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Once in Royal David’s City
Performed by Gregory Tait Copyright ℗ 2020 Gregory Tait Tune by Henry John Gauntlett (c. 1849) Harmonization by Arthur Henry Mann (1919) Descant by David Willcocks Copyright © 1970 Oxford University Press Content mechanical license #845523 |
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This cherished Christmas hymn, based on a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander, depicts the Nativity scene in the town of Bethlehem, the ancient birthplace of King David.
Once in royal David's city,
Stood a lowly cattle shed.
Where a mother laid her baby,
In a manger for his bed.
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ, her little child.
This carol has long had the distinction of being played as the processional hymn during the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve at King's College, Cambridge, UK. It is also very commonly used as the processional for Christmas Vesper services throughout the United States.
The first verse is traditionally sung by a solo soprano voice or a group of antiphonal soprano voices, creating an ethereal sound in the reverberant space of the sanctuary. For subsequent verses, the majestic pipe organ joins the choir and congregation in filling the space with glorious sound. In the final verse, the antiphonal soprano voices return to add a hauntingly beautiful descant above the organ and choir, bringing the hymn to an emotionally powerful conclusion.
Once in royal David's city,
Stood a lowly cattle shed.
Where a mother laid her baby,
In a manger for his bed.
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ, her little child.
This carol has long had the distinction of being played as the processional hymn during the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve at King's College, Cambridge, UK. It is also very commonly used as the processional for Christmas Vesper services throughout the United States.
The first verse is traditionally sung by a solo soprano voice or a group of antiphonal soprano voices, creating an ethereal sound in the reverberant space of the sanctuary. For subsequent verses, the majestic pipe organ joins the choir and congregation in filling the space with glorious sound. In the final verse, the antiphonal soprano voices return to add a hauntingly beautiful descant above the organ and choir, bringing the hymn to an emotionally powerful conclusion.
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Canon de Noel
Performed by Gregory Tait Copyright ℗ 2020 Gregory Tait Canon in D-Major by Johann Pachelbel (1653 – 1706) The First Noel, English Christmas carol (1833) Arranged by Joseph M. Martin Copyright © 1997 Malcolm Music Content mechanical license #824419 |
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Joseph Martin’s Canon de Noel is a beautiful musical arrangement that combines Johann Pachelbel’s affective Canon in D-Major with the traditional English Christmas carol, The First Noel. The Canon itself is a combination of two musical forms: a three-part canon, where the three voices perform the same musical phrases and enter in sequence, and a chaconne, where a ground bass (basso ostinato) repeats a harmonic progression many times unchanged and above which melodic variations occur. In this arrangement, the ground bass consists of four measures of eight arpeggiated chords played on the piano with the left hand. This four-measure harmonic pattern is performed fourteen times in total. At the opening of this piece, the right hand plays on the piano the melodic voices of the canon for six repetitions of the ground bass pattern. Entering on the seventh playing of the ground bass pattern, the simple tune of the much-loved Christmas carol, The First Noel, rings out as the sole melodic voice. The piece culminates with the return of the canon melodies, played as an inner voice and in conjunction with the carol melody. The musical ‘merger’ of Pachelbel’s Canon with the Christmas carol, The First Noel, works so remarkably well in both melody and harmony. The music fades away peacefully in the final three repetitions of the ground bass pattern, with the melodic canon voices gradually contracting to a single voice at pianissimo.
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Celestial Silent Night
Performed by Gregory Tait Copyright ℗ 2020 Gregory Tait Tune by Franz Gruber (1818) |
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A traditional favorite at the conclusion of Christmas Eve services, the peaceful music of Silent Night fills a sanctuary that is illuminated by the flames of hundreds of candles. In this arrangement of Silent Night, the music soars into the clear night space that is illuminated by countless stars in the heavens.
Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin mother and child!
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!
- Joseph Mohr (1816)
Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon virgin mother and child!
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!
- Joseph Mohr (1816)
