Gaudete

The first page of the original version.

Gaudete (English: /ˈɡaʊdeɪteɪ/; Ecclesiastical Latin: [gawˈdetɛ] "rejoice" in Latin) is a sacred Christmas carol, which is thought to have been composed in the 16th century, but could easily have existed as a monophonic hymn in the late medieval period, with polyphonic Alto, Tenor, and Bass parts added during the 15th century, particularly due to its Medieval Latin lyrics. The song was published in Piae Cantiones, a collection of Finnish/Swedish sacred songs published in 1582. No music is given for the verses, but the standard tune comes from older liturgical books.

The Latin text is a typical medieval song of praise, which follows the standard pattern for the time – a uniform series of four-line stanzas, each preceded by a two-line refrain (in the early English carol this was known as the burden). Carols could be on any subject, but typically they were about the Virgin Mary, the Saints or Christmastide themes.

Text

The complete text of "Gaudete", including the refrain:

There are references to the Christ, Virgin Mary, Grace, Ezekiel and Salvation.

Recordings

Steeleye Span

The electric folk group Steeleye Span had a hit in 1973 (No. 14, UK singles chart) with an a cappella recording of the song. Guitarist Bob Johnson had heard the song when he attended a folk-carol service with his father-in-law in Cambridge, and brought it to the attention of the rest of the band. (Unlike the album version which fades up slowly and fades down slowly, the single was at the same volume for the entire length of the song.)

This single is one of only three top 50 British hits to be sung fully in Latin (the others were both recordings of "Pie Jesu" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem; firstly by Sarah Brightman and Paul Miles-Kingston in 1986, secondly as a minor hit by the 12-year-old Charlotte Church in 1998). In 1975 Mike Oldfield had a top 10 hit with "In Dulci Jubilo" but this Latin song was performed as an instrumental. "Oh What a Circus" from the 1976 musical Evita, and a hit single performed by David Essex, includes a choral chant in Latin, based on the Catholic anthem "Salve Regina".

"Gaudete" is also one of only a handful of a cappella performances to become hit singles. (Other notable examples are "Only You," sung by the Flying Pickets, "After the Gold Rush," sung by Prelude and "Caravan of Love," sung by the Housemartins.) When "Gaudete" was performed on Top of the Pops, the resident dance troupe walked onto the set in medieval-style robes, holding candles, followed by the members of Steeleye Span.

Other recordings

1990s

• The Swedish ensemble Joculatores Upsalienses on their album Woods, Women and Wine 1990, with emphasis also on the rhythm by using a drum. Jo.Ups. always used authentic, sometimes a bit unconventional, but always probable instruments or hand-clapping.
• British vocal ensemble King's Singers recorded "Gaudete" for their 1990 A Little Christmas Music album.
• The Boston Camerata, under the direction of Joel Cohen, recorded a version of "Gaudete" entitled "Gaudete, Gaudete" for the Dec 1985 album A Renaissance Christmas.
• An arrangement featuring the Choir of Clare College Cambridge, accompanied by a cello ensemble, descant recorder and medieval tabor under the direction of Geoffrey Simon, was recorded in 1996 for a CD entitled A Cello Christmas on the Cala Records label.
• Irish choral group Anúna performed "Gaudete" on their 1996 CD, Omnis with a solo by Eurovision Song Contest (1996) winner Eimear Quinn.
• In 1997 it was recorded by the female vocal group Mediæval Bæbes as part of their No. 2 selling classical recording Salva Nos and also on their Christmas themed recording Mistletoe and Wine (2003).
• The Canadian traditional group Ceilidh Friends included a version on their 1997 Christmas album The Spirit of Giving.
• Icelandic choir Kammerkór Hafnarfjarðar released a CD in 1998 called Gaudete. That CD contains mainly Christmas music from various parts of the world. "Gaudete" is the first track of the CD.
• In 1999, harpist Kim Robertson offered a rendition of the song on her disc The Spiral Gate.
• El Duende performed this song on Excelsis, Volume 2: A Winter's Song (1999).

2000s

• The British boy choir Libera recorded "Gaudete" on their 2001 album Luminous, and performed the song on Aled Jones' DVD Aled's Christmas Carols in 2008.
• A version using a male soloist was released on Anúna's CD and DVD Celtic Origins (2007) and was broadcast across the USA in 2007–2008 on PBS.
• Tenebrae released a version arranged by Karl Jenkins, both with percussion and as a pure a cappella version in October 2004 on the album Gaudete.
• German medieval rock band Schelmish performed "Gaudete" on their 2006 album Mente Capti.
• Chris Squire and a choir recorded a rock version on the 2007 Christmas album Chris Squire's Swiss Choir.

2010s

• Choral ensemble Anúna include the song in an arrangement by Michael McGlynn on the PBS Television special Anúna : Celtic Origins and the CD release of the same name (2007).
• Irish Singer Liz Madden recorded a version on her 2010 album My Irish Home.
• "Gaudete" was recorded a cappella by Pure Reason Revolution as a Christmas bonus track on their EP, "Valour" (2011).
• British alternative rock band Cauda Pavonis included a recording of "Gaudete" on their 2012 Christmas EP entitled Saturnalia.
• The Irish group Celtic Thunder recorded "Gaudete" on their 2013 album Christmas Voices.
• On 28 October 2013, British synthpop group Erasure released their electronic version of "Gaudete" as the first single off their Christmas-themed album Snow Globe. Their version reached the Top 30 in UK indie singles chart and the Top 40 in Billboard dance chart.^[1]
• British symphonic medieval folk rock band Serpentyne released an extended version of "Gaudete" on their 2014 album Myths and Muses.

Parodies

• In 2013 a parody arrangement of "Gaudete", called "Crudités",^[2][3] was released by the British folk duet Blanche Rowen & Mike Gulston.
• A parody of "Gaudete", replacing the original words of the verses by sex-related terms, was recorded by the German medieval metal band Potentia Animi on their 2004 album Das Erst Gebet.
• In the TV comedy I'm Alan Partridge, Alan manages to take Jill from his production company on a date to an owl sanctuary. In the car on the way home, Alan promises Jill something that "will blow your socks off" before singing along to a version of Gaudete on the car stereo

References

External links

• The Score, Lyrics and Translation for Gaudete
• Choral Wiki Links to Scores for Gaudete
• Gaudete conducted by Tamara Brooks, USA