Puer natus est nobis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Puer natus est nobis" |
|
|---|---|
| Gregorian introit | |
The chant in the codex Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci
|
|
| Occasion | Christmas |
| Language | Latin |
"Puer natus est nobis" (which means "A boy is born for us") is a very old and special type of church music called a Gregorian chant. It is sung during Christmas Day services. This particular chant is an introit, which is a piece of music sung at the very beginning of a church service. A famous composer named Thomas Tallis even wrote a whole Christmas mass based on this chant!
What is "Puer natus est nobis"?
"Puer natus est nobis" is a well-known Gregorian chant that has been sung for hundreds of years. Gregorian chants are a type of plainchant (music without instruments or harmony) that developed in the Middle Ages. They are named after Pope Gregory I, who helped organize church music. This specific chant is used as the introit for the Christmas Day Mass, which means it's the first piece of music heard during the service. It helps set a joyful and reflective mood for the celebration of Christmas.
The Words of the Chant
The words of "Puer natus est nobis" are very important. The main part of the chant, called the antiphon, comes from a Bible verse in Isaiah 9:6. This verse talks about the birth of a special child. The chant also includes a verse from Psalm 98, which encourages people to "Sing a new song to the Lord."
Here are the words of the chant in Latin, along with their English meaning:
Puer natus est nobis,
et filius datus est nobis :
cuius imperium super humerum eius :
et vocabitur nomen eius, magni consilii angelus.
Cantate Domino canticum novum :
quia mirabilia fecit.
English Translation: A boy is born for us, and a son is given to us: whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, the Angel of great counsel.
Sing to the Lord a new song: for he has done wonderful things.
Music and Composers
The beautiful melody of "Puer natus est nobis" has inspired many composers over the centuries. Sometimes, composers would take an existing melody, like this chant, and write new words to it. This technique is called contrafacta.
One of the most famous examples is the Christmas mass written by the English composer Thomas Tallis (around 1505–1585). He used the melody of "Puer natus est nobis" as the foundation for his own musical work. This shows how important and lasting this ancient chant has been in the history of music.
