Reverend John Freeman Young (New York: James Pott & Company, 1887), #53, p. 84.
"Original Melody of the XIVth Century.
Harmony from Dr. F. Layriz"
Original song consisted of verses 1, 2, and 4, according to the editors of the New Oxford Book of Carols. This reference contains excellent notes.
One tune was derived from a carol melody found by R. R. Terry in a MS dated 1410, at Hohenfurth Abbey, Germany, where it is set to Latin words Quem pastores laudavere. Quem pastores was printed in a number of 16th and 17th century song and psalm books, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, and became very popular in Germany. Mutilated forms in duple time, under the name of "Bethlehem", were sung in Britain during the 19th century. The fresh spring-time flavor of this gentle folk dance became familiar to many 20th century Nonconformists through the words Jesus, good above all other, written by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936) expressly for Quem pastores.
Also occurs in
According to the Oxford Book of Carols, this song was traditionally sung, line by line, by four separate groups of choir-boys.
Translations include
Come, And Christ The Lord Be Praising, J. Kelly Translation of Kommt und laßt uns Christum ehren, Paul Gerhardt, 1667
Come, Your Hearts and Voices Rejoicing, Translation by Composite (of Kommt und laßt uns Christum ehren, Paul Gerhardt, 1667)
He Whom Shepherds, Roger Hall, copyright 1970
He Whom Joyous Shepherds Praised, Winfred Douglas, copyright 1940
He Whom Shepherds Once Came Praising, Translation by Composite, Lutheran Book of Worship, Hymn #68, copyright 1978
He Whom The Shepherds Praised
Jesus, Good Above All Other, Percy Dearmer, 1906
Kommt und laßt uns Christum ehren, Paul Gerhardt, 1667
Sheep and Shepherds (Lyrics Translated by Malcolm Williamson, b.1931, found in Elizabeth Poston and Malcolm Williamson, eds., A Book of Christmas Carols (New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1988)
Shepherds Came Their Praises Bringing, Translation by George B. Caird, copyright 1944
Shepherds Left Their Flocks A-Straying, Imogen Holst
Shepherds Sang Their Praises O'er Him, Translation by Keyte and Parrott, The New Oxford Book of Carols, copyright 1992
While Their Flocks the Shepherds Tended, Translator: Rev. John Fulton
Whom of Old The Shepherds Praised, G. R. Woodward, 1902
Earthly Delights: Xmas Carols
Some of the many English versions of this carol include
J. M. Neale's hymn, 'Jesus, kind above all others' (itself a translation of a Latin hymn 'Jesus noster, Jesus bonus'),
George Bradford Carid (1917-84) 'Shepherds came, their praises bringing…',
C. S. Phillips' 'Thou whom shepherds worshipped…',
James Quinn's 'Angel voices, richly blending…',
J. O'Connor's 'Shepherds tell your beauteus story…' and
Imogen Holst's 'Shepherd left their flocks astraying…'.
Ian Bradley, 'To Him Whom The Shepherds Praised...' (copyright 1999)
The tune, together with Latin words to 3 of the 4 verses song today and given here, were first found in a manuscript dated 1410 in the Hohenfurth Abbey in Germany. It was reproduced in several mid-16th century German song books (including Valentin Triller's Ein schlesich Singbuchlein aus gottlicher Schriff, Breslau, 1555). The lyric is effectively one long sentence with the verb in the second last line.
Verse 3 was later slipped in and breaks the sentence with an appeal to, 'Rejoice with Mary and the heavenly hierarchy (of angels) as they praise the infant in reverent tones and with sweet melody'.
