Polish Christmas Carols - your favorites?

Staunch believer, troubled church-goer, wavering agnostic, doubter, or confirmed atheist, if you have ever felt snowflakes falling on your face at this time of year, you must love the Christmas season. What is your favourite Polish Christmas carol? Please supply English lyrics if possible.

I've heard more kołedy than I could shake a stick at. I myself like 'Cicha noc', but of course it's not even Polish. The rest of us know it under its original title 'Stille Nacht'.

I know fifteen or so traditional Carols that I am not sick of listening to and singing them once a year. The ones I specifically like have something special in them: interesting melodic line (Mędrcy Świata), fanfare-like opening with men voices (Bracia patrzcie jeno), a distinct Polonaise rhythm (Bóg się rodzi). I also like some sentimental lullabies (Gdy Sliczna Panna), several modern Carols loaded with student cabarets' history (Preisner - Kolęda DLA Nieobecnych), few highlander Carols, and simple but heart breaking melodies such as "Mizerna Cicha" by Ewa Malas Godlewska.

One teaser for a start:

Bracia patrzcie jeno (Shepherds see the glory)
This is actually "pastorałka" (Latin: pastoralis), a folk theatric Carol, of jolly, idyllic character - often including a pastoral topic.

1. Men's Choir "Gorol" from Czech Republic, gorol.cz
youtube.com/watch?v=NgOAo8GMvWU
2. Nowodworski High School Choir, Kraków
youtube.com/watch?v=HQRlZL1BGIg

Shepherds, see the glory!
Hear the angels' story!
Lo, the skies are blazing,
Gleam in light amazing!

Leave your sheep, all care and worry;
Leave the plains to see the fury;
Onward to David's City,
To the royal city, to Bethlehem!

Dazzling in the shadows,
o'er the fields and meadows.

See, the star proclaiming,
glory to the Baby!

Leave your sheep ...

Lulajże Jezuniu. It always brings a tear to my eye.

Bóg się rodzi, moc truchleje..... Always a beginning to a Wigilia, believing or not. A 16th century(?) creation, a polonaise (chodzony) btw. Very solemn, if sung by Mazowsze!

Yes, the Mazowsze rendition is beautiful. I went once to a concert of Mazowsze around Christmas time here in the US. They had a block of Christmas songs, and when they sang "Bog sie rodzi", I saw many people wiping off tears.

Franciszek Karpiński (1741-1825) was an author of several religious songs, including the Carols "Bóg się rodzi" and "Bracia patrzcie jeno". The lyrics of "Bóg się rodzi" (God is born) was first time published in 1792 in a songbook entitled "Devotional Songs". The Karpinski's text was sung to different melodies. The currently used melody, maintained in the rhythm of the polonaise, is attributed to Karol Kurpiński (1785-1857), but a folk origin is not being excluded.

There is a persistent legend about the origin of the melody as it being a coronation polonaise for Polish Kings. Personally, I would file such claims under the section containing a story of "a Polish Princess Wanda who did not want to marry a German (Prince) and committed suicide jumping into the Vistula river".

The patriotic, tear-jerking passage is the one that goes: 'Podnieś rękę, Boże Dziecię, błogosław Ojczyznę miłą. W dobrej radzie, w dobrym bycie wspieraj Jej siłę swą siłą...'

('Raise Thy hand, Divine Infant, and bless our beloved Homeland. In good counsel and wellbeing, deign to bolster its srtength with Thine own...')

Bóg się rodzi (God is being born) - English lyrics
With the passing years, more and more Polish people are able to speak English, and many lovely English translations of Polish Carols appear every year, including "Bóg się rodzi". I just randomly picked two of he pack. However, none of the two contains the patriotic fragment "Raise your hand the God's Baby, bless the lovely fatherland".

Version 1: Bóg się rodzi (God is being born)


Version 2: Bóg się rodzi (God is being born)


europeisnotdead.com/audio/melodies-of-europe/european-christmas-carols/poland-bog-sie-rodzi

Some of you may enjoy this 50 minutes lecture "Mazurkas and Christmas Lullabies", delivered by Professor Adrian Thomas on December 1, 2005,

gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/mazurkas-and-christmas-lullabies

Gresham College, London's oldest Higher Education Institution, founded in 1597, has provided free public talks within the City of London for over 400 years. Recorded lectures can be watched directly on their website or downloaded either in audio or video form. Their wide range offerings - from mathematics to politics - include music category, with several past lectures dealing with Polish music:

St Stanislaus and Student Revelries,
Before Chopin,
Music in History,
Music in the Age of Copernicus,
Henryk Gorecki,
Canzonas and Easter Masses,
Chopin in hands of others,
Music an nationhood,
Lutoslawski,
and many more..

Merged: What's the worst Polish carol?

Bah humbug!
I love Christmas in Poland, but I don't like most of the carols. Mournful or saccharine sweet. Nothing to bellow along to tunelessly at midnight mass!

I particularly dislike Dzisiaj w Betlejem!
Agh!

The title of "Mizerna, cicha" carol is variously translated as "Shabby, quiet", "Miserable and quiet" or such. The rhymed English translation I found somewhere on Internet starts with the words "Barn, poor and silent". I selected two interpretations of this lovely little carol:

1. Krzysztof Klenczon, Mizerna Cicha,
youtube.com/watch?v=adqw_PHGT1k
Klenczon was a member (vocal, guitar) of a legendary 1960s band "Czerwone Gitary" [The band vanished from the Polish musical scene in 1980s, revived in 1990s, still performing]. He died in a car accident (killed by a drunk driver) in 1981 in Chicago.

2. Ewa Malas-Godlewska, Mizerna Cicha
youtube.com/watch?v=j2CoBamcHMA
She is a Polish opera singer - a lyric coloratura soprano - residing in France.


- Wikipedia

Barn, poor and silent, 

Heavenly island

Full of eternal glory 

Jesus asleep now, 

Lies in the crib, how

Does start salvation story?

While Christ is lying 

Angels come flying 

Kneel down while hiding their faces 

With golden hair 

High in the air 

Praising God for all His graces

While Virgin's bearing

Whole world is cheering

Power of devil is broken 

Devil's imprisoned 

God's sun has risen 

Doors of the Heaven are open.

Really? I think they are pretty good, most of the mare old and have that style of old music, some are newer. What can be annoying though is loads of horrible pop versions, really kitschy - I think that's what ruined them for you. I hate hearing many versions, most pop musicians indeed have problems with performing them so they sound as good as they should.

Try 'Anioł pasterzom mówił'.

I love Masowsze Singing Bog sie Rodri but also think the more contemporary version by Pod Buda is really refreshing and wonderful.

Carols and Christmas songs - resurrection!

I can hear this old song a few times a day - it has become sort of trendy again.

Skalds, Dashing Sleigh Ride, from 1969

youtu.be/bhlxrcXn99k

I have a fondness for W Żlobie leży (Infant Holy, Infant Lowly) which I knew in its English version before being introduced to the Polish version. I have a fondness for Polish baroque music.

Yes, I like it too on condition it is a slow version. There are also energetic versions of this carol. .