Traditional

Except for The Uncalled Four, which is an original song, these are my arrangements of traditional songs.

General Songs

Tempus Adest Floridum (Springtime Is Upon Us Now)

Since the 19th century this tune has been associated with the Christmas poem Good King Wenceslas. In the 13th century it was a song about the coming of spring. Here I have set and translated the original Latin text.

Verse Number	Latin	English
1	Tempus adest floridum, surgunt namque flores. Vernales in omnibus imitantur mores. Hoc quod frigus laeserat reparant calores. Cernimus hoc fieri per multos labores.	Springtime is upon us now, all the flow’rs are growing. Nature’s works in everything imitate their showing. That which with the cold was lashed is revived through warming. We can see much work is done as the spring is forming.
2	Sunt prata plena floribus, iucundo aspectu, Ubi iuvat cernere herbas cum delectu. Gramina et plantulae hieme quiescunt, Vernali in tempore virent et accrescunt.	Meadows are all full of flow’rs, pleasant to inspection, Where it pleases us to find green’ry for selection. Herbs and plants that formerly Rested in December In the springtime green and grow Strong in ev’ry member.
3	Haec vobis pulchre monstrat Deum creatorem, Quem quoque nos credimus Omnium factorem. Tempus ergo hilare, Quo laetari libet, Renovato nam mundo, nos novari decet.	These things beautif’ly reveal God, the Earth’s creator, Who of all things we believe is the motivator. Therefore in this joyous time, When delight is pleasant, Let us feel renewal, which In the world is present.
4	Terra ornatur floribus et multo decore, Nos honestis moribus et vero amore. Gaudeamus igitur tempore iucundo, Laudemusque Dominum pectoris ex fundo.	Earth is garlanded with flow’rs and with splendid beauty. We are girded with true love and with moral duty. Therefore we rejoice in this happy time of healing. Let us also praise our God with the deepest feeling.

Verse Number

Latin

English

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

Springtime is upon us now,
all the flow’rs are growing.
Nature’s works in everything
imitate their showing.
That which with the cold was lashed
is revived through warming.
We can see much work is done
as the spring is forming.

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

Meadows are all full of flow’rs,
pleasant to inspection,
Where it pleases us to find
green’ry for selection.
Herbs and plants that formerly
Rested in December
In the springtime green and grow
Strong in ev’ry member.

Haec vobis pulchre monstrat
Deum creatorem,
Quem quoque nos credimus
Omnium factorem.
Tempus ergo hilare,
Quo laetari libet,
Renovato nam mundo,
nos novari decet.

These things beautif’ly reveal
God, the Earth’s creator,
Who of all things we believe
is the motivator.
Therefore in this joyous time,
When delight is pleasant,
Let us feel renewal, which
In the world is present.

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

Earth is garlanded with flow’rs
and with splendid beauty.
We are girded with true love
and with moral duty.
Therefore we rejoice in this
happy time of healing.
Let us also praise our God
with the deepest feeling.

Oh Shenandoah

America the Beautiful

The Star-Spangled Banner

Happy Birthday to You

Auld Lang Syne

Eternal Father, Strong To Save

Christmas Songs

The Holly and the Ivy

Once in Royal David’s City

O Tannenbaum

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Good King Wenceslas

See Tempus Adest Floridum.

The Uncalled Four

A song loosely based on a group that almost existed

This is an original song in a traditional style.

The history of this song: In 1989, in high school, I and three others formed an a cappella group. The group needed a name. One of us jokingly suggested “The Uncalled Four,” because (1) there were four of us, and (2) as we had no name, we were indeed “uncalled.” We never used this name, but the episode inspired me to write this song.

Verse 1

“Ten thousand miles have we traveled here;
Our limbs, our voices are strong!
Bearers are we of ennobling cheer:
We’ve come to sing you this song!”

“Gentlemen, gentlemen, what is this?
Pray tell us, who summoned you here?”

“Why no one may call us; we come on our own;
And yet our voice must be heeded.
We are the Uncalled Four, and albeit none
May call us, we come when we’re needed.”

Verse 2

These four sang well and sang faithfully;
The others heard and were cheered.
They said, “The crisis we faced may be
Avoided: what have we feared?

“Hearing their voice has inspired us.
It’s wonderful what they have done!

“How can it have happened a song such as this
Has let us see and think clearly?
What once was intractable and was amiss
Is hopeful: we thank you all dearly!”

Verse 3

They turned and saw that the four had left.
They asked, “What can it all mean?
We know no mortal men half so deft:
They’ve gone without being seen!

“Can it have been that a spirit force
Has visited us in our need?

“They came here unbidden and brought us new strength,
We know not why, in what manner.
All hail the Uncalled Four!” And all through their length
Of days they lived under this banner.