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December 23

"Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" has been recorded for all three years of Hark! The Herald Banjo Rings. Though 15 of the 28 songs this year were new to Hark!, there are a few songs I just love too much to leave out. This year, I recorded in the key of G on the mandolin and added some banjo accompaniment.

Downloads: mp3

Es Ist Ein' Ros' (Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming)

Performed by Greg Barlow on mandolin and banjo

Words: 15th century German carol; trans. Theodore Baker, 1894.
Music: ES IST EIN' ROS', 16th century German

English

Lo, how a rose e'er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung,
From Jesse's lineage coming,
By faithful prophets sung.
It came, a floweret bright,
Amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it,
The rose I have in mind,
With Mary we behold it,
The virgin mother kind.
To show God's love aright
She bore for us a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

German

Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen,
Aus einer Wurzel zart,
Wie uns die Alten sungen,
Von Jesse kam die Art,
Und hat ein Blümlein bracht
Mitten im kalten Winter
Wohl zu der halben Nacht.

Das Röslein, das ich meine,
Davon Jesaias sagt,
Ist Maria die Reine uns
Das Blümlein bracht.
Aus Gottes ew'gen Rat hat
Sie ein Kind geboren
Und blieb ein' reine Magd.

Sources and more information