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December 2007 · Bimonthly







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Il Est Né, le Divin Enfant


a Traditional French Christmas Carol for Mountain & Hammered Dulcimers



by Lois Hornbostel

This melody began as a Normandy hunting song and was later published in R. Grosjean’s Airs des Noel Lorrain (1862), with one of many lyrics that announce “He is Born, the Divine Infant.” The musical score below is in its’ popular 4/4 time signature, but the durable melody fares equally well in 3/4 time and its original 6/8 time.

I play this piece in all three time signatures as part of my contribution to Susan Trump’s new CD compilation, Masters of the Mountain Dulcimer Play Music for Christmas. It features many well-known dulcimer artists playing their favorite Christmas music (The Nashville Dulcimer Quartet, David Schnaufer, Sue Carpenter, Janita Baker, Tull Glazener, Sarah Elisabeth, Lois Hornbostel, Maureen Sellers, Lorinda Jones, Beth Lassi & Nina Zanetti, Susan Trump, Lorraine Hammond, Stephen Seifert, Steve Eulberg, Linda Brockinton, and Gary Gallier). To order this CD just e-mail me at Loisdulc@verizon.net

Listen to "Il Est Né le Divin Enfant" played in 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8 time. Lois Hornbostel, mountain dulcimer. Guy George on tinwhistle. Dan Landrum, percussion. Recorded by Stephen Seifert.


TablEdit typesetting by Terry Lewis.

Here are some of the traditional lyrics,

In English:

Chorus:
He is born, the Heav'nly Child,
Oboes play; set bagpipes sounding
He is born, the Heav'nly Child.
Let all sing his nativity.
Verses:
  1. 'Tis four thousand years and more,
    Prophets have foretold His coming,
    'Tis four thousand years and more,
    Have we waited this happy hour.


    2. (Repeat Chorus)

  2. Ah, how lovely, Ah, how fair,
    What perfection is his graces,
    Ah, how lovely, Ah, how fair.
    Child divine, so gentle there.


    3. (Repeat Chorus)

  3. In a stable lodged is he,
    Straw is all he has for cradle.
    In a stable lodged is he,
    Oh how great humility!


    4. (Repeat Chorus)

  4. Jesus Lord, O King with power,
    Though a little babe you come here,
    Jesus Lord, O King with power,
    Rule o'er us from this glad hour.


    5. (Repeat Chorus)

 In French:

Chorus:
Il est ne, le divin Enfant,
Jouez, hautbois, resonnez, musettes;
Il est ne, le divin Enfant;
Chantons tous son avenement!
Verses:
  1. Depuis plus de quatre mille ans,
    Nous le promettaient les Prophetes;
    Depuis plus de quatre mille ans,
    Nous attendions cet heureux temps.


    2. (Repeat Chorus)

  2. Ah! qu'il est beau, qu'il est charmant,
    Que ses graces sont parfaites!
    Ah! qu'il est beau, qu'il est charmant,
    Qu'il est doux le divin Enfant!


    3. (Repeat Chorus)

  3. Une etable est son logement,
    Un peu de paille, sa couchette,
    Une etable est son logement,
    Pour un Dieu, quel abaissement!


    4. (Repeat Chorus)

  4. O Jesus! O Roi tout puissant!
    Tout petit enfant que vous etes,
    O Jesus! O Roi tout puissant!
    Regnez sur nous entierement!


    5. (Repeat Chorus)


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About the Author

Lois Hornbostel, editor of www.DulcimerSessions.com, plays mountain dulcimer, clawhammer banjo and fiddle. She has been fortunate to meet and learn from some of the old-time music masters at fiddle conventions in the area from which this tune came. Lois has won the Galax, VA fiddle convention dulcimer competition and more recently that at Mt. Airy, NC Ralph Epperson fiddle Convention in Sept. ‘07.

The above arrangement of “Breakin’ up Christmas” is from Lois’s CD Dulcimer Jubilee and her American Fiddle Tunes for Mountain Dulcimer Mel Bay book (currently not in print). Her Dulcimer Fiddle Tune Book (93713D) is available for download at: http://downloads.melbay.com/search.asp?q=hornbostel

Lois can be reached through her website, http://www.LoisHornbostel.com


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