The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

Tempus adest floridum

The tune from this spring carol was used for the Rev. John Mason Neale's carol, Good King Wenceslas, found in John Mason Neale and Thomas Helmore, eds., Carols for Christmas-tide (London: Novello, 1853), from Piae Cantiones, 1582. According to Sequences, Hymns, and Other Ecclesiastical Verses (1866), Neale also used this tune in "Young And Old Must Raise The Lay."

Source: Guido Maria Dreves and Clemens Blume, eds., Analecta Hymnica Medii Aevi, Vol. 45b. Cantiones et Motetten des Mittelalters. (Leipzig: O. R. Reisland, 1904), pp. 171-2, #211, De Tempore Vernali.

1. Tempus adest floridum,
surgunt namque flores,
Vernales in omnibus
imitantur mores,
Hoc, quod frigus laeserat,
reparant calores,
Cernimus hoc fieri
per multos labores.


2. Sunt prata plena floribus
iucundo aspectu,
Ubi iuvat cernere
herbas cum delectu,
Gramina et plantulae
hieme qaiescunt,
Vernali in tempore
virent et adcrescunt.


3. Hae vobis pulchre monstrant
Deum creatorem,
Quem quoque nos credimus
omnium factorem ;
Tempus ergo hilare,
quo laetari libet,
Renovato iam mundo
nos novari decet.


4. Terra ornatur floribus
et multo decore,
Nos honestis moribus
et vero amore,
Gaudeamus igitur
tempore iucundo,
Laudemusque Dominum
pectoris e fundo.


Note:

Dreves cites: “Piae Cantiones 1582 fol. N 3 a sq. (Klemming IV, 83.)”

Source for Sheet Music: Guido Maria Dreves and Clemens Blume, eds., Analecta Hymnica Medii Aevi, Vol. 45b. Cantiones et Motetten des Mittelalters. (Leipzig: O. R. Reisland, 1904).

Sheet Music from George Ratcliffe Woodward, The Cowley Carol Book, First & Second Series. Table Of Contents. (London: A. R. Mowbray & Co., Ltd., ca. 1902, 1912).

Sheet Music from George Ratcliffe Woodward, Piae Cantiones: A Collection of Church & School Song, chiefly Ancient Swedish, originally published in A.D. 1582 by Theodoric Petri of Hyland. (London: Chiswick Press for the Plainsong & Medieval Music Society, 1910).

Some sources of Latin hymns found in Piae Cantiones:

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