Gaudete, from Piae Cantiones (1582), arr. Ross W. Duffin

This work is given in Piae Cantiones only as a four-voice refrain. The lyrics to the stanzas are printed in the source but, oddly, there is no music for them at all, so a monophonic verse has been created (and harmonized for our last stanza) to match the refrain. The Piae Cantiones print was published without location given, but a 1616 edition appeared with Finnish lyrics, so it was probably from Finland originally. Performed as part of Carols for Quire 4, at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland, Ohio, December 21-23, 2012.

Text:
Gaudete, gaudete Christus est natus ex Maria virgine, gaudete.
1. Tempus adest gratia, hoc quod optabamus, Carmina laetitiae devotè reddamus. Gaudete.
2. Deus homo factus est, Natura mirante, Mundus renovatus est à Christo regnante. Gaudete.
3. Ezechielis porta clausa pertransitur, Unde lux est orta, salus invenitur. Gaudete.
4. Ergo nostra concio psallat iam in lustro, Benedicat Domino, salus Regi nostro. Gaudete.

Translation:
Rejoice, rejoice, Christ is born of the Virgin Mary, rejoice.
1. The time of grace is present, the truth for which we hoped, devoutly render songs of joy. Rejoice.
2. God has become man, astounding nature, the world is renewed by the reign of Christ. Rejoice.
3. Ezechiel’s closed gate is traversed, whence light arose, salvation is found. Rejoice.
4. Therefore, friends, sing now in the light, bless the Lord, salvation through our King.
Rejoice.
Tr. R. Duffin

[sesc]

Piae Cantiones was indeed an initiative by a Finnish (or back then: East Swedish) clergyman and headmaster in Turku and was published in Greifswald (now German, then Swedish territory). It was used in Finnish school choirs until the 1800s and nowadays is quite popular again in Finnish and Swedish choirs.