There's a lot to choose from. I'd probably use the Boar's Head Carol and Sweet was the Song the Virgin Sung (http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Sweet_was_the_song_(Anonymous)). Perhaps the Coventry Carol would work as well. I personally like the setting of "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks" that you can find in Andrew Parrott's "Oxford Book of Carols." (Winchester Old, Este’s Psalter, 1592).

 

Jeff DeMarco

Robert,

 

Not a lot of "Christmas Madrigals" out there, but you might look at:

 

Morley - Lirum, lirum

di Lasso - La nuict de froide sombre (close on the title I hope)

Jeep - Christmas Madrigal

Edwards - In going to my naked bed

 

Michael Wade

Indiana University South Bend

 Since you mention " or chamber choir pieces": Josquin desPrez-Praeter rerum seriem - the best non fa-la.-[saatbb] 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        SIR

A couple more...

 

Allons, gai bergeres by Guillaume Costeley

Lullay, my sweet little baby by William Byrd

Psallite unigentio by Michael Praetorius

Audite Nove by di Lasso

 

and E la don don and Riu riu chiu are always fun

 

Matthew Oltman

Chanticleer

Hi Robert et al.

 

Several posts have assumed that this is a Madrigal Dinner, and many of the suggestions are excelent for Mad Dinners, but not necessarily for a Pre-Messiah program.

 

Perhaps the perceptual problem is that the term "madrigal" is actually quite restrictive, but what is needed is seasonal choral music, not necessarily madrigals.  Two that we always loved performing were "O nata lux" (can't remember the composer) and the Gabrieli double-choir "O magnum mysterium."  For more straightforward German repertoire, it's hard to beat Michael Praetorius, in a variaty of voicings.

 

All the best,

John

 

Robert,

 

You may want to consider the Alfred Burt Carols as well.  I believe there is a set of them and beautifully scored.

 

Rick

 A set titled A Feast for Christmas is published by Santa Barbara Publishing Company and can be found on their website. Some of the movements are published separately. I wrote the set for Conan Castle at UCM. Emma Lou Diemer

Songs that "sound" renaissance-like might fit your bill.

Many carols would work such as the Sussex Carol.

Holst's Lullay, my Liking.

Vaughan Williams' Wassail

 

 

 

 

 

Warrell's arrangement of "We Wish You"  is very "Madrigal-like" and I think would fit the bill nicely.

 Should have thought of this before: Jean Mouton has a gorgeous 4 part "Noe, noe" that is not very hard. I know there used to be a published version. CPDL refers to a different Mouton "Noe, noe psallite" that looks interesting as well, though I have not heard it. http://www.solovoces.com/e107_files/downloads/part_sv090.pdf

 

I note that CPDL now has a page that separates out seasonal music: http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/ChoralWiki:Music_for_the_Advent_and_Christmas_season

 

Jeff DeMarco

 

 

I would like to suggest the set of "Three Carols" which I arranged for chamber choir to be used in  our Madrigal Dinners.    The three carols are  Thy Little Ones, In dulci jubilo, and Away in a Manger.  The SATB set is published by Willis Music (#11620).   It has been described as "an exuberant In dulci jubilo bracketed by two mellow carols."  You can hear them on the website "madrigaldinner.com"

 

Paul Brandvik