"Quelle est cette odeur agréable?" (What is this perfume so appealing?) is a 17th-century[1] traditional French Christmas carol about the Nativity.
| Quelle est cette odeur agréable? | |
|---|---|
| Christmas carol | |
| English | What is this perfume so appealing? |
| Genre | Christmas carol, French folk |
| Language | French |
John Gay used the melody of this carol for the song and chorus "Fill ev'ry Glass" in act 2, scene 1, in his 1728 work The Beggar's Opera.[2] David Willcocks created an arrangement for four-part choir and baritone solo. Frank Houghton wrote the hymn "Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour" to the melody of this French carol.[3]
Text
editQuelle est cette odeur agréable,
bergers, qui ravit tous nos sens?
S'exhale t'il rien de semblable
au milieu des fleurs du printemps?
Mais quelle éclatante lumière
dans la nuit vient frapper nos yeux
l'astre de jour, dans sa carrière,
futil jamais si radieux!
Voici beaucoup d'autres merveilles!
Grand Dieu! qu'entends-je dans les airs?
Quelles voix! Jamais nos oreilles
n'ont entendu pareils concerts.
Ne craignez rein, peuple fidèle,
écoutez l'ange du Seigneur;
il vous annonce une merveille
qui va vous combler de bonheur.
A Bethléem, dans une crèche
il vient de vous naître-un Sauveur.
Allons, que rien ne vous empêche
d'adorer votre Rédempteur.
Dieu tout puissant, gloire éternelle
vous soit rendue jusqu'aux cieux.
Que la paix soit universelle
que la grâce abonde en tous lieux.[4]
What is this perfume so appealing,
shepherds, that fills the winter air?
Lovelier fraggrance ne'er came stealing
from fields of springtime blossoms fair!
What is that light so brilliant breaking
here in the night across our eyes?
Never so bright the day-star waking
started to climb the morning skies.
Here are many other wonders!
Great God! what do I hear in the air?
What voices! Never our ears
have heard such concerts.
Do not be afraid, faithful people,
listen to the angel of the Lord;
he announces to you a wonder
that will fill you with happiness.
Bethlehem, there in manger lying,
find your Redeemer, haste away!
Run ye with eager footsteps hieing,
worship the Saviour born today.
God almighty, eternal glory
be rendered to you in the heavens.
That peace be universal,
that grace abound everywhere.[5]
Music
edit
Source[6]
References
edit- ^ "Quelle est cette odeur agréable?". Hymns and Carols of Christmas. 2006. Retrieved December 28, 2006.
- ^ John Gay; Johann Christoph Pepusch (1920). "18. A Tavern near Newgate, 20. Fill every glass". The Beggar's Opera as Performed at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. arranged for voice and pianoforte by Frederic Austin. Boosey & Co. pp. pp. 36–42 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Thou Who Wast Rich Beyond All Splendor". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
- ^ "Quelle est cette odeur agréable?", hymntime.com
- ^
- Quelle est cette odeur agréable?: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
- "Quelle est cette odeur agréable – Where is that goodly fragrance flowing (arr Mather)", cantatedomino.org (partly)
- ^ Walter Ehret; George K. Evans, eds. (1980) [1963]. The International Book of Christma Carols. Prentice Hall, Walton Music. pp. 102–103 – via Internet Archive.
External links
edit- Robert Cummings. Quelle est cette odeur agréable? (Whence is that goodly fragrance?) (French) at AllMusic