The Fourth Day to Christmas
There are problems when one is trying to sing a carol written sometime in the 1600s, in a different language than the original. Tunes are preserved far more easily, I have discovered, and, with today's carol, I finally gave up trying to find something on youtube that sang either the original Catalan words, or a semi-accurate translation. The one I'm sharing with you today is the closest I could find and it's still a bit of a mish-mash. Anyhow, the words are still good, and I love the tune so much that I'm also sharing another version in which the author wrote his own lyrics; very good lyrics at that.
El Can dels Ocells, known in English as "Carol of The Birds," was, as I mentioned earlier, a traditional Catalan carol probably written sometime in the 1600s, though the author's identity has, once again, been lost. The melody is the same, but the words, my friends, I have never seen such a universally widespread disagreement regarding how the Catalan words ought to be translated in English, or which verses should stay, or what birds should be included, and which should be scrapped. Allow me to demonstrate what I mean. Below are the original words with the literal translation in italics underneath.
El cant dels ocells
Carol of The Birds
Al veure despuntar
In seeing emerge
el major lluminar
el major lluminar
The greatest light
en la nit més ditxosa,
en la nit més ditxosa,
During the most celebrated of nights,
els ocellets cantant,
els ocellets cantant,
The little birds sing.
a festejar-lo van
a festejar-lo van
They go to celebrate Him
amb sa veu melindrosa.
amb sa veu melindrosa.
With their delicate voices.
L’àguila imperial
The imperial eagle
se’n vola cel adalt,
se’n vola cel adalt,
Flies high in the sky
cantant amb melodia,
cantant amb melodia,
Singing melodically,
dient: Jesús és nat,
Saying Jesus is born,
per treure’ns de pecat
per treure’ns de pecat
To save us all from sin
i dar-nos alegria.
i dar-nos alegria.
And to give us joy.
Repon-li lo pardal:
The sparrow responds,
Avui, nit de Nadal,
Avui, nit de Nadal,
"Today, this Christmas Eve
és nit de gran contento!
és nit de gran contento!
Is a night of good cheer!"
El verdum i el lluer
El verdum i el lluer
The greenfinch and the siskin
diuen cantant, també :
diuen cantant, també :
Say in singing, too,
"Oh, quina alegria sento!
"Oh, quina alegria sento!
"Oh, what joy I feel!"
Cantava el passerell :
The linnet sang
Oh, que hermós i que bell
Oh, que hermós i que bell
"Oh, how lovely and beautiful,
és l’infant de Maria!
és l’infant de Maria!
Is the child of Mary!"
I li respon el tord :
I li respon el tord :
The thrush answers
Vençuda n’és la mort,
Vençuda n’és la mort,
"Death is conquered,
ja naix la vida mia!
ja naix la vida mia!
My life now begins!"
Refila el rossinyol :
The nightingale twitters,
És més bonic que el sol
És més bonic que el sol
"He is more beautiful than the sun,
més brillant que una estrella!
més brillant que una estrella!
More brilliant than a star!"
La cotxa i el bitxac
La cotxa i el bitxac
The redstart and the stonechat
festegen al manyac
festegen al manyac
Celebrate the infant
i a sa Mare donzella.
i a sa Mare donzella.
And His virgin mother.
Cantava el reietó
The wren sang
per glòria del Senyor,
per glòria del Senyor,
for the glory of the Lord,
inflant amb biçarria;
inflant amb biçarria;
Inflating with fnatasy;
el canari segueix:
el canari segueix:
The canary follows,
llur música pareix
llur música pareix
It music sounds like
del Cel gran melodia.
del Cel gran melodia.
A great song from heaven.
Ja n’entra el cotoliu
Now comes the woodlark
dient: Ocells veniu
dient: Ocells veniu
Saying, "Come birds
a festejar l’aurora!
a festejar l’aurora!
To celebrate the dawn!"
I lo merlot, xiulant,
I lo merlot, xiulant,
And the big blackbird, whistling,
anava festejant
anava festejant
Went celebrating
a la més gran Senyora.
a la més gran Senyora.
The greatest lady.
L’estiverola diu:
The tit says,
No és hivern ni estiu
No és hivern ni estiu
"It is neither winter nor summer,
sinó que és primavera;
sinó que és primavera;
But rather springtime
puix que és nada una flor
puix que és nada una flor
A flower is born
que pertot dóna olor
que pertot dóna olor
That gives a sweet smell all around
I omple la terra entera.
I omple la terra entera.
And fills the whole world."
Cantava el francolí:
The francolin sang
Ocells qui vol venir
Ocells qui vol venir
"Birds, who wants to come
avui a trenc de dia
avui a trenc de dia
Today at daybreak
a veure el gran Senyor
a veure el gran Senyor
To see the good Lord
amb sa gran resplendor
amb sa gran resplendor
With all His splendour
a dins d’una establia?
a dins d’una establia?
Within a stable?"
Ve cantant el puput:
The Hoopoe goes singing,
Eixa nit ha vingut
Eixa nit ha vingut
"This night has come
el Rei de més grandesa!
el Rei de més grandesa!
The greatest of Kings!"
La tórtora i el colom
La tórtora i el colom
The turtle dove and rock dove
admiren a tothom
admiren a tothom
Admire, and to all
cantant sense tristesa.
cantant sense tristesa.
Sing without sadness.
Picots i borroners
Woodpeckers and bullfinches
volen entre els fruiters
volen entre els fruiters
Fly between fruit trees
cantant llurs alegries;
cantant llurs alegries;
Singing their joys.
la guatlla i el cucut
la guatlla i el cucut
The quail and the cuckoo
de molt lluny han vingut
de molt lluny han vingut
From afar have come
per contemplar el Messies.
per contemplar el Messies.
To see the Messiah.
Cantava la perdiu
The partridge sang,
Me’n vaig a fer lo niu
Me’n vaig a fer lo niu
"I am going to make my nest
dins d’aquella establia,
dins d’aquella establia,
Inside of that stable,
per a veure l’Infant
per a veure l’Infant
To look upon the infant,
com està tremolant
com està tremolant
How He trembles
en braços de Maria.
en braços de Maria.
In the arms of Mary.
La garsa, griva o gaig
The magpie, mistle thrush, and Jay
diuen: Ara ve el maig!
diuen: Ara ve el maig!
Say, "May is coming!"
Respon la cadernera:
Respon la cadernera:
The goldfinch responds,
Tot arbre reverdeix,
Tot arbre reverdeix,
"All trees become green again,
tota branca floreix
tota branca floreix
All the branches flower
com si fos primavera.
com si fos primavera.
As if it were the spring."
Xiuxiueja el pinsà:
The chaffinch whispers
Glòria avui i demà;
Glòria avui i demà;
"Glory today and tomorrow,
sento gran alegria
sento gran alegria
I feel great joy."
de veure el diamant
To see the diamond
tan hermós i brillant
tan hermós i brillant
So handsome and brilliant
als braços de Maria.
als braços de Maria.
In the arms of Mary."
El xot i el mussol
The scops owl and little owl
al veure eixir el sol
al veure eixir el sol
Seeing the sunrise
confosos se retiren.
confosos se retiren.
leave confused.
El gamarús i el duc
El gamarús i el duc
The tawny owl and the eagle owl
diuen: Mirar no puc;
diuen: Mirar no puc;
Say, "I cannot look;
tals resplendors m’admiren!
tals resplendors m’admiren!
Such splendours are in front of me!"
All very nice, yes? No, because the poetic translations are all different. They cannot agree. I shan't bother sharing the twenty different variations I found online, most of which only include about four verses, and change massive amounts of text to suit their purposes.
I finally settled on a youtube version that seems to at least attempt to capture the spirit of the original carol. The words are on the video, thank goodness. Let me know what you think.
And then, because I could, I am also sharing a lovely version with the same tune but with words written by Chris de Silva. It really captures the ethereal nature of the song, I think, and the words, of themselves, are quite beautiful.
The rising eastern star
Calls birds from lands afar,
And brightens all in glory,
Songs streaming through the earth,
Rejoicing in the birth,
They sing of God's love story.
God's promise born this night,
Birds call in joyous flight,
"Who is this son of Mary?"
Sweet music all night long,
Their ancient cradle song,
Of God's unending glory.
The birds sing through the dawn,
"The Prince of peace is born
To take away our sadness."
Christ overcomes all sin,
New life is born within,
They sing in joy and gladness.
Isn't that beautiful? I have gained new respect for Silva with this song, and what a hauntingly beautiful arrangement. I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I do. Maybe we should sing it more, though, perhaps, first, agree on a common set of lyrics.
Until tomorrow, let's sing in joy and gladness!
~ Christianna
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