Music Tuesday: Tu scendi dalle stele

What song should we have at Christmas Eve but a Christmas Carol, and I’m going to post the most popular Christmas Carol in all of Italy, the beautiful “Tu scendi dalle stele.” 

There is a little back history to this song.  The melody and original lyrics were written by St. Alphonsus Liguori, a priest and eventually bishop who lived through most of the 18^th century (1696-1787).  He was a prolific writer and eventually made a Doctor of the Church.  He was born in the Campania region which is the region where I was also born.  In fact his Cathedral as Bishop was in the city of Benevento, which is not far from where I was born.  In addition he was the founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, commonly called the Redemptorists. He was canonized in 1839, just some fifty or so years after his death.  That’s quite a history.  

Most Catholics today know him for his Marian devotional books, but his noteworthy publications deal with moral theology.  It’s on that basis he was made a Doctor of the Church. 

But he also wrote songs.  Obviously he was a man of learning.  I can’t find the original lyrics but I will provide the ones that have been so popular in Italy with the English translation

 

1. Tu scendi dalle stelle,

O Re del Cielo,

e vieni in una grotta,

al freddo al gelo.

 

O Bambino mio Divino

Io ti vedo qui a tremar,

O Dio Beato

Ahi, quanto ti costò

l’avermi amato!

 

2. A te, che sei del mondo

il Creatore,

mancano panni e fuoco;

O mio Signore!

 

Caro eletto Pargoletto,

Quanto questa povertà

più mi innamora!

Giacché ti fece amor

povero ancora!

 

English

 

1. From starry skies descending,

Thou comest, glorious King,

A manger low Thy bed,

In winter’s icy sting;

 

O my dearest Child most holy,

Shudd’ring, trembling in the cold!

Great God, Thou lovest me!

What suff’ring Thou didst bear,

That I near Thee might be!

 

2. Thou art the world’s Creator,

God’s own and true Word,

Yet here no robe, no fire

For Thee, Divine Lord.

 

Dearest, fairest, sweetest Infant,

Dire this state of poverty.

The more I care for Thee,

Since Thou, O Love Divine,

Will’st now so poor to be.

 

First I’ll embed a children’s chorus, because it’s so made for children to sing.

 

That is such an endearing melody.  I’ll also post a more sophisticated rendition, the tempo slowed down just enough to give it a contemplative tone, song by the incredible Andrea Bocellli.

 

 That brings tears to my eyes.  It must be the Italian.

Merry Christmas!