Dallas, Texas - Christ the King Church - The Christmas Story - Heinrch Schutz

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The Christmas Story

The King's Choristers
Christ the King Church
Dallas, Texas

Right Reverend Monsignor W. J. Bender - Narrator
Arthur D. Smith, Director
Robert O. Cobb, Organist

Condition of jacket:  Very good to excellent, some light rubbing and ring wear. Opens from the top.

Condition of record:  Excellent, very glossy, appears nearly as new.

Side One:
1. O Come, O Come Emmanuel / Ave Maria
2. Silent Night, Holy Night
3. The First Noel
4. A Great and Mighty Wonder
5. Gloria in Excelsis Deo
 
Side Two:
6. Let Us Even Go Now
7. O Come All Ye Faithful
8. Puer Nobis Nascitur
9. Dorme, Benigne Jesu
10. Now Let Us All Thank Thee

From the back of the jacket:

About THE KING'S CHORISTERS
Organized in 1956 by their present Musical Director, Arthur Smith, THE KING'S CHORISTERS have become the finest liturgical choir of boys and men in the Southwest. Radio and television appearances and their first concert tour in the Summer of 1959 have served to spread their fame and name.

The Choristers have as their prime reason for existing: The privilege of serving God with the talents He has given to them. Galveston, Texas hailed their visit as "a most beautiful spiritual experience . . . served by a purity of treble voices such as one rarely hears, even from a boy choir."

Nine months of the year, THE KING'S CHORISTERS serve the parish needs of Christ the King Church, Dallas, Texas. During June and July, a Summer Choir School is conducted, at the end of which the group is available for out-of-town concert dates.

Mr. Smith is a graduate of The College of Music of Cincinnati and holds a Masters Degree from The College-Conservatory of Cincinnati. He has been active in boy choir work for 12 years.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Narrator: God sent the angel Gabriel to a city of Galilee called Nazareth, where a virgin dwelt, bethrothed to a man of David's lineage; his name was Joseph, and the virgin's name was Mary. Into her presence the angel came, and said, Hail, thou who art full of grace; the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women . . . the Holy Spirit will come upon thee, and the power of the most High will overshadow thee. Thus this holy offspring of thine shall be known for the Son of God. See moreover, how it fares with thy cousin Elizabeth; she is old, yet she too has conceived a son; she who was reproached with barrenness is now in her sixth month, to prove that nothing can be impossible with God. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; Let it be unto me according to thy word. And with that the angel left her.

AVE MARIA — Arcedelt

Narrator: It happened that a decree went out at this time from the emperor Augustus, enjoining that the whole world should be registered; this register was the one first made during the time when Cyrinus was governor of Syria. All must go and give in their names, each in his own city; and Joseph, being of David's clan and family, came up from the town of Nazareth, in Galilee, to David's city in Judea, the city called Bethlehem, to give in his name there. With him was his espoused wife Mary, who was then in her pregnancy; and it was while they were still there that the time came for her delivery. She brought forth a son, her first-born, whom she wrapped in his swaddling-clothes, and laid in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT — Gruber

Narrator: In the same country there were shepherds awake in the fields, keeping night-watches over their flocks. And all at once, an angel of the Lord came and stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone about them, so that they were overcome with fear.

THE FIRST NOEL — Traditional

Narrator: But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; behold, the news I bring you is good news of great rejoicing for the whole people. This day in the city of David, a Saviour has been born for you, the Lord Christ himself. This is the sign by which you are to know him; you will find a child still in swaddling-clothes, . lying in a manger.

A GREAT AND MIGHTY WONDER — Praetorius

Narrator: Then, on a sudden, a multitude of the heavenly army appeared to them at the angel's side, giving praise to God, and saying:

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO — W. A. Mozart

Narrator: When the angels had left them, and gone back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Come, let us make our way to Bethlehem, and see for ourselves this happening which God has made known to us.

LET US EVEN GO NOW TO BETHLEHEM — Heinrich Schutz

Narrator: And so they went with all haste, and found Mary and Joseph there, with the child lying in the manger. On seeing him, they discovered the truth of what had been told them about this child. All those who heard it were full of amazement at the story which the shepherds told them; but Mary treasured up all these sayings, and reflected on them in her heart. And the shepherds went home giving praise and glory to God, at seeing and hearing that all was as it had been told them.

O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL — Traditional

Narrator: Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in Juda, in the days of King Herod. And thereupon certain wise men came out of the East to Jerusalem, who asked, "Where is he that has been born, the king of the Jews? "We have seen his star out in the east, and we have come to worship him. King Herod was troubled when he heard it and all Jerusalem with him; so that he assembled all the chief priests and learned men among the people, and enquired' of them where it was that Christ would be born. And they told him, At Bethlehem in Juda.

Then, summoning the wise men in secret, Herod questioned them closely upon the time of the star's appearing. And he sent them on their way to Bethlehem saying to them, Go, and enquire carefully for the child, and when you have found him, bring me back word, so that I too may come and worship him.

PUER NOBIS NASCITUR — D. Scheideman

Narrator: They obeyed the king and went on their journey; and all at once the star which they had seen in the east was there going before them, till at last it stood still over the place where the child was. They, when they saw the star, were glad beyond measure; and so, going into the dwelling, they found the child there, with his mother Mary, and fell down to worship him; and, opening their store of treasures, they offered him gifts, of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

DORME, BENIGNE JESU — Pergolesi

Narrator: Afterwards, because they had received a warning in a dream forbidding them to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by a different way.

As soon as they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and said, Rise up, take with thee the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt; there remain, until I give thee word. For Herod will soon be making search for the child to destroy him. He rose up therefore, while it was still night, and took the child and his mother with him, and withdrew into Egypt.

But as soon as Herod was dead, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in Egypt, in a dream, and said: Rise up, take with thee the child and his mother, and return to the Land of Israel; for those who sought the child's life are dead. So he arose, and took the child and his mother with him, and came into the land of Israel...

And now, when all had been done that the law of the Lord required, they returned to Galilee, and to their own town of Nazareth.

And so the child grew and came to his strength, full of wisdom; and the grace of God rested upon him.

NOW LET US ALL THANK THEE — Heinrich Schutz