This time--Joyous Christmas songs from Austria as the World Express celebrates Christmas at Wilten Abbey in Innsbruck.
"Gott hat alles recht gemacht" is a German language Volkslied (i.e., folk song) from the Tyrol region of Europe. The song is associated with the Advent Season and Christmas and originates from a motto of the Tyrol region: “Gott hat alles recht gemacht,” i.e., in English-- “God has made everything right.”
This German language Volkslied appears to be well known in the Alpine regions of Tyrol, Austria and South Tyrol, Italy and also the southeastern tip of Bavaria.
This song has been performed in Innsbruck, and, according to news sources, also in Oberhofen im Inntal about 15-20 miles to the west of Innsbruck; in Stubaital in the Stubai Alps about 10 miles to the southwest of Innsbruck; and in Kastelruth (Castelrotto) in the Italian Alps about 40 miles south of Innsbruck where 80.94% of the town's population of 6,872 (2017) are German speaking. If one travels eastwards, the song has been also performed in the town of Grodig just a few miles south of Salzburg, Austria, and about 15 miles west of Salzburg in Ruhpolding in neighboring Bavaria.
During the 4th century A.D., the Romans built the military camp Veldidena at Oenipons to provide protection for commerce along the Province of Raetia's important Roman road from Verona to Brenner to Augsburg.
Oeni Pons is Latin for Bridge over the Inn. The name marked an important crossing over the Inn river, and these Latin words are the etymological origin of the name of Innsbruck.
Innsbruck was acquired by the Count of Tyrol in 1248. The ancestral castle of these Counts, called Tyrol Castle, located today in Italy's South Tyrol, gave the historic region of Tyrol its name.
Wilten Abbey is located in Innsbruck's urban district of Wilten. The name Wilten derives from Veldidena, the Roman military camp mentioned earlier. Wilten Abbey is located at the foot of the Bergisel Hill and has one of the oldest boy choirs in Europe--the Wilten Boys' Choir which was founded during the mid-13th century.
Today, the Wilten Boys' Choir has around 150 members and performs a wide repertoire of song, including sacred music, traditional Alpine Volkslieder and opera.
The world renowned Wilten Boys' Choir has performed concerts in Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, Great Britain, Denmark, Romania, Israel and Japan.
The video footage of the performance is from organist Diane Bish's televison series Joy of Music; Ms. Bish's television series featured a number of Christmas Specials filmed in Germany and Austria. The video clip includes a somewhat humorous interview conducted by Ms. Bish with some of the Wilten Abbey Boy Choristers and concludes with the Wilten Abbey Boys' Choir singing Psalm 150 in German.
For more German Christmas music check out my video of Ernst Mosch and the Original Egerländer Musikanten playing a great instrumental version of the Christmas carol “O Du Fröhliche, O Du Selige” in the beautiful setting of a Baroque church!
Lyrics.
Gott hat alles recht gemacht:
1. Gott hat alles recht gemacht
Durch seine Händ',
Er erschaffet Tag und Nacht
Das Firmament.
Chorus:
Hoi-di-idl dri didl-jo,
Ri didl-jo, ri didl-jo,
Hoi-di-idl dri didl-jo,
Ri didl-jo, ro.
2. Die Blumen auf Erden,
Die wachsen mit Freud;
Alles muß werden,
Wenn kommet die Zeit.
Chorus
Der Weinstock bringt Reben,
Die Bäum' tragen Frücht':
Alles muß leben,
Wie Gott es befiehlt.
God made everything right
Through his hands
He creates day and night
The firmament.
Chorus
2. The flowers on earth,
They grow with Joy;
Everything must be
When the time comes.
Chorus
The vine brings branches
The trees 'bear fruit':
EVERYTHING MUST live
As GOD COMMANDS.
Chorus
This Bavarian text of Psalm 150 sounded to me closest to some of the words they are using but the Choir's version sounds much different and may be Medieval German or perhaps an Austrian dialect.
De Bibl auf Bairisch:
D Sälm 150
1Hall ayn Luier; Luier, hall! Preistß önn Herrgot eyn n Heiligtuem obn! Luitß iem aufhin eyn d Föstn, seinn Himml!
2Luitß iem für sein Wunderwerch, seinn groossn Rued!
3Lobtß n, laasstß iem d Herner schalln! Lobtß n, härpftß iem und zitertß iem auf!
4Paucktß und tantztß iem, spiltß Floettn und Leier,
5und luitß mit de Zimbln iem, ienn hellen Klang!
6Allss, was aadmetzt, preis önn Herrn! Ayn Luier hall!
Psalms 150 (R.S.V.)
1Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament!
2Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his exceeding greatness!
3Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
4Praise him with timbrel and DANCE;
praise him with strings and pipe!
5Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Join us again next time on the World Express!
