In 1955, the musicologist Laura Boulton presented at the Estrela Church in Lisbon a programme of Portuguese folk music which she had recorded on tape during a tour of towns and villages in central and northern districts.
I show below two of the traditional Christmas carols as sung in Tomar (my hometown) and Cinfães, which are riverside municipalities of similar size with histories dating back to Roman times and to the mediaeval Templar Knights. They can be heard on Folkways album nº FW6845. The carols were sung (usually without any accompaniment other than a flute) during the 12 days of Christmas from the Eve to the Three Kings and the singers sometimes wore appropriate costumes.
- Tomar
Pinheiros do Natal
Luz de candura
São os dons presentes,
Recordam os ausentes,
Num hino d´amor e de ventura
Boa noite, meus Senhores,
Boas festas vimos dar;
Vimos pedir aos Senhores,
Boas festas vimos dar.
Vimos pedir aos Senhores,
Licena para cantar.
Vem-me agora ao pensamento
Una lembrança divina,
Convidar nossa Senhora
Para ser nossa madrinha
Para ser nossa madrinha.
Ela nos queira ajudar
Mais o Santo São José,
Que nos queira acompanhar.
Debaixo de um sol divino
Esta um tanque de agua fria
Onde se batiza o Deus
Filho da Virgem Maria –
Filho da Virgem Maria –
Nossa Mao do coração
Venha dar a esmola ao Rei,
Venha com toda a atenção
Não se venha arrepender
Nas suas aflições –
Só Deus lhe pode valer
- Cinfães
Vimos dar as Boas Festas
A estes nobres Senhores
Que já nasceu o Menino
Em Belém entre os pastores.
Nós andamos por aqui
O que queremos é dinheiro
Venha o vinho do tonel
Venha a carne do fumeiro
Venha o vinho especial
Nós vamos todos contentes
Fazer borga em geral.
Entrai pastorinhos
Por esse portal sagrado.
Vim de ver o Deus Menino
Numas palhinhas deitadas.
Nós bem vimos Nos Senhora
Nos alpendres de Belém,
Com o seu Menino nos braços
E lhe parecia tão bem.
Gloria seja a de José
E também a de Maria
Que pró ano, se Deus quiser,
Voltaremos neste dia.
Tomar
Yuletide’s green pine,
Ray of Light so pure,
Bless the Host here present,
And think of those now absent
With love and kind wishes.
Good evening, my good lords,
Our best wishes, we’ve come to give
We have come to ask you gentlemen
Our best wishes, we’ve come to give
We have come to ask you gentlemen
To permit us here to sing.
To my mind there comes a vision,
A remembrance quite divine,
Calling me to invite our Lady
To be godmother to us all.
To be godmother unto us all.
May she come here for to help us
May St. Joseph come here, too,
May he sing along with us.
Underneath the sky in heaven
Is a trough of water cold
Where they baptize our Lord,
Son of the Virgin Mary
Who is so dear to our hearts.
She comes with gifts for the King
She comes with tender care
She comes not to beg forgiveness
In her afflictions
God alone can help her.
Cinfães
We come to bring you our good tidings,
To all you noble gentlemen
That there is born a Child called Jesus
Among the shepherds in Bethlehem
We come here to ask your help
What we want from you is money
Bring the wine from out the barrel
Bring the meat out of the fire
Bring us out your special wine
So we will leave you quite contented
And go elsewhere to raise a fracas
All the little shepherds entered
Here through this one gate divine
For to see the newborn Christ Child
Lying on His bed of straw
We have been to see Our Lady
In the stalls at Bethlehem,
With her Christ Child in her arms,
And He looked so happy there
Glory unto Joseph
Glory unto Mary, too.
A year from now, if God is willing
We’ll be back again with you.
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Roberto Cavaleiro first came to Portugal in 1982, acting as advisor to international investors. Current interests include animal welfare and writing opinion articles, especially with reference to environmental issues.
