Listen to the program

Lo, How a Rose
Michael Praetorius, arr. Jan Sandström, transc. Steven Amundson
St. Olaf Orchestra (Steven Amundson)

God So Loved the World from The Crucifixion
John Stainer
Massed Choirs (Sigrid Johnson)

Climb to the Top of the Highest Mountain
Carolyn Jennings
Massed Choirs and St. Olaf Orchestra (Sigrid Johnson)

Narration
Pastor Bruce Benson

Processional Hymn: Christ is Alive!
Tune: TRURO from Psalmodia Evangelica, arr. John Ferguson
Massed Choirs, Congregation and St. Olaf Orchestra (John Ferguson)

Christus Paradox
Afred Fedak
Massed Choirs and St. Olaf Orchestra (John Ferguson)

Lost in the Night
F. Melius Christiansen, arr. R.M. Larson
Viking Chorus (Christopher Aspaas)

Isaiah's Voice
John Ferguson
Cantorei (John Ferguson)

A Spotless Rose
Herbert Howells
St. Olaf Choir (Anton Armstrong)

Mary’s Story and The Magnificat
John Ferguson
Narrator, Massed Choirs, and St. Olaf Orchestra (Sigrid Johnson)

The Road Ahead
Ian Kellam
Manitou Singers (Sigrid Johnson)

Arise, Shine
Paul Webber
Chapel Choir (Christopher Aspaas)

And the Glory of the Lord from Messiah
George Frideric Handel
Massed Choirs and St. Olaf Orchestra (Christopher Aspaas)

Gospel
Luke 2:1–20
Pastor Bruce Benson and Pastor Jennifer Koenig

Hymn: Joy to the World
Tune: Antioch, English 18th Cent., arr. John Rutter
Massed Choirs, Congregation, and St. Olaf Orchestra (John Ferguson)

The Word Was God
Rosephanye Powell
Viking Chorus (Christopher Aspaas)

Karin Boye's Evening Prayer
Egil Hovland
Chapel Choir (Christopher Aspaas)

Out of Your Sleep Arise
Anthony Milner
Cantorei (John Ferguson)

Gloria
György Orbán
Manitou Singers (Sigrid Johnson)

The Godly Stranger
G. Winston Cassler

Go Where I Send Thee
African American Spiritual, arr. André Thomas
St. Olaf Choir (Anton Armstrong)

Carol: O How Beautiful the Sky
Tune: Dejlig Er Den Himmel Blå, Danish 19th cent., arr. G. Winston Cassler
Massed Choirs, Congregation and St. Olaf Orchestra (Steven Amundson)

Pat-A-Pan
Hershey Kay
St. Olaf Orchestra (Steven Amundson)

Betelehemu
Via Olatunji, arr. Barrington Brooks
Massed Choir (Christopher Aspaas)

Hymn: Go Tell it on the mountain
African American Spiritual, arr. Michael Huff
Massed Choirs, Congregation and St. Olaf Orchestra (Steven Amundson)

Praise to the Lord
Ernewerten Gesanbuch, arr. F. Melius Christiansen
Massed Choirs (Anton Armstrong)

The Spirit of the Lord from The World of the Spirit
Benjamin Britten
Massed Choirs and St. Olaf Orchestra (Anton Armstrong)

Recessional Hymn: All Hail the Power of Jesus Name!
Tune: Miles lane, William Shrubsole, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams
Massed Choirs, Congregation and St. Olaf Orchestra (Steven Amundson)

Narration
Pastor Bruce Benson

Beautiful Savior
Tune: Crusader’s Hymn, Silesian Folk Tune, arr. F. Melius Christiansen
Massed Choirs (Anton Armstrong)

Listen to the program

Daniel Kallman: Messiah, Prince of Peace (from Trinity Canticles)
—St. Olaf Orchestra/Steven Amundson

Arr. Paul J. Christiansen: My Song in the Night (Southern folk hymn)
—All choirs/Sigrid Johnson

Arr. John Ferguson: Comfort, Comfort (34 Psalms of David, Geneva, 1551)
—All choirs/John Ferguson

Processional:

Rowland H. Prichard, arr. John Ferguson: Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus
—All choirs/Steven Amundson

Mendelssohn: There Shall a Star (from Christus)
All choirs
—St Olaf Orchestra/Christopher Aspaas

Arr. Olaf C. Christiansen: Lift Up Your Heads (Psalmodia Evangelica, 1789)
—St. Olaf Choir/Anton Armstrong

Joseph W. Clokey: Two Kings
—Cantorei/John Ferguson

Randall Thompson: The Best of Rooms
—Chapel Choir/Christopher Aspaas

Martin Luther, arr. Dede Duson: From Heaven Above
—Viking Chorus (and strings)/Christopher Aspaas

Eugene Butler: Sweet Was the Song
—Manitou Singers/Sigrid Johnson

Arr. John Ferguson: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (French, 15th Century)
All choirs & audience/John Ferguson

Arr. John Francis Wade; arr. John Ferguson; descant David Willcocks: Oh Come, All Ye Faithful
—All choirs & audience, St. Olaf Orchestra/John Ferguson

Steven Sametz: Gaudete (Two Medieval Lyrics)
—Chapel Choir/ Christopher Aspaas

Franz X. Gruber, arr. John Ferguson: Silent Night
—Cantorei, St. Olaf Handbell Choir/John Ferguson

Steven Amundson: Shepherds’ Jubilee (premiere)
—St. Olaf Orchestra/Steven Amundson

Arr. Paul Carey: I Saw Three Ships (English traditional)
—Manitou Singers, St. Olaf Orchestra/Sigrid Johnson

Edvard Grieg, arr. Oscar Overby: God’s Son Has Made Me Free
—Viking Chorus/Christopher Aspaas

Kenneth Jennings: O Little Town of Bethlehem
—St. Olaf Choir/Anton Armstrong

Arr. Carolyn Jennings: Ding Dong! Merrily on High (French carol)
—St. Olaf Choir/Anton Armstrong

John Rutter: Gloria
—All choirs, St. Olaf Orchestra/Christopher Aspaas

Arr. Robert Scholz: Angels We Have Heard on High (French carol)
—All choirs & audience, St. Olaf Orchestra/Steven Amundson

Charles Forsberg: A Christmas Carol (premiere)
—All choirs, St. Olaf Orchestra/Sigrid Johnson

Lewis Redner, arr. John Ferguson: O Little Town of Bethlehem
—All choirs & audience, St. Olaf Orchestra/Steven Amundson

F. Melius Christiansen: Glorification (Celestial Spring)
—All choirs/Anton Armstrong

Ralph Vaughan Williams: Ring Out, Ye Crystal Spheres (from Hodie)
—All choirs, St. Olaf Orchestra/Anton Armstrong

Recessional:

Henry Gauntlett, arr. John Ferguson: Once in Royal David’s City
—All choirs & audience, St. Olaf Orchestra/Steven Amundson

Egil Hovland: Stay with Us (from Captive and Free)
—All choirs, St. Olaf Orchestra/Anton Armstrong

Arr. F. Melius Christiansen: Beautiful Savior (Silesian folk tune)
—All choirs/Anton Armstrong