Symphony No. 1
Leonard Bernstein & Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Lyrics
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Unto us a Son is given
Unto us a Son is given
For unto us a Child is born
For unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Son is given
Unto us a Son is given
For unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Son is given
Unto us a Son is given
Unto us a Son is given
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor
The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father
The Prince of Peace
For unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Son is given
Unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Son is given
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor
The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father
The Prince of Peace
For unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Son is given
Unto us a Son is given
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor
The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace
For unto us a Child is born
For unto us a Child is born
Unto us a Son is given
Unto us a Son is given
Unto us a Son is given
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor
The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father
The Prince of Peace
The Everlasting Father
The Prince of Peace
"Unto Us a Child is Born" is a well-known chorus from Handel's oratorio, Messiah. Leonard Bernstein incorporates this chorus in his song "Duet for One". The lyrics serve as a reminder that the birth of Jesus Christ was a gift to humanity. The repetition of the phrase, "For unto us a Child is born" reinforces the idea that the birth of Jesus was a significant and meaningful event. The lyrics also mention that the government shall be upon His shoulder, suggesting Jesus would have ultimate power over the empire.
Bernstein's use of this chorus highlights the spiritual aspect of the song. The repetition of the lyrics adds to the overall impact, emphasizing the importance of the message. The inclusion of the specific names of Jesus Christ such as Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace, further reinforce the spiritual perspective of the song.
Overall, "Duet for One" is a powerful and beautiful song that touches on both the religious and emotional aspects of Christmas.
Line by Line Meaning
For unto us a Child is born
A child is born to us, shining a light into our lives.
Unto us a Son is given
We have been blessed with a son, a gift from the heavens.
And the government shall be upon His shoulder
He will be a leader who shoulders the responsibility of governing.
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor
He will possess great wisdom, guiding us towards goodness and righteousness.
The Mighty God
He will be a powerful deity, who will fill our lives with abundance and prosperity.
The Everlasting Father
As a Father figure, He will provide us with love, guidance, and support through all the trials and tribulations of life.
The Prince of Peace
He will bring us peace, from within and without, filling our lives with harmony and divine grace.
Lyrics © Public Domain
Written by: Traditional
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alex Hamilton
As someone who has watched concerts for more than 60 years, I can absolutely claim this is the most emotional and inspiring performance I've seen from a live concert broadcast. This was recorded while Jerusalem was being bombed in 1973 but the audience and orchestra wanted Bernstein to conduct anyway. The reactions of Bernstein and the audience at the end cannot be duplicated. Brahms soared to the heavens in this piece and I've never heard it more passionately played.
lee altschuler
I was in Jerusalem during the ‘73 war. The city was not bombed. The Bernstein concert took place during the summer, before the war. I had the privilege of attending the concert.
Alex Hamilton
@lee altschuler How sad it is for me to now learn that everything I've read about this concert over the decades (including the liner notes from the DVD) has been proven dead wrong.
vDodenstein
Fantastic rendition, usually stick to Furtwängler's 1952 recording at Titaniapalast/ Berlin. Honestly, Bernstein along with this orchestra.. He's a giant.
Hernando Tobar Bustamante
solamente la musica puede despertar en unos y en otros los mismos sentimientos, sensaciones que no pueden expresarse con palabras.
Jason Joves
The most finest piece of Brahms that I've ever heard.
久保田忠弘
😂😂❤❤❤🎉 0:19 😢😮😅😊😊😊
theuofc
My favourite version conducted by Bernstein!
Scott Miller
One of the very best indeed !!!!!
Alan Deutsch
i'm speechless. the ending. i can feel the pure genuine passion lenny put into this