Personent Hodie:
Personent Hodie (latin, meaning "a day of great importance") is frequently used as a Christmas processional song. It is generally associated with the Feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28, a day that commemorates the slaying of male children by King Herod in his vain attempt to kill the baby Jesus. A German music manuscript dated in 1360 bears a strong resemblance to the modern day melody. The song, as it is known today, was first published in a Finnish song book called Piae Cantiones in the year 1582. The Latin text appears to be a musical parody of an earlier 12th century song written in honor of St. Nicholas. Near the end of each verse there are three distinct repeated notes. It is thought that these notes were used to represent three boys saved by St. Nicholas from drowning and three girls, also save by him, from a life of prostitution. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia, sailors, and children.

This hymn revisits the birth of Jesus and includes a verse which recounts the visit of the wise men. 

We Three Kings:
This well-known Christmas carol is uniquely American. It was written in 1857 by Reverend John Henry Hopkins, Jr., who wrote both the music and lyrics for a Christmas pageant for the General Theological Seminary in New York City, but it was not published until 1863 - during the American Civil War. The song was composed in Williamsport, Pennsylvania while Hopkins was the pastor at Christ Episcopal Church. The church still stands today. 

Personent hodie from Piae Cantiones (1852)

1. Personent hodie
voces puerulae,
laudantes iucunde
qui nobis est natus,
summo Deo datus,
et de virgineo ventre procreatus.

2. In mundo nascitur,
pannis involvitur
praesepi ponitur
stabulo brutorum,
rector supernorum.
perdidit spolia princeps infernorum.

3. Magi tres venerunt,
parvulum inquirunt,
Bethlehem adeunt,
stellulam sequendo,
ipsum adorando,
aurum, thus, et myrrham ei offerendo.

4. Omnes clericuli,
pariter pueri,
cantent ut angeli:
advenisti mundo,
laudes tibi fundo.
ideo gloria in excelsis Deo.

This translation by Jane M. Joseph (1894-1929), 1924(5)

1. On this day earth shall ring
with the song children sing
to the Lord, Christ our King,
born on earth to save us;
him the Father gave us.

Refrain:
Id-e-o-o-o, id-e-o-o-o,
Id-e-o gloria in excelsis Deo!

2. His the doom, ours the mirth;
when he came down to earth,
Bethlehem saw his birth;
ox and ass beside him
from the cold would hide him. Refrain

3. God's bright star, o'er his head,
Wise Men three to him led;
kneel they low by his bed,
lay their gifts before him,
praise him and adore him. Refrain

4. On this day angels sing;
with their song earth shall ring,
praising Christ, heaven's King,
born on earth to save us;
peace and love he gave us. Refrain

We Three Kings

We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

Refrain
O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign. Refrain

Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshipping God on high. Refrain

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb. Refrain

Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies. Refrain

Arrangement and orchestrations by Ricky Tims, published by Ricky Tims Music/BMI  ©2009 All Rights Reserved.

Ricky plays: piano, toy piano, keyboards, hand percussion, vocal percussion, and sings all vocals.

Violin: Kailin Yong

Drum Kit: Bob Mater

In 2009 when I heard Kailin Yong and his friends play a house concert in La Veta I was amazed as his skills as a violinist, but even more so, I was spellbound by his charismatic and energetic improvisational abilities. Most of the music performed in the concert had an eastern flavor featuring ethereal vocals, hypnotic percussion, and mystical textures layered over open 5th drones. I knew instantly I wanted to arrange something like that for my project and knew that it had to feature Kailin.

I envisioned arranging a song that emulated what I felt from the concert, but selecting a song that would work was difficult. Then my good friend Susan Cusenbary sent me her wish list of what she hoped I would include on the album. Personent Hodie was on that list. The song was the perfect choice for my vision. While I couldn't maintain the drone throughout the entire piece, I was able to use it enough to accomplish my goal.

From the beginning I focused on sounds and percussion that would be carry a distinct Eastern flavor. Somewhere along the way the melody for We Three Kings slipped in. I recall thinking, "Well now - a perfect marriage - especially since the three kings were from the orient!" Once both songs were established I began the task of layering the two on top of each other. I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

Kailin was not added until the entire arrangement was completed. Of particular note is the effect of the bead drums. These little drums, about 3 inches in diameter, are similar to lollipops on a stick. Two small beads are attached to the drum with strings, one on each side, so that when the handle of the drum is rotated back and forth, the beads clack onto the drum creating a very effective, Asian sounding clickety-clack. The sthh, sthu ka sthh percussive part layered over the We Three Kings section is my own voice creating a percussive effect.

My arrangement is far from the typical "grand processional" usually associated with this piece, but nonetheless it worked for me and I hope you enjoy adding it to your favorites too.