The music of New York City based composer and pianist Ola Gjeilo has been performed and recorded in more than 25 countries worldwide in venues such as New York’s Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall, Miami’s Knight Concert Hall and Jackie Gleason Theatre, and the National Galleries in London and Washington DC. His publishers include Walton Music, Oxford University Press and Musikk-Huset. Walton Music is the exclusive publisher of Gjeilo’s music for choir.
Ola’s first solo piano CD, Stone Rose, was released in October, 2007 on the Grammy® nominated label 2L, and is available in stores worldwide as well as on amazon.com and iTunes. The album is filled with his own lyrical music in the crossroads between classical and jazz, sometimes also joined by cello, violin and flugelhorn.
Gjeilo has written music for several short films and for television, now channeled through his media music company, Nordic Screen Music, which he co-owns with composer Asmund Skuterud.. Ola’s music has been featured on PBS in America, on the Swedish and Danish Broadcast Corporations and on all the major Norwegian TV channels as well as several radio stations.
He has been commissioned by several ensembles and musicians worldwide, including American soprano Barbara Bonney (New England Songs, 2005), Ensemble Mendelssohn, Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay, Philip Brunelle, Musikk-Huset Publishing House, St. Olaf Manitou Singers, and Voces Nordicae. His choral music has also been performed by other elite choirs such as Kansas City Chorale, Phoenix Bach Choir, World Youth Choir, VocalEssence, Norwegian Soloists’ Choir, and the Swedish Radiokören.
The Rose
Ola Gjeilo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Allelujah Allelujah
Allelujah Allelujah
Det hev ei rose sprunge
Ut av ei rot så grann
Som fedrane hev sunge
Av Jesse rot ho rann
Midt i den kalde vinter
Ved mørke midtnatts tid
Om denne rosa eine
Er sagt Jesajas ord
Maria møy den reine
Bar rosa til vår jord
Og Herrens miskunns makt
Det store under gjorde
Som var i spådom sagt
Guds rose ljuvleg angar
Og skin i jordlivsnatt
Når henner ljos oss fangar
Ho vert vår beste skatt
Me syng i englelag
No er det fødd ein frelsar
Og natta vart til dag
The song "The Rose" by Ola Gjeilo is a beautiful hymn that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The lyrics describe the miraculous birth of Jesus and the significance of the rose as a symbol of love and divinity. The first verse of the song, "Allelujah Allelujah," is a repetitive chant that serves as a joyful praiseworthy refrain. The following verses describe how the rose has come from a root so fine, and is a blithe flower in the midst of a cold winter night. The rose represents hope and promise.
The second verse of the song speaks of the prophecy of the birth of Jesus, which is said to have been foretold in the Old Testament by the prophet Isaiah. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is referred to as "Maria møy den reine" or Mary, the Pure Maiden. She is said to have brought the rose to our world. The power of God's mercy is celebrated and the miracle of Jesus' birth is called "det store under gjorde," which means the great miracle happened.
The final verse is a triumphant celebration of the birth of Jesus. The rose is described as a sweet-smelling scent that shines in the darkness of life, bringing hope and joy. The angels sing and the night becomes a day as the Savior is born. The song reminds us about the beauty and the mystery of life and the promise of hope and renewal that the birth of Jesus brings.
Line by Line Meaning
Allelujah Allelujah
Repeatedly sing praises to the Lord
Det hev ei rose sprunge
A rose has sprung up
Ut av ei rot så grann
From a beautiful root
Som fedrane hev sunge
As sung by fathers of old
Av Jesse rot ho rann
From the root of Jesse it grew
Og var ein blome blid
And it was a lovely flower
Midt i den kalde vinter
Amidst the cold winter
Ved mørke midtnatts tid
At the darkest midnight hour
Om denne rosa eine
Regarding this one rose
Er sagt Jesajas ord
As prophesied by Isaiah’s word
Maria møy den reine
The pure maiden Mary
Bar rosa til vår jord
Brought the rose to our world
Og Herrens miskunns makt
And through the Lord’s mercy and might
Det store under gjorde
He worked a great wonder
Som var i spådom sagt
As was foretold in prophecy
Guds rose ljuvleg angar
God’s rose sweetly scents
Og skin i jordlivsnatt
And shines in earthly night
Når henner ljos oss fangar
When her light captures us
Ho vert vår beste skatt
She becomes our greatest treasure
Me syng i englelag
We sing in angelic choir
No er det fødd ein frelsar
For a savior is born now
Og natta vart til dag
And night turns into day
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Peter Hognestad, Michael Praetorius, Friedrich Layriz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ZackReviewsStuff
The Rose
The lily has a smooth stalk,
Will never hurt your hand;
But the rose upon her brier
Is lady of the land.
There's sweetness in an apple tree,
And profit in the corn;
But lady of all beauty
Is a rose upon a thorn.
When with moss and honey
She tips her bending brier,
And half unfolds her glowing heart,
She sets the world on fire.
- Christina Rossetti
@ronlivaudais6523
Can you imagine Ola and Eric Whitacre putting together their creative juices?
@jaquandajackson7752
Just no. I don't have the heart for it.
@e.wallacerobin7000
i would perish instantly in fact
@wonderlasting
Eh, no thanks. I don't think Ola should contaminate himself like that.
@wonderlasting
@@noahmoment Not at all. I do not exaggerate my claims when I say that this guy became an assembly line sell-out of a composer when he realized he could make the big bucks writing for amateur groups. In other words, his "artistry" went out the window when that pretty boy celebrity got too much publicity. No thanks, I'd rather listen to good choral music. I know many of his choral works and have played a lot as accompanist for choirs. So your knee-jerk claim that I'm uninformed is rather pretentious if I might say so. As for his instrumental, I have no opinion because I do not know them.
@hc9078
Joseph Pena If I may speak. I get where you’re coming from, and myself as a person, not bias, as I don’t find any reason to be. Claiming Eric is a “pretty boy sell-out” is kind of throwing it out there. His choral works are actually quite decent. He has his own flow in his work, that many people don’t understand well. I respect your opinion, it’s just that I don’t see Eric as that type of composer.
@erlendlangseth4672
I was going to listen to all his pieces. This was the first one. I am stuck on repeat here now, can't proceed.
@christinaderinconada
I've done that same thing with "Sacred Heart". Love this composer
@GinzaGeorge
What a wonderful response!
@kemicoker2147
You need to go to northern lights! It’ll absolutely take your breath away