‘Es ist ein Ros entsprungen’ (commonly translated in English as ‘Lo, how a rose e'er blooming’) is a Christmas carol and Marian Hymn of German origin. Because of its prophetic theme, the song is popular during the Christian season of Advent. The hymn has its roots in an unknown author before the 17th century. It first appeared in print in 1599 and has since then been published with a varying number of verses and in several translations. It is most commonly sung to a melody harmonized by the German composer Michael Praetorius in 1609.
In 1896, at the end of the composers life, Johannes Brahms composed his ‘Chorale Preludes’, Op. 122. It’s a collection of 11 relatively short works for organ which was published posthumously in 1902. One of these is a prelude for Praetorius harmonization of ‘Es ist ein Ros entsprungen’.
In this arrangement for Symphonic Band, Dutch arranger Jos van de Braak combined the ‘Prelude’ by Johannes Brahms and the ‘Choral’ by Michael Praetorius.