O Holy Night

This carol has been heralded as among the most beautiful of all Christmas carols, with excellent lyrics and a superb melody.

The author of the lyrics was Placide Cappeau (1808-1877), a resident of Roquemaure, located a few miles north of the historic city of Avignon. He was a commissionaire of wines, and an occasional writer of poetry. It is said that Cappeau was about to embark upon a business trip to Paris when the local parish priest asked Cappeau to write a Christmas poem. On December 3, 1847, about halfway to Paris, Cappeau received the inspiration for the poem, "Minuit, Chrétiens."

According to William Studwell, when Cappeau arrived in Paris, he took the poem to the composer Adolphe Adam (1803-1856), an acquaintance of M. and Madam Laurey who were friends of Cappeau. Adam was at the peak of his career, having written his masterpiece, Giselle, only a few years before, in 1841. He was also the composer of over 80 stage works. Adam wrote the tune in a few days, and the song received its premier at the midnight mass on Christmas Eve 1847 in Roquemaure.

In our own time and with our own experiences, it is good to remember charity, kindness and the awe described in this song.

PIANO:

BASS:

TENOR:

Altos - there is only a difference between first and second alto on the top of page 3 in stanza's 2 and 3

2nd ALTO:

1st ALTO:

Sopranos - there is only a difference between first and second soprano on the top of page 3 in stanza's 2 and 3

Also, I understand that on the repeat it goes up to an ear piercing A.  Honestly, I don't want anyone to hurt themselves trying to reach that.  So for the Soprano line alone, just sing the first repeat for the first and second time (going from the F rather than A).

2nd SOPRANO:

1st SOPRANO:

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O Come, O Come Emmanuel carol was originally written in Latin text in the 12th Century. The author of the words and composer to the music of O Come, O Come Emmanuel is unknown. It is, however believed that the melody was of French origin and added to the text a hundred years later. The Latin was translated into English by John Mason Neale in 1851.

With its haunting minor melody, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is a much-loved Advent hymn. Each night, for seven days before Christmas, the church would sing one of the "Great O Antiphons"-anthems sung to a short verse.

The word "antiphon" implies that the lines of each anthem were sung alternately by two choirs sitting opposite each other in the chancel. Each antiphon featured a prayer beginning with "O Come" and including an Old Testament reference for the Messiah.




1st verse  Tenor solo singing the melody line:

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel.

That mourns in lonely exile here,

Until the Son of God appear

All tenors singing the melody line:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

2nd verse  Basses and Tenors singing the bass and tenor lines together:

O come, thou rod of Jesus, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of hell thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave.

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

3rd verse  Sopranos and Altos sing their parts while Tenors and Basses 'Ooooh' theirs:

O come, thou Day spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

4th Verse  Acapella - everyone singing the melody line:

O come, thou key of David, come

And open wide our heav'nly home

Make safe the way that leads on high

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

5th verse  Everyone sing it as written:

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might

Who to thy tribes, on Sinai's height

In ancient times didst give the law

In cloud and majesty and awe.

Rejoice!  Rejoice!  Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Piano track (plays the song all the way through - as sung in verses 1-4 and then picks up the slight change (tenors) at "shall come to thee, O Israel."

PIANO


  BASS



 TENOR



 ALTO



 SOPRANO

The Coventry Carol

The "Coventry Carol" is a Christmas carol dating from the 16th century. The carol was performed in Coventry in England as part of a mystery play called The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. The play depicts the Christmas story from chapter two in the Gospel of Matthew. The carol refers to the Massacre of the Innocents, in which Herod ordered all male infants under the age of two in Bethlehem to be killed. The lyrics of this haunting carol represent a mother's lament for her doomed child. It is the only carol that has survived from this play.

The author is unknown. The oldest known text was written down by Robert Croo in 1534, and the oldest known printing of the melody dates from 1591.

Lully - this can be pronounced one of two ways - either lu-lee or lu-lie.  For our purposes, I prefer the 2nd pronunciation as it adds difference to its companion sound lul-lay. 

1^st verse EVERYONE:

Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child, By by, lully lullay;
Lullay, thou little tiny child, By by, lully, lullay.

2^nd verse WOMEN:

O sisters too, how may we do, For to preserve this day,
This poor youngling for whom we sing, By by, lully, lullay.

3^rd verse MEN (and a man on the melody line if its not too high):

Herod the king in his ragging, Charg-ed he hath this day
His men of might, in his own sight, All young children to slay.

4^th verse: EVERYONE, followed by a repeat of the 1st verse:

Then woe is me, poor child, for thee, And ever mourn and say,
For thy parting nor say nor sing By by, lully, lullay.

Lully, lullay, though little tiny child, By by, lully lullay;
Lullay, thou little tiny child, By by, lully, lullay.

Piano:

 Bass:
 
Tenor:

 Alto:

 Soprano:
 

Away In A Manger

No Christmas song is more loved than this tender children's carol. With its simply worded expression of love for the Lord Jesus and trust in His faithful care, the hymn appeals to young and old alike. It is usually one of the first Christmas songs learned in early childhood; yet its pleasing melody and gentle message preserve it in our affections all through life. For some time "Away in the Manger" was titled "Luther's Cradle Hymn." It was thought to have been written by Martin Luther for his own children and then passed on by German mothers. Modern research discounts this claim, however. Stanzas one and two first appeared in the Little Children's Book, published in Philadelphia in 1885. The third verse was written by a Methodist minister, John T. McFarland, in the early 1900's when an additional stanza for this carol was desired for use at a church children's day program.

How important it is that we take time to help our children see beyond the glitter of the Christmas season and teach them the true meaning of Christ's birth. The most thrilling story ever known to man began in Bethlehem at Christmas.

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,   
the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head;  
the stars in the sky looked down where He lay,   
the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay. 
The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes, 
but little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes; 
I love Thee, Lord Jesus! look down from the sky, 
and stay by my cradle till morning is nigh. 

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay 
close by me forever, and love me, I pray; 
bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, 
and fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.

PIANO

Track 1: plays through the song up to pg. 7 for the acapella moment

BASS

Track 2: starts top of pg. 5 for the tenor and basses, then jumps to the bottom of pg 7 to the 9th stanza where the bases come in again

TENOR

Track 3: starts top of pg. 5 for the tenors and basses, then jumps to pg 7 where the tenors come in again

-ALTO'S - there is only one brief split between 1st and 2nd altos.  This is pg. 7 stanza's 4-8. -

2nd ALTO

Track 4: starts with pg. 3 where sopranos and altos come in and then jumps to the top of pg. 7 where they come in again.

1st ALTO

Track 5: starts with pg. 3 where sopranos and altos come in and then jumps to the top of pg. 7 where they come in again.

SOPRANO

Track 6: starts with pg. 3 where sopranos and altos come in and then jumps to the top of pg. 7 where they come in again.

Sorry I won't put the actual sheet music on the blog for this song due to copyright.  But you will find it in your email.  If you haven't yet received it, let me know and I'll get that to you quickly.