Description

1997 Winner of the Bach Choir Carol Competition. A very effective unaccompanied carol which has some beautiful expressive moments. The soprano melody should be rehearsed first to make sure the singers are confident of the rhythm and the words well articulated. The accompanying ‘Ahs’ in the lower parts should we well defined and sung to the correct rhythm rather than amorphous meandering. Tenors and basses should take care not to divert attention from the tune particularly in the first bar.

How pure was she? That mother mild.
Chosen to bear that gentle child.
Alone was she, poor and forlorn;
so long ago one Christmas morn.
That holy night the Child was born,
The angels sang him praise.
The sacred child that came to save
So long ago one Christmas morn.
No precious robes did him adorn,
He came to give us life.
He saved us from the eternal night,
So long ago one Christmas morn.