Nella Fantasia io vedo un mondo giusto,                 

Li tutti vivo no in pace in onestà.

Io sogno d’anime che sono sempre libere, 

Come le nuvole, che volano,

Pien’ d’umanità in fondo al l’anima.

Nella fantasia io vedo un mondo chiaro,

Li anche la notte è meno oscura.

Nella fantasia esiste un vento caldo, 

Che soffia sulle città, come amico.

In my imagination I see a just world

Where all live in peace and honesty.

I dream of souls that are always free

Like clouds that soar

Full of humanity; deep in spirit.

In my imagination I see a bright world.

There even night is less dark.

In my imagination there is a warm wind

That breathes over the cities, like a friend.

This song was originally written as an instrumental soundtrack to the film The Mission and is known as Gabriel’s Oboe. Apparently, Sarah Brightman loved this melody so much that she begged Morricone to have this adapted for voice and wrote the words. Chiara Ferrau then translated it to Italian. The text and message is universal and one that we can all aspire to fulfill.

Cold are the people, Winter of life,

We tremble in shadows this cold endless night,

Frozen in the snow lie roses sleeping,

Flowers that will echo the sunrise,

Fire of hope is our only warmth.

Weary, its flame will be dying soon.

Voice in the distance, Call in the night,

On wind you enfold us You speak of the light,

Gentle on the ear you whisper softly,

Rumors of a dawn so embracing,

Breathless love awaits darkened souls,

Soon will we know of the morning.

Spirit among us, Shine like the star,

Your light that guides shepherds and kings from afar,

Shimmer in the sky so empty, lonely,

Rising in the warmth of the Son’s love,

Star unknowing of night and day,

Spirit we wait for the loving Son.

Please join in singing at the conductor's cue:

Silent night

Holy night

All is calm

All is bright

Round yon virgin

Mother and child

Holy infant 

So tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Quest of the Kings

John Henry Hopkins, Arr. Jacob Narverud

We three kings of Orient are bearing gifts, we traverse afar.

Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.

Born a king on Bethlehem's plain, gold I bring to crown him again.

King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign.

Oh, star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.

Frankincense to offer have I, incense owns a deity nigh;

pray'r and praising, all men raising, worship him, God on high.

Glorious now behold him arise, King and God of sacrifice.

Alleluia, Alleluia, sounds through the Earth and skies!

Quest of the Kings (originally titled We Three Kings, Three Kings of Orient, and Quest of the Magi) is a traditional carol written by Pennsylvania native Reverend John Henry Hopkins, Jr. (1820-1891). Hopkins was an author, book illustrator, stained glass window designer, minister, and editor for the New York Church Journal. Hopkins wrote this particular carol for a Christmas pageant put on by his nieces and nephews in the General Theological Seminary of New York City in 1857. In 1863, during the midst of the Civil War, Hopkins published this carol in his book Carols, Hymns and Songs, in hopes of spreading holiday joy to those suffering during the difficult times.

Hine Ma Tov

Hebrew Folk Songs, Arr. Lon Berry

Hine ma tov uma nayim, shevet achim gam yachad.

Behold how good and how pleasing / for brothers (people) to sit together in unity.

Two popular Jewish folk song settings of Psalm 133:1 are creatively joined here in this medley. One English translation reads: “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” The text is traditionally sung at Shabbat feasts.

Stars I Shall Find

Victor C. Johnson,(b. 1978)  Text by Sara Teasdale

There will be rest, and sure stars shining over the rooftops crowned with snow,

a reign of rest, serene forgetting, the music of stillness holy and low.

I will make this world of my devising, out of a dream in my lonely mind,

I shall find the crystal of peace, above me, stars I shall find.

This masterful setting of a poem by Sara Teasdale (1884-1933) sparkles with wonderful musical clarity, purity of form, and musical quality.  Although Teasdale’s style was traditional, she seemed to many as a spokesperson for her generation. She also had a gift for friendship. She formed strong and lasting friendships with some of the most interesting writers of her generation that include John Wheelock, Amy Lowell, Joyce Kilmer, and Vachel Lindsay.

Hallelujah for the Day

Andrea Ramsey, Words adapted from a Traditional Fisherman’s Prayer in Ghana

Hallelujah for the day! And blessing for the night.

The nets are filled, we have drawn them in, we have sung Your praise.

What a blessing is the seas with fish in plenty.

Lord, that is the story of Your grace.

The nets tear, we cannot hold them all.

O Lord, we sing Your praise!

Hallelujah for the day! And blessing for the night.

Lord, with Your praise, we drop off to sleep.

Carry us through the night.

Make us fresh for the morning, O Lord, our God.

Hallelujah for the day!

The text for Hallelujah for the Day! is selected from a larger traditional Ghanian fisherman’s prayer. Within the text can also be seen the influence of symbolic Christian ideas and language. The unabridged prayer reads:

Lord, I sing your praise

The whole night through until the night.

Dad’s nets are filled.  I have helped him.

We have drawn them in, stamping the rhythm with our feet,

The muscles tense.

We have sung your praise.

On the beach there were our mothers,

Who bought the blessings out of the nets,

Out of the nets and into their basins.

They rushed to market, returned and bought again.

White Winter Hymnal

Robin Pecknold (b. 1986), Arr. Alan Billingsley

I was following the pack, all swallowed in their coats,

with scarves of red tied round their throats

to keep their little heads from falling in the snow.

And I turned round and there you go,

and Michael, you would fall and turn the white snow

red as strawberries in the summertime.

Robin Pecknold, the leader of the Seattle-based American indie folk band Fleet Foxes, first recorded "White Winter Hymnal" in 2008 and this piece became widely known when Pentatonix released their a cappella rendition in 2014. Pecknold represents a current artist that struggled during the pandemic and channeled the psychological stress into his songwriting. “The whole experience gave me so much additional perspective on what community means, what death means, what gratitude means, what privilege is,” he says.

Where the Light Begins

Susan LaBarr (b. 1981), Text by Jan Richardson

Perhaps it does not begin.

Perhaps it is always.

Perhaps it takes a lifetime to open our eyes,

to learn to see the luminous line of the map in the dark,

the vigil flame in the house of the heart,

the love so searing we can't keep from singing, from crying out.

Perhaps this day the light begins,

We are where the light begins.

Perhaps it does not begin.

Perhaps it is always.

This beautiful poem was originally written as a blessing for Christmas by writer Jan Richardson. On her blog, she writes “May we lean into the light that begins in the deepest dark, bearing itself into this world for us.”  Jan’s blessing makes me think that within each of us is the ability to work toward peace.

When we love, accept, and care for all of our neighbors - despite our differences - we find that the light that the dark world so desperately needs begins in us. - Susan LaBarr

Crowded Table

Natalie Hemby, Lori McKenna, and Brandi Carlile, Arr. Andrea Ramsey

You can hold my hand when you need to let go.

I can be a mountain when you're feeling valley low.

I can be a streetlight showing you the way home,

if you can hold my hand when you need to let go.

I want a house with a crowded table,

and a place by the fire for ev'ryone.

Let us take on the world while we're young and able,

and bring us back together when the day is done.

If we want a garden, we're gonna have to sow the seed,

plant a little happiness, let the roots run deep.

If it's love that we give, then it's love that we reap.

If we want a garden, we're gonna have to sow the seeds.

The door is always open, your picture's on my wall,

Ev'ryone's a little broken, and ev'ryone belongs.

This song written in 2019 during the pandemic won the Grammy award for the Best Country song in 2021. The song is a call for inclusivity, working together and acceptance even among our differences, in the workplace, at home and with friends. Carlisle explains her concept for this song - "going out into the world and being an activist and furthering agendas that I think will make the world a better place, but still being able to come home at the end of the day and be in my family and be with people that do not agree with me so that we can all move a little bit closer to the middle of the road."

Abreme La Puerta

Traditional from Puerto Rico, Arr. Cristian Grases

Ábreme la puerta que estoy en la calle, y dirá la gente que esto es un desaire, si!

A la zarandela de mi corazón.

Allá adentro veo, un bulto tapao no sé si será un lechón asao no sé si será.

Open the door for me.

I can see that there’s something hidden inside.

Could it be roasted pork?

This is a secular Christmas carol and is based on a Puerto Rican tradition. The songs known as aguinaldos are performed by groups of singers throughout the month of December with the sole intention of waking up the owners of a house to receive food and drinks from them. The owners are supposed to invite them into their home, eat and drink with them and hopefully join the group as they head to the next home; all this in the spirit of celebrating Christmas.

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Arr. David Willcocks

The audience is invited to join the Chorus on stage during this song to be in place for the “Hallelujah Chorus” sing-a-long.

O Come, all ye faithful,

Joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem

Come and behold him

Born the King of Angels:

O come, let us adore him (x3)

Christ the Lord!

Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exultation,

Sing, all ye citizens of heav'n above;

Glory in the highest:

O come, let us adore him (x3)

Christ the Lord!

Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah

George Frideric Handel

Hallelujah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, Hallelujah.

The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ;

and he shall reign for every and ever.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Hallelujah!

The “Hallelujah” chorus remains a predominant chorus that many view as a staple of the Christmas repertoire. It is a work so strongly tied to Christmas that many are unaware that it was originally intended for performance during the Easter season. In fact, this work was not intended to be performed in a religious service and was written as an entertaining alternative to opera. It is still customary to stand during the “Hallelujah” chorus, a tradition that began before 1780 and is popularly attributed to King George II who reputedly stood during the chorus at a London performance.

Al Shlosha D’Varim

Allan E. Naplan, Text from Pirkei Avot (Mishnah)

CCW Alumni in the audience are invited to join the Chorus on stage.

Al shlosha d’varim haolam kayam, Al haemet v’al hadin v’al hashalom.

The world is sustained by three things, by truth, by justice, and by peace.

This piece has become CCW’s anthem and is known by all of our choristers, new and old. At our 25th Anniversary celebration, June 2021, we were honored to share stories and our longtime relationship with composer Allan Naplan.

I Wish You Christmas

John Rutter

I wish you starlight on fields of snow,

The winter's morning light and evening's glow;

I wish you candles that shine from ev'ry tree,

So all the world can see the light that there could be.

I wish you music, I wish you song,

With voices echoing, joyous and strong;

I wish you church bells, ringing true and clear;

I wish you Christmas, a merry Christmas,

A merry Christmas to remember all the year.

Old friends smiling, thinking of times gone by;

Young friends laughing: Christmas is here,

Spirits are bright, and hopes are high.

I wish you loved ones around your fire;

May Christmas bring you all your heart's desire.

I wish you children to make the season new,

With dreams you help come true,

Just like it was for you.

I wish you blessings, I wish you love,

The sound of angel choirs from high above;

I wish you laughter, happiness and cheer:

I wish you Christmas, a merry Christmas,

And may its joy and peace be with you through the year.

I wish you music, I wish you song;

I wish you harmony your whole life long;

The warmth of memories that long remain:

I wish you Christmas, a merry Christmas,

And may God bless you till we all shall meet again.

Rather than end our concert with a popular holiday song, this song seemed to represent the exact sentiment of gratitude for our ability to sing together and to not take for granted the ability to share this time of year with our friends and family in person. Rutter's song perfectly expresses this holiday feeling.