Program in Brief

Sankta Lucia (processional)
Traditional Swedish, arr. Karen P. Thomas

Sankta Lucia's Day, celebrated on December 13th, combines ancient pagan traditions with a Christian saint to bring light and hope during the darkest time of year. The celebration features a procession led by a girl chosen to portray Lucia, who wears a white gown and a crown of candles. Families often celebrate at home by having the eldest daughter play the role of Lucia, serving coffee with saffron-and-cardamom-flavored Lucia buns. Sung in Swedish.

Lauliku lapsepõli
(The Singer’s childhood)
Veljo Tormis (1930-2017, Estonia)

Based in Estonian folklore, this simple song depicts the process of a child becoming a singer. Sung in Estonian.

Virmalised (Northern Lights from Winter Patterns)
Tormis

The composer paints a fanciful picture of the northern lights: in the wintry Estonian landscape, we see what appear to be horses on a blue field and fiery fox tails in the sky. Sung in Estonian.

Heyr, himna smiður (Hear, smith of the heavens)
Þorkell Sigurbjörnsson (1938-2013, Iceland)

A well-known Icelandic hymn from the early 13th century, written by a powerful clan chieftain on his deathbed. Sung in Icelandic.

Lapi laul (Song from Lapland)
Ester Mägi (1922-2021, Estonia)

The poem and music conjure images of ancient Estonian reindeer herders and shamanistic rituals. “Far beyond the sky the winter spirit waits, beating his shaman drum.” Sung in Estonian.

Gaudete (Rejoice)
from Piae cantiones, Sweden, arr. Brian Kay

A popular carol from a 16th-century collection of Finnish and Swedish sacred songs. Sung in Latin.

Die Wasserrose (The Lily)
Niels Gade (1817-1890, Denmark)

A gentle song describing the water-lily being white as snow. Sung in German.

Biegga Luohte (Yoik to the mountain wind)
Johan Märak (Sámi, 1928-2019) arr. Jan Sandström 

The Sámi yoik (or improvised chant) is among the earliest continuing vocal practices of Europe. Yoiks have been passed down orally from one generation to the next for centuries. This yoik is by Johan Märak, a Sámi logger, reindeer herdsman, and rural vicar. Sung in Sámi. 

Ísland, farsælda frón (Iceland, land of good fortune)
Icelandic twin-song 

Describing the beauty of Iceland, this is sung in a type of 2-part improvised harmony that has existed in Iceland since the Middle Ages. Sung in Icelandic. 

Fagurt er í fjörðum (It’s lovely in these valleys)
Traditional Icelandic, arr. John Hearne 

Set to a text about the beauty and harshness of Iceland by the 18th-century poet Björg Einarsdóttir, who was thought by some to be able to influence the future with her verse. Sung in Icelandic. 

Northern Lights
Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977, Latvia) 

This atmospheric work combines two texts: a Latvian folk song that de scribes the northern lights as the restless souls of fallen soldiers, and the English words of two 19th-century Arctic explorers who were awed by the northern lights during their travels. Using chimes and tuned water glasses to create an unearthly aura, the music is full of the wonder and drama of being immersed in the aurora borealis. Sung in Latvian and English. 

Ave Maris Stella (Hail, star of the sea)
Trond Kverno (b. 1945, Norway) 

The composer writes of his style: “I would liken my work to that of the painter of icons, where each icon is a window to a reality other than that which surrounds us." Sung in Latin. 

Bogoroditse Devo (Rejoice, O Virgin)
Arvo Pärt (b. 1935, Estonia) 

Arvo Pärt has achieved the status of “most widely-performed living classical composer” for four years in a row. This piece is a vibrant tribute to the Virgin Mary, its musical style evoking traditional Orthodox music. Sung in Church Slavonic. 

Taaveti Laulud (Psalms of David)
Taaveti laul Nr. 104 (Psalm 104)
Taaveti laul Nr. 141 (Psalm 141)
Õnnis on inimene (Happy is the one)
Cyrillus Kreek (1889-1962, Estonia) 

Labeled by Soviet authorities as a “bourgeois nationalist,” Kreek was forced to resign his teaching position. His Taaveti laulud (Psalms of David) were lost during the Soviet era, and only rediscovered in 1989. Sung in Estonian. 

Aftonen (Evening)
Hugo Alfvén (1872-1960, Sweden) 

Composed in 1942, Aftonen paints a picture of a silent, beautiful evening with echoing horn calls, often interpreted as a soothing and patriotic contrast to the era's wartime conflicts. Sung in Swedish. 

Det hev ei rose sprunge (A spotless rose)
Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978, Norway) 

One of the most frequently-performed composers today, this is Gjeilo’s gentle Norwegian setting of the well-known text, A spotless rose. Sung in Norwegian. 

Nu är det Jul igen (Now Christmas is here again)
Traditional Swedish, arr. Karen P. Thomas 

A well-loved Swedish carol, sung by families and friends while dancing in a circle around the Christmas tree. Sung in Swedish. 

Lucis creator optime (Blest creator of the light)
Vytautas Miškinis (b. 1954, Lithuania) 

Known for his ability to create shimmering vocal colors, Miškinis uses as cending lines in this work to evoke the sound of prayers rising to heaven. Sung in Latin.