Resonet in Laudibus

Here is today's Latin Christmas carol; you can read one carol per day for the month of December, or see the complete collection all at once. Today's carol is a 14th-century hymn, widely popular in Germany and throughout Europe, in both Catholic and Protestant circles. The Hymns and Carols of Christmas website provides lyrics, music and information about an popular English adaptation of the Latin hymn, "Christ was born on Christmas Day."

As often with popular songs, there were several different Latin versions. I've included two of them here. For each one, I've provided links to webpages with music files and sheet music. The Latin texts at the Hymns and Carols of Christmas website are filled with typos, which I've tried to correct below.

Version 1

The Hymns and Carols of Christmas website provides the lyrics with links to a MIDI file, sheet music and other information about the hymn. You can also find an easy to read presentation of the tune at Gregorius Kollmorgen's website and at the Christmas Songbook online.. You can find a MIDI file and sheet music with four-part harmony at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

Resonet in laudibus,
cum jucundis plausibus,
Sion cum fidelibus:
apparuit quem genuit Maria.

Christus natus hodie,
ex Maria virgine,
sine virile semine:
apparuit quem genuit Maria.

Pueri, concinite,
nato regi psallite,
voce pia dicite:
apparuit quem genuit Maria.

Sion, lauda Dominum,
salvatorem hominum,
purgatorem criminum:
apparuit quem genuit Maria.

Sunt impleta quae praedixit Gabriel,
Eia, Eia,
Virgo Deum genuit
quem divina voluit clementia.

Hodie apparuit,
apparuit in Israel,
ex Maria virgine:
est natus Rex.

Version 2

The Hymns and Carols of Christmas website provides the lyrics with links to a MIDI file, sheet music and other information about the hymn. You can find an English translation at this St. Michael's Cathedral Choir program.

Resonemus laudibus
cum jocunditatibus
ecclesiam fidelibus:
appanuit quem genuit Maria.

Deus fecit hominem
ad suum imaginem
et similitudinem:
apparuit quem genuit Maria.

Deus fecit omnia
caelum, terram, maria,
cunctaque nascentia:
apparuit quem genuit Maria.

Ero nostro contio
in chordis et organo
benedictat Domino:
apparuit quem genuit Maria

Et Deo qui venias
donat et laetitias
nos eidem gratias:
apparuit quem genuit Maria.

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Here are the carols I have completed so far:
December 1: Rudolphus
December 2: Angelus ad Virginem
December 3: Aquifolia Ornate
December 4: A Solis Ortus Cardine
December 5: O Viri, Este Hilares
December 6: Conditor Alme Siderum
December 7: Angeli Canunt Praecones
December 8: Regis Olim Urbe David
December 9: Gaudium Mundo

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Bolchazy-Carducci has a Latin Christmas Carol music CD! With 12 songs in Latin, O Abies: O Christmas Tree is available at amazon.com for $17.00

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