When I watch my sheep

Annunciation to the shepherds in the former monastery crib of Stams Abbey, crib collection of the Bavarian National Museum

When I watch my sheep there is a German Christmas carol about the announcement to the shepherds ( Lk 2,8–14  LUT / EU ).

history

The song was written around 1600. The author is unknown. In 1623 it was published in the Cologne hymn book . It can therefore be assigned to the environment of the Jesuit and spiritual poet Friedrich Spee (1591–1635), to whom the majority of the anonymously transmitted songs from this collection are most likely assigned by modern research.

The melody ^{? / i} is a fourfold sequence of call and echo . It thus follows a form popular at the beginning of the 17th century, and is perhaps also based on the church chants.

In the Christmas story (1948) by Gunild Keetman (music) and Carl Orff (text), a shepherd boy sings the song, his companions answer in an echo.

In the English-speaking world, the song is known as the Echo Hymn .

content

The lyrics of the song refer to the proclamation of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds of Bethlehem as reported in the Gospel of Luke (2: 8-14). A shepherd tells the experience in the first person . His encounter with the child in the stable leads to a mystical union with him (verses 7–9).

The refrain is an exuberant cry of joy. It ends with the Latin Benedicamus Domino - "Let us praise the Lord!"

text

1. As I watch my sheep, An angel brought me the message. I am happy for that, am I happy, happy, happy, happy, o, o, o! Benedicamus Domino. Benedicamus Domino. 2. He says, ' A child should be born at Bethlehem. I am happy for that, am I happy, happy, happy, happy, o, o, o! Benedicamus Domino. Benedicamus Domino. 3. He says, 'The child is lying there in the stable and should redeem the world for everyone . I'm happy about that , I'm happy, happy, happy, happy, o, o, o! Benedicamus Domino. Benedicamus Domino. 4. When I saw the child in the stable, I could not go away. I am happy for that, am I happy, happy, happy, happy, o, o, o! Benedicamus Domino. Benedicamus Domino. 5. The child turns his eyes to me , I gave my heart into his hand. I am happy for that, am I happy, happy, happy, happy, o, o, o! Benedicamus Domino. Benedicamus Domino.

6. I humbly kiss his feet, from which my mouth became sugar-sweet. I am happy for that, am I happy, happy, happy, happy, o, o, o! Benedicamus Domino. Benedicamus Domino. 7. When I went home, the child did not want to go with and did not want to deviate from me. I am happy for that, am I happy, happy, happy, happy, o, o, o! Benedicamus Domino. Benedicamus Domino. 8. The child lies down on my chest and gives me all my heart's content. I am happy for that, am I happy, happy, happy, happy, o, o, o! Benedicamus Domino. Benedicamus Domino. 9. I must keep the treasure, so my heart remains full of joy. I am happy for that, am I happy, happy, happy, happy, o, o, o! Benedicamus Domino. Benedicamus Domino.

Ecumenical version

In the Catholic prayer and hymn book Gotteslob (2013) the song is contained in a five-stanza version in ö (No. 246):

1. As I watch over my sheep, an angel brought me the message. I'm happy for that, I'm happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy! Benedicamus Domino! Benedicamus Domino! 2. He said: "The Savior Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem!" I am glad ...

3. “The child lies in a stable and wants to redeem the world.” I am happy about that … 4. When I stepped into the stable, the child was in diapers. I am happy for that ... 5. The child turns his eyes to me , I gave my heart into his hand. I'm glad ...

melody

Notes of the song

literature

• Ludwig Erk , Franz Magnus Böhme (Hrsg.): Deutscher Liederhort . Volume 3. Breitkopf and Härtel, Leipzig 1894, pp. 654-655 ( digitized version ).
• Theo Mang, Sunhilt Mang (ed.): The song source . Noetzel, Wilhelmshaven 2007, ISBN 978-3-7959-0850-8 , pp. 1047-1048 .
• Ingeborg Weber-Kellermann : The book of Christmas carols . 151 German Advent and Christmas carols. 12th edition. Schott, Mainz 2008, ISBN 978-3-254-08213-8 , pp. 72 f .

Web links

• When I watch my sheep in the song project of Carus-Verlag and SWR2

Individual evidence

1. ↑ SWR : Calendar sheet: "When I watch my sheep" - From the life of the shepherds , December 17, 2012. Retrieved on December 3, 2013
2. ↑ SWR : When I watch my sheep , 2012. Retrieved on December 3, 2013
3. ↑ Michael Härting (Ed.): Friedrich Spee. The anonymous spiritual songs before 1623 (= Philological Studies and Sources. Issue 63). E. Schmidt, Berlin 1979, ISBN 3-503-00594-3 , pp. 201-205 ( digitized from Zeno.org .).
4. ↑ Theo GM van Oorschot (Ed.): "Ausserlesene, Catholic, Geistliche Kirchengesäng". A workbook (= Friedrich Spee. All writings. Volume 4). Francke, Tübingen / Basel 2005, ISBN 3-7720-8023-5 .
5. ↑ Weber-Kellermann 2008 p. 73
6. ↑ Carl Orff list of works under “Stage Works” at the Orff Center in Munich
7. ↑ Gunild Keetman, Carl Orff: The Christmas story at Schott music
8. ↑ How Great Our Joy, Echo Hymn, While by my Sheep - Robert Shaw Chorale on YouTube
9. ↑ SWR : SWR2 Christmas carols December 18 - When I watch my sheep , December 18, 2012. Retrieved on December 3, 2013