Veni Veni Emmanuel
A chant of French origin, VENI, VENI EMMANUEL (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel) forms the basis of this Advent/Christmas arrangement by Fred Gramann. Along with the French melody PICARDY (Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence) and the Gregorian chant for Christmas Day (HODIE CHRISTUS NATUS EST), the listener experiences the longing of the world for the arrival of the Savior. An energetic passage of malleted bass bells leads to the exuberant concluding section where VENI, VENI EMMANUEL and PICARDY are overlayed. A final triumphant statement of the HODIE CHRISTUS NATUS EST chant signals the arrival of Christ. Modal rather than a specific key; begins with four flats, then no flats or sharps, back to four flats, then finally ending in two flats. 87 measures.