The Path

by Katy Taylor and Amy Fradon as Mirabilis

Katy Taylor and Amy Fradon of Mirabilis create awesome beauty with their voices and instrumentation that often gives me chills when I listen to them. You may get a sense of the spiritual power of this music from the MP3s below. Much of what Katy and Amy do harkens back to an earlier time when Christianity was not so inclusive but they mine the ancient texts and music for the raw spiritual core that has made it such a strong force for good in the world. The spirit and wonder and joy of this tradition is celebrated by Katy and Amy and those who hear them. Nowhere is this more apparent than in this wonderful group of uplifting and lovely carlols, songs and chants for the Christmas Season.
     Katy and Amy describe the creation of this cd as follows, "We love singing Christmas music- telling the Christmas story of Incarnation, Light, and Love in the darkest time of the year always lifts our spirits and prepares us for the New Year. And we are blessed to be able to do this with each other as we are dear friends and sisters. We sang these pieces for our community on a blizzarding December 14th night and continued to work into the wee hours of the morning singing through the deep, peaceful silence created by the sacred space of the monastery and by the deepening snow outside. We hope you will be drawn into the warmth, comfort and mystery that the energy of this night and the power of the music created. And may all your lives be full of the truest blessings of the Christ."
     This CD was recorded live in the chapel of Holy Cross Monastery, a Benedictine Order, in West Park, New York. As it was recorded in a live space, you will hear a few unplanned accompaniments in some of the pieces: the radiator, a train in the background, a cough or two, and the spirits of seekers from all eras and walks of life.

This CD has 42 minutes of music with an accompanying booklet and costs $15.00

Contents of The Path:
1) The Darkest Midnight 3:15
Traditional Irish Carol in the sean nos style.
2) The Path 1:43
text unknown from Gremany pre WWII; setting by Marlys Swinger of the Rifton Bruderhof, from "The Shepherd's Pie" published by Plough Publishing House.
3) The Shepherds Sing (2:32)
text from the poem "Christmas" by George Herbert (1593-1633); setting by Katy Taylor ASCAP, Mirabilis
4) Sainte Nicholaes (1:23) Sample MP3
by English mystic, Godric of Yorkshire (d. 1172)
5) Puer Natus est Nobis (1:12) Sample MP3
traditional Latin text; setting by Katy Taylor ASCAP, Mirabilis
6) Lully, Lullay (2:40)
traditional, learned from the singing of Custer LeRoux
7) Seven Virgins/The Leaves of Life (4:39)
traditional English, learned from the singing of The Watersons
8) Alleluia Virga Mediatrix (3:17)
by 12th c. German mystic, Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
9) The Cherry Tree Carol (3:02)
traditional, learned from the singing of Cindy Kallet
10) The Burning Tree (2:43)
by Amy Fradon, ASCAP, Leo Rising
11) Hodie (2:15)
by 12th c. German mystic, Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
12) This is the Truth (2:48)
traditional, learned from the singing of Custer LeRoux
13) Christ Child's Lullaby (4:09)
traditional Hebridean
14) Milford (2:52)
Sacred Harp song, text by Joseph Stephenson in 1760; setting Anonymous in 1802
15) The Boughs of Evergreen (3:55) Sample MP3
text by Amy Fradon; setting by Katy Taylor

Lyrics to The Path: Medieval, Celtic, and Original
Carols Songs and Chants for the Christmas Season
Mirabilis: Katy Taylor and Amy Fradon

The Darkest Midnight, traditional Irish Carol
The darkest midnight in December, no snow nor hail nor winter storm
Shall hinder us for to remember,the babe that on this night was born
With shepherds we are come to see this lovely infant's glorious charms
Born of a maid as the prophets saidthe God of love in Mary's arms.

Have you not heard the sacred story, how man was made those seats to fill
Which the fallen angels lost in glory, through their presumption, pride, and will
They thought us mean for to obtain such glorious seats and crowns in heaven
So through a cheat they go Eve to eat the fruit to be avenged on man.

Ye blessed angels join our voices, let your guilded wings beat fluttering o'er
While every soul set free rejoices and every devil must adore
We'll sing and pray that God always may our friends and family defend
God grant us grace in all our days, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The Path, text unknown from Germany pre WWII; setting by Marlys Swinger of the Rifton Bruderhof
Thatís what I should like the best, to be a humble bridge or way
Leading to the Christmas joy, where longing finds the road to rest
If only someone came to greet the holy Mother and her child
The very stones that make my path would thrill with joy beneath those feet.

The Shepherds Sing, text from the poem Christmas by George Herbert (1593-1633); setting by Katy Taylor
The shepherds sing, and shall I silent be? My God, no hymn, no hymn for thee?
My soulís a shepherd, too; a flock it feeds of thoughts, and words, and deeds.
The pasture is Thy word: the streams, Thy grace, Enriching all the place.
Shepherd and flock shall sing, and all my powers, outsing the daylight hours.
Then we will chide the sun for letting night, take up his place and right.
We sing one common Lord; wherefore he should himself the candle hold.
I will go searching till I find a sun shall stay, till we have done.
A willing shiner, that shall shine as gladly as frost-nipped suns look sadly.
Then will we sing, and shine all our own day and one another pay.
His beams shall cheer my breast, and both so twine till evín His beams and my music shine.

Sainte Nicholaes, by English mystic, Godric of Yorkshire
Saint Nicholas, Godís servant, help us to build a safe dwelling place
By your birth, by your death, Saint Nicholas, bring us safely there.

Puer Natus est Nobis, traditional Latin text; setting by Katy Taylor
A child is born unto, a son is given to us, who will be the supreme sovereign over all
And he shall be called wonderful, counselor and the angels shall sing a new song to God who made this wonder
Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever, Amen.

Lully, Lullay, traditional, learned from the singing of Custer LeRoux
Lullay thou little tiny child, By-by lully, lullay
Lullay thou little tiny child, By-by lully, lullay

Oh, sisters, two, how may we do to persevere this day
For this youngling for whom we sing, by-by lully, lullay

Herod the king in his raging charged he hath this day
His soldiers in their strength and might all children young to slay

Then woe is me, poor child, for thee and ever mourn and say
At thy parting, nor say nor sing, by-by lully, lullay

And when the stars in gather do in their full courses stay
Then smile as dreaming, little one, by-by lully, lullay

Seven Virgins/The Leaves of Life, traditional English, learned from the singing of The Watersons
All under the leaves, and leaves of life I met with virgins seven
And one of them was Mary mild, our Lordís first mother in heaven.

Oh what are you seeking, you seven pretty maids, all under the leaves of life
We are seeking for no leaves, Thomas, but for a friend of thine

Go down, go down into yonder town and sit in the gallery
And there youíll see sweet Jesus Christ, nailed to a big yew tree.

So down they went into yonder town as fast as foot could fall
And many a bitter and the grievous tear from them virginsí eyes did fall

Oh, peace, Mother, Oh peace, Mother, your weeping does me grieve
For I will suffer this, he said, for Adam and for Eve

How can I my weeping leave, my sorrows undergo?
While I do see my own son die, and sons I have no more

He laid his head on his right shoulder, and death has struck him nigh
The Holy Ghost be with your soul, sweet Mother, now I die

Oh the rose, the gentle rose, the fennel, it grows so strong
Amen, good Lord, your charity, hereís the ending of my song

Alleluia Virga Mediatrix, by 13th c. German mystic, Hildegard von Bingen
Alleluia! O branch, mediatrix, your holy vitals vanquished death
And your womb illumined all creatures in the beautiful flower
Born of the sweetest integrity of your sealed chastity.

The Cherry Tree Carol, traditional
When Joseph was an old man, an old, old man was he,
He married Mary, the virgin Mary, the queen of Gallilee

Oh, Joseph and Mary went walking, all through an orchard good,
And there were berries, and there were cherries, as red as any blood

Oh, then bespoke sweet Mary in a voice so fair and so mild
Oh, dearest Joseph, pick me one cherry for I am with child

Oh, then bespoke old Joseph with an answer most unkind,
Let him pick berries, and let him pick cherries that brought thee now with child

Oh, then bespoke sweet Jesus, within his motherís womb,
Bow down, bow down, thou tallest tree, that my mother might have some

Then bow-ed down the tallest tree into sweet Maryís hand
And Mary cried, oh, see now Joseph, I have cherries at my command

Oh, then bespoke old Joseph, I have done sweet Mary wrong,
Cheer up, cheer up, my dearest Joseph, and do not be cast down

So Mary picked one cherry as red as any blood
And Mary and Joseph, they walked on homeward all with her heavy load

The Burning Tree, by Amy Fradon
Where Mary lay she was a freebird and she lay down at the burning tree
She bore a son of God in flesh and blood to bear the torch for humanity

Now Maryís son could walk on water could heal the blind and set them free
While other sons at most could chop some wood sweet Maryís son bore our destiny

A motherís heart would break could she know, her son would die at thirty-three
But Maryís faith so strong that she gave in love, her only son to the burning tree

Now Jesus bore the cross up that hill, while Mary watched from down below
And she lay down in the shadow of the burning tree and prayed to God that she might let go

She said, O holy fire I have loved you, I bore your son and set him free
I gave him up that all might know their own hearts, I give him back to the burning tree
O give us back to the burning tree, O send us back to the burning tree

Hodie, by Hildegard von Bingen
Today a closed gate is open to us,
That gate which the serpent choked in a woman
Hence the flower of the Virgin Mary gleams in the dawn

This is the Truth, traditional
This is the truth sent from above, the truth of God, the God of love
Therefore donít turn me from your door, but hearken al both rich and poor

The first thing that I will relate, that God at first did man create
The next thing which to thee I tell, woman was made with man to dwell

And at this season of the year, our blest Redeemer did appear
And here did live, and here did preach, and many thousands he did teach

O seek, O seek of God above, that saving faith that works by love
And if God is pleased to grant thee this, thou art sure to have eternal bliss

God grant to all within this place, the saving faith, that special grace
Which to Godís people doth belong, and thus I close my Christmas song

Christ Childís Lullaby, traditional Hebridean
My love, my pride my treasure, oh, my wonder new and pleasure, oh
My son, my beauty every you, who am I to bear you here?

The cause of talk and tale am I, the cause of greatest fame am I
The cause of proudest care on high, to have for mine the King of all

And though you are the King of all, they sent you to the manger stall
When at your feet they all should fall, and glorify my child the King

There shone a star above three kings, to guide them to the King of Kings
They held you in their humble arms, and knelt before you until dawn

They gave you myrrh, they gave you gold, frankincense and gifts untold
They travelled far these gifts to bring, and kneel before their newborn King

My love, my pride my treasure, oh, my wonder new and pleasure, oh
My son, my beauty every you, who am I to bear you here?

Milford, Sacred Harp song, text by Joseph Stephenson in 1760; setting Anonymous in 1802
If angels sung a savior's birth, on that auspicious morn, we well may imitate their mirth, now he again is born,
While shepherds watched their flocks by night all seated on the ground, the angel of the Lord came down
To you in Davidís town this day is born of Davidís line, A savior who is Christ the Lord and this shall be the sign
All glory be to God on high and to the earth be peace; Goodwill henceforth from heavín to men, begin and never cease

The Boughs of Evergreen, text by Amy Fradon; setting by Katy Taylor
The boughs of evergreen are laden down with heavy snow
Silence calls in gentle winds to all who care to know
Tonight is born a spirit deep, whose love will warm all things
Tonight in Bethlehem is born, the joy of which we sing

Deep in a barn with sweetened hay sheltered from the wind
And ëneath the silence of the moon and the stars in all the heavens
With Maryís toil and Josephís watch, a child receives his life
And Spirit said let him be love and heal the times of strife

And as we look upon our lands ëcross field and wood and stream
And if we soften just a bit and listen to our dreams
We know that on this night of birth that Christ within us dwells
And all the hearts in all the lands shall ring as joyous bells

 

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