Advent 16 – 16 December 2021
Good morning,
A final window today on the shepherds and angels. Here is an angel in St Salvator’s Chapel, playing bagpipes, looking down from the night-sky, perhaps a particularly Scottish member of the heavenly host who appeared to the shepherds. This piece of stained glass is above a window showing three biblical musicians – Jubal, David and Miriam – in the gallery where organists play and choirs sing. This quatrefoil light is by Herbert Hendrie (1887–1947), who taught at Edinburgh School of Art.
We encountered the Wedderburns in the calendar on 11 December, brothers from Dundee and graduates of St Andrews sympathetic to Lutheran ideas. In The Gude and Godlie Ballatis, they included a translation of a hymn by Luther, Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her, casting it in the form of a lullaby, Balulalow. The first two verses are in the voice of the angel to the shepherds; vv. 3-8 are the singers’ expression of their desire to see, honour and worship the child as did the shepherds.
1 I come from hevin [heich] to tell [high]
the best nowells that e’er befell.
To you thir tythings trew I bring [tidings]
and I will of them say and sing.
2 This day to you is born ane Child
of Marie meik and Virgin mild.
That blissit bairn bening and kind, [benign]
sall you rejoyce baith hart and mind.
3 Lat us rejoyis now and be blyth
and with the Hyrdis go full swyth [shepherds, lithe]
and see what Godis grace hes done
throu Christ to bring us to his throne.
4 My saull and life stand up and see
wha lyis in ane cribbe of tree.
What Babe is that, sa gude and fair?
It is Christ, Godis Son and Air.
5 The silk and sandell thee to eis [satin]
ar hay and sempill sweilling clais
wharin thou gloris greitest King
as thou in hev’n war in thy ring.
6 And war the warld ten times sa wide
cled ouer with gold and stanes of pride
unworthie yit it were to thee,
under they feet ane stule to be.
7 O my deir hart, yung Jesus sweit
prepair thy creddill in my spreit!
And I sall rock thee in my hart
and never mair fra thee depart.
8 Bot I sall praise thee evermoir
with sangis sweit unto thy gloir.
The kneis of my hart sall I bow,
and sing that rycht Balulalow.
Here is a setting of the final two verses by Oliver Tarney sung by Sansara, a vocal ensemble among whose members is Fiona Fraser, who during her time as a student in St Andrews was a member of St Salvator’s Chapel Choir, organ scholar and Douglas Gifford Scholar, conducting St Leonard’s Chapel Choir. As well as singing with Sansara, she is their Learning & Participation Manager, though in this recording, I think I see a different former member of chapel choir – is that Helena Thompson singing soprano? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm9OsPxmxYM
One final angel whose wings are behind today’s window, from the Eastern Cemetery in St Andrews, one of the many fine statues among the gravestones there:
Yours,
Donald.