1. The Norwegian choral ensemble Cantus was formed in 1986 by a group of young women who wanted to take control of their own performances. The group, consisting of 30 amateur singers, is based in Tronheim and led by Tove Ramlo-Ystad, who joined as a singer and has become the group's director. Cantus typically performs arrangement of classical and contempary works, and has crossed over into jazz, folk, and pop music.
The group credits its participation in choral competitions with sharpening its focus and raising the quality of its performances.
Cantus has become an international sensation because of its inclusion on the soundtracks of both Disney films Frozen I and II, featuring the tracks Vuelie and Reindeer Circle, written by Frode Fjellheim and Christophe Beck.
2. Originally founded at St. Olaf College, Cantus is now a nine person male vocal ensemble based in Minneapolis. They sing a wide variety of vocal music, and have performed in some innovative theater pieces as well.
3. Cantus from Lithuania, making some mixture of Christian and Lithuanian folk music.
I Wonder as I Wander
Cantus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How Jesus the Savior did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I
I wonder as I wander out under the sky
When Mary birthed Jesus 'twas in a cow's stall
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all
But high from God's heaven a star's light did fall
And the promise of ages it then did recall
A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing
Or all of God's angels in heav'n for to sing
He surely could have it, 'cause he was the King
The lyrics are a modern adaptation of a sonnet from William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. In this song, Cantus uses the original text of the sonnet but rearranges a few lines and changes a word or two.
The song is about two lovers who are speaking to each other, with one lover asking the other for a kiss. The first line, "If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this," is asking for forgiveness for being undeserving of their partner's love. The reference to "holy shrine" represents the other person's body and the "gentle sin" represents the act of kissing.
The other lover responds in the following lines, "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hands too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this, for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm the holy palmers kiss." This means that the person asking for the kiss is being too hard on themselves and that it is okay to touch, as it is a way to show devotion. The other person then asks if saints also have lips, to which the first lover replies, "Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."
Overall, the song is a beautiful modernized adaptation of Shakespeare's classic sonnet and explores love and devotion in a unique and poetic way.
Line by Line Meaning
If I profane with my unworthiest hand
If I defile this holy place with my unholy hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this
This sacred place can only be defiled in a minor way
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
My lips, like two shy and inexperienced travelers, stand prepared
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss
To soften the touch of my rough hand with a gentle kiss
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hands too much
Good pilgrim, you are too hard on yourself for having humble hands
Which mannerly devotion shows in this
This demonstrates your respectful devotion
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch
Because saints' hands are touched by the hands of pilgrims
And palm to palm the holy palmers kiss
And holy travelers kiss each other's palms
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
Don't saints and holy travelers also have lips?
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer
Yes, pilgrim, lips that they must use to pray
O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do
Oh, then, dear saint, let my lips do what my hands were going to
They pray: Grant thou, lest faith turn to despair
They ask for your blessing, lest their faith fades away
Saints do not move though grant for prayer's sake
Saints don't move even when granting a prayer
Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take
So don't move, while I receive the blessings of my prayer
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: DP, John Jacob Niles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind