Saviour of the nations, come!

Here is the 2nd of my daily Advent hymn project.

This one is the famous German chorale, "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland," a favorite melody of Bach and other composers.

The music is from "Erfurt Enchiridia", dating from 1524, and the harmony you hear is by Melchior Vulpuis (c. 1560-1616)

The original words are by Martin Luther (1483-1546), and they were inspired by Ambrose of Milan (340-397). The words here are translated by William M. Reynolds (1812-1876) and James Waring McCrady (b. 1938).

I conceived this version as if I were playing on a small "portativ" organ, and I used only stops on the Rückpositiv, and without pedals.
I pretended that I was playing for a small and intimate service. Perhaps vespers, where the only congregation would have been the monks, or perhaps even more appropriately, nuns.

One thing that the 1982 Hymnal did was to remove ALL "Amens" from ALL hymns. It seemed to me that the last verse was a doxology, so, an "Amen" would be liturgically correct. However, it's not a "real doxology," so perhaps there should not be an "Amen" at the end. ??? ;-)

This version is taken from the 1982 Hymnal of the American Epsicopal church.
Savior of the nations, come!
Virgin's Son, make here your home,
Marvel now, both heaven and earth,
That the Lord chose such a birth.

Wondrous birth! Oh wondrous child
Of the Virgin undefiled!
Mighty God and Mary's Son,
Eager now His race to run!

Thus on earth the Word appears,
Gracing his created spheres;
Hence to death and hell descends,
Then the heavenly throne ascends.

Come, O Father's saving Son,
Who o'er sin the victory won.
Boundless shall your kingdome be;
Grant that we its glories see. Amen.