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Composer David Ashley White
Text Edward Caswell, 1858
Voicing SATB, organ
Topics Lamb of God, Shepherd
Church Season Christmas
Price $2.25 (U.S.)
Length 3' 00" Released 4/17
Catalog no. 405-232
Difficulty Mod. easy
 (premiere performance)
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Min. of 5
Anthem text
See, amid the winter’s snow,
born for us on earth below,
see, the Lamb of God appears,
promised from eternal years!
Lo, within a manger lies
he who built the starry skies,
he who, throned in height sublime,
sits amid the cherubim!
Say, ye holy shepherds, say,
what your joyful news today?
Wherefore have ye left your sheep
on the lonely mountain steep?
“As we watched at dead of night,
lo, we saw a wondrous light;
angels, singing ‘Peace on earth,’
told us of a Saviour’s birth.”
Sacred Infant, all divine,
what a tender love was thine,
thus to come from highest bliss
down to such a world as this!
--Edward Caswell, 1858
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Description
Commissioned for the 106th Annual Christmas Carol Services at Harvard University’s Memorial Church, David White’s carol-like setting of Edward Caswall’s familiar text is warm and lyrical. The treatment, in the manner of a hymn anthem, is not difficult and sings naturally.
Review
"This expressive anthem for Christmas is on a beautiful text by nineteenthcentury hymn writer Edward Caswall. Each of the five stanzas, all in G major, is set to new music, allowing the composer to marry the music more closely to the text. After a brief organ introduction, the choir begins in unison for the first stanza, breaking into parts for the next three stanzas. The opening melody returns, again in unison, for the last stanza, 'Sacred infant, all divine.' The organ plays an important role, both in supporting the voices at sections and providing countermelody to the vocal parts. The limited vocal range, which does not go above E2 for tenors or E4 for sopranos, and the sensitive part-writing put this anthem within the reach of most SATB choirs. This piece will make a lovely addition to the Christmas repertoire. Medium." --Cross Accent, Fall/Winter 2017 |
