Music for December 29, 2019 + Christmas 1

Vocal Music

• Jesu Bambino – Pietro Yon (1886-1943) Bruce Bailey, baritone

Congregational Music (all hymns from the Hymnal 1982 with the exception of those marked “R” which are from Renew.)

• Hymn 107 - Good Christians friends, rejoice (IN DULCI JUBILO)
• Hymn 93 - Angels from the realms of glory (REGENT SQUARE)
• Hymn 101 - Away in a manger (CRADLE SONG)
• Hymn 115 -  What child is this, who, laid to rest (GREENSLEEVES)
• Hymn -  Child of blessing, child of promise (STUTTGART)
• Hymn 105 - God rest you merry, gentlemen (GOD REST YOU MERRY)
• Psalm 147:13-21 - Tone VII

The music of Christmas continues this Sunday at Good Shepherd, as we sing some of the carols we did NOT sing on Christmas Eve, and Bruce Bailey sings a favorite Christmas solo by the Italian born composer Pietro Yon. 

Despite being born in the Italian town of Settimo Vittone (near Turin) , Yon is considered to be among the most important American composers of sacred music for the Catholic Church in the first half of the twentieth century. 

After his 1905 graduation from colleges in Milan, Turn, and Rome, Yon served as one of the regular Vatican organists until his move to New York in 1907. He was appointed organist at St. Francis Xavier Church, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1921.In 1927, Yon accepted the coveted post of organist at St. Patrick's Cathedral, a position he held up to his death.

Yon's output was substantial and included 21 masses, many motets, and various other sacred works, solo organ and piano pieces, songs, chamber, and orchestral compositions, including several concertos, but his best-known work by far is his 1917 Christmas hymn Gesu Bambino (Baby Jesus).