Quelle est cette odeur agréable? explained

Quelle est cette odeur agréable?
Type:	Christmas carol
Translation:	What is this perfume so appealing?
Genre:	Christmas carol, French folk
Language:	French

"Quelle est cette odeur agréable?" (What is this perfume so appealing?) is a 17th-century^[1] traditional French Christmas carol about the Nativity.

John Gay used the melody of this carol for the song and chorus "Fill ev'ry Glass" in act 2, scene 1, in his 1728 work The Beggar's Opera.^[2] David Willcocks created an arrangement for four-part choir and baritone solo. Frank Houghton wrote the hymn "Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour" to the melody of this French carol.^[3]

Text

Quelle est cette odeur agré­able,bergers, qui ra­vit tous nos sens?S'exhale t'il rien de sem­bla­bleau mil­ieu des fleurs du prin­temps?

Mais quelle écla­tante lu­mi­èredans la nuit vient frap­per nos yeuxl'astre de jour, dans sa car­ri­ère,futil ja­mais si ra­di­eux!

Voici beau­coup d'autres mer­veilles!Grand Dieu! qu'en­tends-je dans les airs?Quelles voix! Ja­mais nos or­eillesn'ont en­ten­du pa­reils con­certs.

Ne craig­nez rein, peu­ple fi­dèle,écoutez l'ange du Seign­eur;il vous an­nonce une mer­veillequi va vous com­bler de bon­heur.

A Beth­lé­em, dans une crècheil vient de vous naître-un Sau­veur.Allons, que rien ne vous empêched'adorer votre Ré­demp­teur.

Dieu tout puis­sant, gloire éter­nellevous soit ren­due jus­qu'aux cieux.Que la paix soit uni­vers­elleque la grâce abonde en tous lieux.^[4] What is this perfume so appealing,shepherds, that fills the winter air?Lovelier fraggrance ne'er came stealingfrom fields of springtime blossoms fair! What is that light so brilliant breakinghere in the night across our eyes?Never so bright the day-star wakingstarted to climb the morning skies.

Here are many other wonders!Great God! what do I hear in the air?What voices! Never our earshave heard such concerts.

Do not be afraid, faithful people,listen to the angel of the Lord;he announces to you a wonderthat will fill you with happiness.

Bethlehem, there in manger lying,find your Redeemer, haste away!Run ye with eager footsteps hieing,worship the Saviour born today. God almighty, eternal glorybe rendered to you in the heavens.That peace be universal,that grace abound everywhere.

Music

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\score \score Source^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Quelle est cette odeur agréable? . December 28, 2006. 2006 . Hymns and Carols of Christmas.
2. Book: John Gay. Johann Christoph Pepusch. arranged for voice and pianoforte by Frederic Austin. The Beggar's Opera as Performed at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. 18. A Tavern near Newgate, 20. Fill every glass. pp. 36–42. 1920. Boosey & Co. Internet Archive.
3. Web site: Thou Who Wast Rich Beyond All Splendor. Hymnary.org. 5 January 2013.
4. http://www.hymntime.com/tch/non/fr/q/e/c/o/qecodeur.htm "Quelle est cette odeur agréable?"
5. Book: The International Book of Christma Carols. Prentice Hall, Walton Music. 1963. 1980. 102–103. Walter Ehret. George K. Evans. registration. Internet Archive.