It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, not that one, that’s not for a few weeks yet. Advent, the waiting. And who does Advent best? I’ve said it before – the Germans, of course. I haven’t lived in…
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Es kommt
Tagged with: advent, Berliner Solistenchor, Catherine Winkworth, Christmas Carols, Es kommt ein Schiff geladen, George Ratcliffe Woodward, German, Hymns, Translation
Posted in Christmas, music
Posted in Christmas, music
The snow banks are high, the snow drifts deep
Christmas is almost here. Deep snow drifts is what we want, but will we get them? At least we can sing about them. My choir sang this carol by Jean Sibelius at our Christmas concert this year. We do not…
Tagged with: Christmas, Christmas Carols, Finland, Finnish, On hanget korkeat nietokset, Sibelius, Translation
Posted in Christmas, music, translation
Posted in Christmas, music, translation
The year was so new, it yawned and stretched…
I was in London over new year, and there was one place I had to go. The British Library to see the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms exhibition. It is stuffed with treasures, including some of the earliest works ever written and translated…
Tagged with: books, Middle English, Poetry, Simon Armitage, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Translation
Posted in books, Christmas, Folklore, history, literature, translation
Posted in books, Christmas, Folklore, history, literature, translation
Oh, to be in Finland, now December’s there
It’s too warm. It should be colder – a lot colder. It’s unseasonable. It’s beautiful, delightful, but it all feels wrong. It’s just all a bit too much, not cosy enough, not delicate enough, perhaps? Things should be the same,…
Tagged with: Christmas Carols, Finland, Finnish, Karl Collan, Poetry, Robert Browning, Swedish, Sylvian joululaulu, Sylvias hälsning från Sicilien, Translation, Zachris Topelius
Posted in Christmas, music, poetry, translation
Posted in Christmas, music, poetry, translation
Twelve Days: Six Catalan Poets
In the middle of the twelve days of Christmas, the year is turning. It’s a time to remember the good and bad in the year that’s fading, and perhaps to hope for something better in the year to come. One…
Tagged with: Anna Crowe, Carles Torner, Catalan, Catalonia, Elies Barberà, Gemma Gorga, Jordi Julià, Josep Lluís Aguiló, Manuel Forcano, New Year, Pere Ballart, Poetry, Six Catalan Poets, Translation
Posted in books, Christmas, language, poetry, translation
Posted in books, Christmas, language, poetry, translation
The Fox’s Carol
The year is about to turn – it is the shortest day. From here on in, the light returns, the days get longer. But when it’s this dark (for 19 hours a day, where I live), you have a better…
Tagged with: Christmas Carols, Finland 100, Finnish, folklore, Fox, Kanteletar, Ketun joululaulu, Mia Makaroff, Rajaton, Suomi100, Translation
Posted in Christmas, Folklore, music, translation
Posted in Christmas, Folklore, music, translation
the carol that travelled
This is one of the most beloved carols in the Nordic countries, but the tune is from Central Europe and it has travelled across the Atlantic in English translations. So why haven’t you heard of it yet? Maybe it’s because…
Tagged with: Aarberg, Bernhard Ingemann, Christmas Carols, Danish, Dejlig er jorden, Fairest Lord Jesus, Finnish, German, Härlig är jorden, maa on niin kaunis, Schönster Herr Jesu, Swedish
Posted in Christmas, history, international, music, translation
Posted in Christmas, history, international, music, translation
A Welsh New Year Wish
Cold is the man who can’t love, The old mountains of dear Wales, To him and his warmest friend, A cheerful holiday next year. Cold is the snow on Mount Snowdon, Even though it has a flannel blanket on it,…
Tagged with: Christmas Carols, John Ceiriog Hughes, New Year, Translation, Welsh
Posted in Christmas, translation
Posted in Christmas, translation
‘Jack Finn’s Carols
Finnish Christmas carols are often seen as extraordinarily depressing. That isn’t quite fair. In fact, we have a Finn (Jaakko Suomalainen, Jacobus Finno) to thank for some of the best loved carols worldwide. He was a priest and head of the…
Tagged with: Christmas Carols, Finnish, Jacobus Finno, Latin, Piae Cantiones, Swedish, Translation
Posted in Christmas, history, translation
Posted in Christmas, history, translation
Waiting for the dawn
It’s advent. It’s still getting darker. The earth is drained of colour, finally covered in snow, waiting for spring. People are on the move, looking for a place to rest safely. It’s a waiting time. Waiting for the wilderness to…
Tagged with: advent, Dawood Azami, Parween Faiz Zadah Malaal, Pashto, Poetry, Poetry Translation Centre, Translation
Posted in Christmas, poetry, translation
Posted in Christmas, poetry, translation
found in translation 