the bethlehem story for narrator, choir, and orchestra

THE BETHLEHEM STORY FOR NARRATOR, CHOIR,

AND ORCHESTRA

by

BRYCE H. LOWRANCE, B.M.

A THESIS

IN

MUSIC THEORY

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in

Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

the Degree of

MASTER OF MUSIC

Approved

Accepted

May, 1995

j jVt ^ ^ ^

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

There are so many people who helped me in some capacity or another while I engaged in writing The Bethlehem

Story. I apologize to anyone not mentioned here specifically, but to Ust all those who aided with suggestions or simply

inspired me while I was working, would render several pages alone. However, I would like to point out a few of them.

First and most of all, my wife, Terri, who kept me company on the endless nights needed to complete such a task. I

would like to thank Professor James Sudduth, who helped me to refine my orchestration skills. A special thanks to Dr.

Gene Biringer, who introduced me not only to Schenkerian analysis, but an entirely new way to view aU music. My

gratitude to Dr. Wayne Hobbs for directing me toward the necessary tools to study the old hymn tunes. Although he is

not serving on my committee, I would also like to thank Dr. Kenneth Davis, who through six years of conducting me in

the University Choir, offered me more insight and heart-felt appreciation for the gift of music. Special gratitude to

Professor Robert Walzel, who stepped in to serve on my committee at the last minute. A particular thanks goes to my

family, who helped research the text and listened to countless numbers of tapes in search of a recording of the sermon.

And finaUy, many thanks to Dr. Mary Jeanne van Appledom for her painstaking review of each note, figure, motive and

phrase.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES iv

LIST OF ABBREVL\TIONS v

CHAPTER

I. INTRODUCTION 1

n. THE MUSICAL MATERIALS 2

The Text 2

The Musical Devices 2

The Macroform 4

Performance Personnel 7

m. THE ORCHESTRAL SCORE 8

IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 104

BIBLIOGRAPHY 106

APPENDICES

A. THE EDITED TEXT 108

B. THEMES I l l

C. FLOWCHART OF THE MICRO-FORM 116

D. STAGE SET-UP 123

m

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES

2.1. Tender Care. Acklev. Harp of Ages. No. 17. Melody 2

2.2. Ninety-Third, Composer unknown. Harp of Ages. No. 31. melody 3

2.3. "Big Boss" Theme reduced for piano 3

2.4. Shepherds' Tune (Star in the East) Men's Chorus part extracted from mm. 269-276 4

2.5. Brass Fanfare reduction from mm. 335-338 5

2.6. "Little Babe" Lullaby in Pentatonic variant 6

2.7. "Little Babe" LuUaby and Ninety-Third combination; reduction from mm. 388-395 6

2.8. Ninety-Third, mm. 17-24, Ackley, Harp of Ages. No. 17 6

2.9. Reduction from mm. 459-462 7

4.1. Whole rest problem occurring in Finale 105

B.l. Tender Care, Ackley. Harp of Ages. No. 17 I l l

B.2. Tender Care arranged by Bryce H. Lowrance HI

B.3. Ninety-Third, Composer unknown. Harp of Ages. No. 31 112

B.4. Star in the East, Composer unknown. The Good Old Songs. No. 618 112

B.5. Shepherd's Tune, 5tor in ffteEosr, arranged by Bryce H. Lowrance. From Overture mm. 66-1(X) 113

B.6. Brass Fanfare from the Overture, mm. 36-40 114

B.7. Brass Fanfare from Scene 7, mm. 335-338 114

B.8. "Little Babe" Lullaby 114

B.9. "Little Babe" Lullaby Pentatonic variant 114

B.IO. Couple's Duet 115

IV

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

Bari—Baritone (Euphonium)

Bns—Bassoons

Bs CI—Bass Clarinet

Bsn—Bassoon

Bs Trb—^Bass Trombone ^

CI—Clarinet or Clarinets

CB—Contrabass or Contrabass Section

Cello—ViolonceUo or ViolonceUo Section

CM—Common Meter

EH—EngUsh Hom

Fl—Flute or Flutes

Hn—Hom or Homs

Maj—^Major

meas.—^Measure

mm.—^Measures (inclusive, i.e., mm. 1-10)

Ob—Oboe or Oboes

Perc—Percussion

Pice—^Piccolo

Pno—Piano

SM—Simple Meter

Timp—^Timpani

Tr—Trumpet

Trb—^Trombone or Trombones

Trpts—^Tmmpets

Via—Viola or Viola Section

Vln— VioUn or Violin Section

WW—Woodwinds

Xyl—^Xylophone

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The Bethlehem Story embodies the many traditions and feelings of die Lowrance family heritage in music. The

following statements show the background of the text of the story and how I came to compose this work.

I began my graduate studies at Texas Tech University in the fall of 1993. Upon beginning my studies. Dr. van

Appledom called me to choose an area of composition in which I would like to focus my studies. Given my background

in choral music, I chose to make a change and venture into orchestral composition. My first proposal for a thesis topic

was to be a short mass. I stmggled for several months widi the project and leamed many aspects of orchestration;

however, I was not satisfied with the work I was doing in that composition. I have nothing personal against setting the

text of the mass, but at that time I felt drawn in a different direction. Unfortunately, I did not know what that direction

might be.

During the Christmas break after the fall semester of 1993,1 found myself studying many different types of music

within the realm of orchestral writing. Astounded at the task ahead of me and just before I gave up and returned to the

mass text, I heard a recording of the James Earl Jones narration of Aaron Copland's A Lincoln Portrait. Immediately I

procured the score and studied the work a countless number of times. I then turned to any other orchestral work

containing narration that I could find. I had finally reaUzed the type of work I wanted to do. The only problem was

finding a suitable text. I read patriotic works, plays and fairy tales, but none satisfied. Then I happened upon the

transcript of one of my Grandfather's old sermons, and I immediately knew that I must work with this text

Elder V.J. Lowrance, Sr. (1906-1989)(a Minister of the Primitive Baptist Church and Granddaddy to many of us)

never scripted his sermons ahead of time. I had often seen him listening to tapes and typing out the sermons as he

listened. Apparently that is what he had done with The Bethlehem Story. I searched for several months, as did many of

my family members, but was unable to find a recording of the sermon. I should note here that Granddaddy had a habit of

re-using old tapes, and quite possibly this was what happened to the recording of The Bethlehem Story. During the

month-long Christmas break of 1993-94,1 edited the text and completed a flowchart that entailed what music would

accompany the reading of the text. I wrote aU my original themes at this time, and chose the previously composed hymn

tunes that I would use to preserve the heritage of the Primitive Baptist reUgion. (See Appendix B for a complete listing of

thematic materials.)

I already had begun the orchestration of the work when the spring semester of 1994 commenced, and I took the

new work to Dr. van Appledom, and it was met with great excitement. The work I already had begun was very close to

my heart, and she could see that In die coming weeks, she helped me to write a new thesis proposal, and I began

working on The Bethlehem Story.

CHAPTER II

THE MUSICAL MATERIALS

The Text

The text of The Bethlehem Story (the title given by Elder Lowrance) was written in a very simple manner and

showed the hard working and loyal background of a dedicated father of eight and Minister of the Gospel. In order to

preserve the "story-like" quality of the text, the program music which accompanies the text must also be simple in nature.

That is not to say that the performance of the music must be easy, but die character of the composition should appear

simple to the listener and reflect the spirit of die story. The composing and placement of music around the text must not

break the natural deUvery of the story. Therefore, cues (vertical lines) mark where the narrator begins the natural divisions

in the text. The musical material only continues by itself where the natural breaks in the text call for the reader to pause.

However, the narrator must be able to read music (follow the score) because the rhythmic pace of the story must match

pace with the flow of the music. There is only one area, four measures before Rehearsal letter X (p. 78), in which the

words must interface with the rhythm of the orchestra. Here, the narrator, orchestra and choir join in die words "Glory to

God in the highest..." as the shepherds discover the "litUe babe" lying in the manger. The effect of bringing together all

the forces in only this one instance adds momentum to the spirit and joy of the text

It might be noted that the author edited the text of the sermon in instances where, for example, some event was

referred to that had no universal relevance to the story, it was omitted. The nature of the grammar and terminology (i.e.,

"bassinet" rather than baby's crib) was left in its original form.

The Musical Devices

As mentioned in the Introduction, The Bethlehem Story contains both original and previously composed themes.

The decision to use the latter in several instances was due to the nature of the text. The first few passages of the text

sound like a sermon. The narrator is speaking from a pulpit and a traditional hymn tune. Tender Care, accompanies the

speech. This theme retums when the narrator tells the "good news" to the shepherds, and this music of the Old Baptist

Church seems appropriate.

Example 2.1. Tender Care, Ackley. Harp of Ages. No. 17.

Form(AABA)

Idt i t fl\^ •' IJli^lf riij r}\. hs P

f i i ' ' ^ If f g ^

Another hymn, Ninety-Third widi similar scalar characteristics to Tender Care, functions as a ti-aveUng motif in tiie story.

nnn i

Example 2.2. Ninety-Third, Composer unknown. Harp of Ages. No. 31.

^ ^ xc . 1 1 ° . J -F^=^ I I _ # g ff

I E P m--

$ xn.

Notice die similar pick-up notes in each tune as weU as die absence of Ti, die seventh scale degree. "This tendency to

avoid diatonic sevenths (and fourths) when singing...is quite common among the Primitive Baptists."' Many hymn tunes

of diis time were modal in nature or were five- or six-tone scales. Each time the characters are said to be traveUng, die

Ninety-Third appears. Muted tmmpet and mandolin, accompanied by two solo cellos, present this tune die first time.

Rehearsal letter J (p. 38). The choice of the mandoUn here was one of color and symboUsm. The evenings that Elder

Lowrance told stories, such as this one, were often fiUed with early style coimtry and blue grass music on which

occasions he played mandoUn. As the narrator tells of the different modes of transportation in Biblical times.

...Mostiy, they tiaveled in big, heavy wagons drawn by oxen, or they rode in ox-carts, a big two-wheeled thing that was drawn by one big ox. Or sometimes, they rode on horses or mules,...

this theme helps carry the audience back in time and sets an atmosphere of reverence. The Ninety-Third retums later, as

die narrator tells of the many different couples traveling to Bethlehem. The English hom presents the entire time followed

by a fugue with each entrance accompanied by a single harmony. Each subject's entrance and its harmony represent the

many couples that had to travel as did Mary and Joseph. The last two subject entrances in the fugue are written in stretto

at one measure apart, and the old hymn tune, Ninety-Third, creates the phenomenon of quintal harmony (see Rehearsal

letter O, p. 50).

The remaining themes, other than the Shepherds' Tune, are original to this work. The "Littie Babe" LuUaby is

strictiy triadic and accompanied by tertian harmony, but later in The Bethlehem Story it is transformed into a Pentatonic

variant as an Asian emulation of the birth of the Japanese Emperor referred to in the sermon (see Pentatonic variant

beginning on p. 84.) The Couple's Duet is figural and appears both as a simple duet and a fugato in the full orchestra (see

Rehearsal letter M, p. 45). The "Big Boss" theme is not really a dieme but a successive plodding of octaves, fifths,

fourths, and thirds. It shifts around through harmonic colors produced by sustained intervals and is very dark.

Example 2.3. "Big Boss" theme reduced for piano.

' Drammond, R. Paul, A Portion For The Singers. 246. 3

This theme (found at Rehearsal letter K, p. 40) receives its name from a Une in die text, and it serves to exemplify the

horror of having to pay taxes to the King.

...WeU, on a certain time back in this littie country a great mler, named Caesar Augustus, who was the big boss of tiiat country, had all die people go to the tovras they were bom in and pay tiieir taxes.

A brass fanfare, which occurs in die opening section, retums in a highly altered form for the scene where the shepherds

discover baby Jesus lying in the manger.

The Shepherds' Tune (die original hymn titie being Star in the East), with its first appearance at Rehearsal letter E

(p. 21), is a previously composed melody that occurs in several different mutations. With its rhydim altered, the tune

serves as a sweeping main theme for the entire work. An acappeUa Men's Chorus also presents the tune in an

arrangement widi quintal and quartal harmonies.

Example 2.4. Men's Chorus part extracted from mm. 269-276.

I. ISO

^ 3 ' i «, I ;! J J I j J ^ f

mf Hail ^ the blest

^ ^ ^

f

mom, see

- ^ J lee the great

^ ^ ^

Me di ^f=r

tor,

r r ' r ^ r ^ — J -'

t J A^ J ih -J i-f

Down from the r ' I r r ' f r r he re gions of glo ry de scend!

??=^ ^^=^

r f=r T r f r r The closing section of the work combines the altered rhythms of the Shepherds' Tune with the choir singing the original

text to the hymn.

The Macroform

The Bethlehem Story was originaUy conceived as a stage-work; therefore, its constraction is divided into several

sections or "scenes." The first one hundred bars are a typical overture. Here, the orchestra presents various themes that

will be heard throughout the work one after another. Often-times, abmpt musical changes cut themes short or they appear

in different arrangements or keys from their counterparts in the body of the work. (See Appendix C, p. 116, for a

detailed flowchart of the entire work.)

After a short five-bar transition, measures 106 to 137 serve as Scene 1. (The scenes are no longer marked in the

conductor's score; they were removed to provide a more continuous appearance in the score.) At Rehearsal letter G (p.

30), the narrator is speaking from a pulpit and die text is somewhat sermon-like. Here, die music embodies that same

church-like quality, and an old hymn tune, Tender Care accompanies the sermon.

Primitive Baptist Elders usually speak extemporaneously for about one hour after which a hymn is sung and an invitation extended to visitors to unite widi die church. In many churches, die singing of the final hymn is also taken as an opportunity for the members to move forward and shake hands with die minister and each other.

Drummond, 11.

Churches attended by die audior often used Tender Care as die final hymn, and he associates die tune witii the Primitive

Baptist Church. Scene 2, beginning at Rehearsal letter J (p. 38), encompasses measures 138 to 162. This scene

establishes die traveling motif. As the narrator describes die different modes of ti-ansportation in BibUcal times, die

orchestra plays the hymn tune Ninety-Third This theme retums later as the narrator refers to people traveling again.

Scene 2 also includes die "Big Boss" dieme, stated at Rehearsal letter K (p. 40). Scene 3 begins at Rehearsal letter L

(p. 43) with die piano playing the Couple's Duet This scene includes measures 163 to 231. The narrator goes on to talk

about several couples making tiieir way to Beddehem; and, as the couples joumey, die ti-aveling motif, Ninety-Third

retums to represent their trip. The Couple's Duet retums to conclude die music of Scene 3 as Mary and Joseph make their

"pallets" in a bam. The scene ends in silence as the narrator utters:

And sometime during that night a littie babe was bom to diis beautiful woman. She did not have a bassinet to place this young child in. Nor did she have a blanket to cover him. She had to wrap him in swaddUng clothes and lay him in a manger.

In Scene 4 (mm. 232-265), triumphant statements of die head of the "Littie Babe" LuUaby occur throughout die

orchestra. This theme is first stated in its entirety at Rehearsal letter P (p. 57) where it is found in several different

instruments with a variety of accompaniments. The scene closes with an ostinato pattem in the vibraphone representing

the tinkling bells on the sheep. Scene 5 (mm. 266-302) presents the first hearing of the Shepherds' Tune. Beginning at

Rehearsal letter R (p. 64), accompanied by Ught percussion, the Men's Choms presents a devoted quintal arrangement of

this tune, which later breaks into a frantic explosion as the shepherds become frightened by all that is happening around

them. Scene 6 (mm. 303-334) softens the tension as the text tells of angels coming to comfort the shepherds. The music,

at Rehearsal letter U (p. 72), brings back the Tender Care melody in small duets and trios. As mentioned earlier in diis

chapter, the author paid close attention to areas in the text such as this one. The sermon-like quaUty of the speech

demands that the music be created in the same spirit This is also die first time that the entire orchesti-a and the fuU choir

perform together. Here, the choir represents the angels God sent down to comfort the shepherds.

Scene 7, found at four measures before Rehearsal letter X (p. 78), is the high point of the entire work. Here, the

text is divided into smaUer sections, and each phrase is precisely timed with a musical event in the orchestra. Vertical

lines, used to cue the narrator when to speak, appear throughout die score. Here, they play an integral part in helping the

narrator to time his speech with the music.

Example 2.5. Reduction from mm. 335-338

As these shepherds stood there that night.

Trumpets

wondering at the glory which had shown all around them,

Several tiiick-texhired arrangements of die "Littie Babe" LuUaby foUow diis fanfare. VirtuaUy every instiument of die

orchestia receives a portion of tiie melody presented in various forms. The dieme includes a rhydimic tag diat modulates

the orchesti-a to arrive on an E-flat chord, measure 364 (p. 83). This chord is die dominant chord of the A-flat center

which begins die next scene. Measures 335-364 make-up Scene 7. The final scene. Scene 8 (mm. 354-462), entaUs die

parallel drawn by the text between die birth of Jesus and the birth of a Japanese prince. The "Littie Babe" Lullaby draws

diis paraUel as well. Here, it appears in a highly modified form on die Pentatonic Mode n (A-flat B-flat D-flat, E-flat,

and G-flat). It is first heard in organum of fourths and fifths in the xylophone but is soon presented in full orchestra at

Rehearsal letter Y (p. 86).

Example 2.6. "Little Babe" LuUaby in Pentatonic variant

-ez

4 ' i ' ' W ' o^ii':^jjj^jjji^'jjj^i'ruii'.i '

The Tender Care tune retums once more as the narrator completes the comparison and iUustrates the differences in the two

aforementioned births. The first phrase of the Tender Care tune (in die key of A Major) is very ti-anslucent in its

instramentation. The flute and vibe, in a higher octave, add a statement of die "Littie Babe" LuUaby in D Major. The

simple orchestration reveals a pleasant combination of diese themes in two different keys simultaneously.

Example 2.7. Reduction from mm. 388-395

J -se Flute and Vibe

U^ l a M ^ ^ ^

hk^ mf Trumpet mf

m ^m 4=^ P P^P 'r - P T f — ^ Marimba and Violin

The choir, here, plays an integral role as they sing thankfuUy of the "precious gifts" bestowed upon the world (Measure

403, p. 91). The choir also closes out the theme in the original a cappeUa arrangement of the tune in two-and three-note

harmonies.

Example 2.8. Tender Care, mm. 17-24, Ackley, Harp of Ages. No. 17. (Copied by permission).

g ^e 1 s-r-T = P—Ul-

L3 '.J ',--1 I I ' ' 1 I Be- fore my in - fant heart conceived From wliomtbose comforU flowed. Nor is the least a cheer-ful heart, That tastes those gifts with joy.

iSsps ' ^

After the narrator's final statement "No, there was never another thing happened like that which happened at Bethlehem

in the long ago," the orchestra once again buUds to a sweeping arrangement of the main theme of the work, the

Shepherds' Time. The last few bars buUd the orchestra to a nine-note quintal constmction which ends in a pimctuated

triple forte.

Example 2.9. Reduction from mm. 459-462.

Performance Personnel

Conductor's Score in C

2 Flutes (1st doubles on piccolo)

2 Oboes (1st doubles on English Hom)

2 Clarinets in B-flat

Bass Clarinet in B-flat

2 Bassoons

4 Homs in F

4 Trampets in B-flat (minimum)

2 Trombones

Bass Trombone

Baritone (or Euphonium)

Tuba

Timpani

BeUs, Vibe, Marimba, Xylophone, Chimes,

Gong, Snare Drum, Bass Dmm, Skin Head

Dmm, Suspended Cymbal, Crash Cymbal,

Claves

Piano

Strings

Special additions:

Narrator- a middle-aged man dressed in an old suit

MandoUn (scored in 1st VioUn part)

Mixed Chorus (approximately 50 voices)

See Appendix D for a diagram of die stage (Figure D.l).

CHAPTER m

THE ORCHESTRAL SCORE

The Bethlehem Story

dedicated to Dr. Mary Jeanne van Appledom

(ptWWii l^M. . - K>M. . -

The Bethlehem Story Score in C Bryce H. Lowrance

Kcc

BsQ

Hnl&n

Hnni&IV

Tr n & ni

Tibl&n

BsTrb

"Ibba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vln I

VlnO

CeUo

Pice

BsQ

Bns

Hnl&

Hnin&IV

Trn&m

Trbl&n

BsTrb

"Riba

Timp

Perc I

Perc II

Percin

Piano

Vln I

Vln II

CeUo

10

Kcc

BsQ

Hnl&

Hnm&IV

Trn&m

Tibi&n

BsTib

Bari

1\iba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vln I

vinn

CeUo

11

BsQ

Hnl&U

Hnni&IV

Trn&ni

Tib I & U

BsTrb

Taha

lunp

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vln I

VlnH

CeUo

12

Pice [ ^

R

EH

Ob

a

BsQ

Bns

Hnl&n(

Hnm&IVJ

TrI

Trn&m

Tibl&n

BsTrb

Bari

Tliba

^ g

- # ^ ^

I I I I

limp

Perc I

PercU

Percin

Piano

Vln I

Vlnn

Via

CeUo

13

BsQ

Hnl&

Hnm&IV

Trn&m

Tib I & n

BsTib

1\iba

Timp

Perc I

Perc II

Percin

Piano

Vln I

Vln II

CeUo

14

15

Pice

BsQ

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Trn&m

Tibi&n

BsTrb

Bari

Tbba

Ump

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vlnl

Vlnn

CeUo

16

Pice

Hnm

BsQ

Bns

H n l & n (

& i v |

TrI

Trn&m

Tib I & n

BsTib

Bari

Tliba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vlnl I

vinnj

Via

CeUo

CB

^ ^

J ^ ^ -n im- / -DHr3

^

5 S :

# — •

H-ri JT] ^K^o"

^ ^

i f ? LTLJ

iJ ^ rjrj

^

jQf

y S.a' i

>«i

JT

J9f ^

P c_r r ' p

l^tr J J '^CTT ^

1* i i

m

if CJ'

i -LJ - J

J9

take cymbals play

m JT

Jf \h^

jf

I

I I g

J

17

•S»B«a3Sa5Sra5aHBBSS£s3ESiSiaiEa^ :mmaajj~uussaammmmm

@^ix

VlnH

18

cr,r^;ciayo!=r?rT'T.'-=^ vi^iranfmKKxnwm.s9Kx\.7.it!«uiit!iiasLrj

Pice

BsQ

Bns

Hn I & II

Hn m & IV

TrI

Trn&ni

Tib l&n

BsTib

Bari

Tliba

limp

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vlnl

VlnH

Via

CeUo

CB

a tempo

^

^

^

^

^

^

chimes

mp

damp

19

Pice

BsQ

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Trn&ni

Trijl&n

BsTrb

Bari

Hiba

limp

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vln 11

VlnH

Via

CeUo

CB

^ g

(chimes)

$

B EJ

2 Jl

20

Hnl

Hnm

Trn&m

Tib I & n

BsTib

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vlnl

Vlnn

CeUo

U ^ ^ ^ ^

21 JiuW\]W^jW\,

n n n n

Pice

R

EH

Ob

a

BsQ

Bns

Hnl&n

Hn m & rv I

tutti

# ^ P^ f mf tutti

# ^ ^ J J J TrI

Trn&m

Tibl&n

BsTib

Bari

Hiba

'I'&^i'E} ^N^^ «

sS ^ H H 4 < ^ ^ =- ^

L ^l£lJ^. n -/ ^iJ^.n •s g^e & C PIUHJ U" P'CJ U-> - > • >• r>-

g F 1

^

^ F

OT/

^ g

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vlnl

Vlnn

Via

CeUo

'-'•n^iiJliJ i

I

^

CB

22

'ilTilTiITi

Pice

R

EH

Ob

a

BsQ

Bns

Hnl&n i f l Hnm&IV

TrI

Trn&ni

Tibl&n

BsTri)

Bari

Hiba

Ump

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vln 11

Vln HI

Via

CeUo

CB

^ ^ .

^ ^

10 fan ^ g

^ g

5 ^

^ ^

^

f

0 (BO

^ #

^ ^

£] . , •^^'{}'£3

^

remove mute

H H H H

^ K i Ki Ki Ki

23

Hnm

Trn&m

Percin

VlnH

24

ii»s«Bgi8aiBaagagK!imaa!iffi«w»»iK»iM»Mi3ga^^

Pice

R

EH

Ob

a

BsQ

Bns

Hnl& II Hnm&IV

TrI

Trn&m

Trbl&n

BsTib

Bari

l\iba

Ump

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vlnll

Vlnn I

Via

CeUo

CB

I t)'S :

^ • *

t>t I* f

^

^

^

J-m J)

^ ^

*

^ ^

^ n^Tg » • «j •» i» r — r

^ §

i^ • ft m' '|» !»' '^

I I */ I' I M

J J V J'

n J -r-j! CJ- I r r S

) J J

fe

) J J

n jxrj n. • |» ^ ff - r r - r r

^ 5

»' » r r r'

* « =^F^

Ii i . i

yii!,-' i j i j i

25

Pice

H

EH

Ob

a

B s Q

Bns

Hnl& n l f l Hnm&IV

TrI

Trn&m

Tibl&n

BsTib

Bari

Hiba

limp

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vlnl

Vlnn

CeUo

^ g

^

^

^

^

bells and vibe

•mp chimes

mp

26

BsQ

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Trn&ni

Tibl&U

BsTrij

Hiba

Ump

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vlnl

VlnH

CeUo

27

SSSSSSSSSSSSsi^^^^S^^S^EI^l^K^lS

Hnm&rv

Trn&m

Trbl&n

ti

28

msB miBsmmmm^mHm^

Pice

BsQ

J H JiSU-} n kfLn n i> n ^nn

Hnl

Hnm&IV

Trn&m

Tib I & n

BsTib

lliba

limp

Perc I

Percn

Percin

Piano

Vlnl

VlnH

CeUo

29

Hnm&IV

30

B^Mjafe'issseasSb^

with old tattered Bible m hand been told. But this story is 104) . different from many of the

u Jj " - stories you have heard.

This is a tme story.

Before I begin teUing you this story,

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Trn&in

Tri)I&n

Bs'm)

Tuba

Tii^j

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vlnl

Vlnn

Cello

31

1 want to say to the older ones here that it might be weU if all of us could feel as our Uttle ones here do about the stoiy I plan to teU you.

HnlAn

Hnm&rv

ivn&m

Twi&n

Percm

32

«5r

Sometimes we need to become chUdrcn again-chUdren in our hearts I mean-and Usten to this stoiy as if it weie the first time we had ever heard i t

Pkx;

BsCI

Bns

H n l & n

Hnm&IV

I TVI

ivn&m

'Mii&n

BsTO)

Bari

Tuba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

m ^ ^

^

«i

^s f — 1 - u < H — ^

O: P

f 'I' ^ - f * u 1 I) I' U" •< h f f<—f*" u

Vlnl

Vln " (

VU

Cello

CB

33

H You wiU understand this story better if, in your thoughts, you go with me

Pice

BsCI

Bns

H n l & n

Hnm&rv I

TYI

Trn&m

'nbi&n

Bs1M>

Bari

Tuba

^

SI

^s ^

^s Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

n f — ^ u r- ^T * *

mf

Vhil

Vlnn I

VU

Cello

and let us visit a Uttle country far far away, and see this country as it was a long long time ago

Pkx

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

BsCI

Bns

TrI

ivn&m

'Hbl&n

BsTO)

Bari

l^iba

Taap

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

P u.

ai ^

ai ^s ai

U:

Vbl

Vlnn {

VU

Cello

CB

ams^Bsseesss^S^^^ ^s^^m^im^m/AiJLUjwaa

Pice

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

TH>i&n

BsTib

Bari

Tuba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

«i

Narrator moves to stool and opens story book

0

l i t

V l n l I

Vln " (

VU

Cello

CB

r^ ten. skin head drum

i ^ D r u f i^ 1~ u I) I' u

iy:WTri,«Trf-ri;ji:gj3sz3m;T:r;!affg-i«!»?<«iaaa^^

Pice

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv I

Tvn&m

Tibl&n

BsTib

Bari

Tuba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vlnl

Vln " (

VU

Cello

CB

^

f 1- u P—I' u p \^ 1~ u p ' p

decresc.

37

fBsmmmmamm

— I „ J'>^P*°Pl*w'>o lived in this country when our story began did not have automobiles and trains as we have today, and certainly they did ( g D J = R> Steady '• ' '

Pice

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Trn&m

Trt>I&n

BsTO)

Tuba

Tuip

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vln

Cello

Cello

^if3tc-^i*SftBX";il^

not have planes that skim through the heavens as we do today. They did not have many of the things which we have today. MosUy, they traveled in big.

Pioc

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

TrI

Trn&m

Tibl&n

BsTrb

Bari

Tuba

= 5;=

/

^

^

^

^

^ § Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vlnl

Cello

39

heavy wagons drawn by oxen, or they rode in ox-carts, a big two wheeled thing that was drawn by one big ox. Or sometimes, they rode on horses or mules. And then too, sometimes they rode on donkeys, or even walked.

Pioc

Ob

CI

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&nl

Hnm&rvi

^

K J .

^

S S

^

Eg TrI

Trn&m

Tibl&n

BsTib

Bari

Tuba

lunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

mf

^

^ ^

^ § S ^

^

Choir

Vto 1

VU

Cello

Cello

40

WeU, on a certain time back in this Uttle country, a great mler, named Caesar Augustus, who was the big boss of aU that country, had aU the people

Pioc

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

TVI

Tvn&m

TH)i&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

Tm i

Perc I

Percn

Percm

I ride cymb. stick on top

fcifc ^

keep sound in air

fl ^—r-^ r ^ r h-r-i r ^ r if i r ^ r ^ r if r r

I U. Choir

Vlnl I

&

Vto " (

VU

Cello

CB

OTp 41

mnuuumrs

go to the towns they were bom in and pay their taxes. Everyone had to go sign his ^ name and pay taxes. The taxes were used to help the great ruler nin his fusinlss.

Pice

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

TrI

Tvn&m

TO)i&n

BsTO)

Bari

Tuba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtal

Vton

VU

Cello

CB

J r J r lADJSmA

J r J r

shortpause

< g i i i

Pice

BsCI

Bns

Hn I&n

Hnm&IV

TrI

Tvn&m

T ^ i & n

BsTib

Bari

Tuba

Now there was a young man named Joseph and his wife Mary who Uved in the city of Nazareth.

i

m m m m

retuneE|;,Dp,

Tmip

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vtol

Vton

VU

Cello

CB

43

But this young man and his wife were bom in or near Bethlehem; so they had to go there to pay their taxes. But it was neatly one hundred mUes from

Pioc

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

ivn&m

TO)i&n

BsTrt)

Tbba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vlnl

Vton

Cello

44

M

(&> Nazareth to Bethlehem. StiU, this young couple had to go aU the way to Bethlehem to do what the great niler wanted them to do. We do not know for

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

Trt)I&n

BsTrb

Tuba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vtol

Vton

Cello

45

s ^ h o w this young man and his beauUflil wife traveled to make the joumey from Nazareth to Bethlehem; but most people beUeve the man waUced

takeflute Pice

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Trn&m

Trbl&n

BsTrb

Tuba

Taof

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vtol

Vton

Cello

46

and led a Uttle donkey on which his wife rode. Of course it took them several days to make this long trip. It may have been a week or more. It was probably

C183) ^ , J=

Pioc

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

TVI

Trn&m

Trt)I&n

BsTO)

Bari

Tuba

I I

r>

r\

zlL

dt

JL

^

^m ^

I r\ dt ^ ^

^ r

^

^

^

r\ dt P^^=S-

r\ ^ ^

rr\ dt ^ ^ S

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vtol

Vton

VU

Cello

CB

47

sometime during the Winter so they had to fmd a place to spend each night whUe they were on the way.

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Trn&m

TO)i&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

Ump

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vto I

Vlnn

Cello

48

BiBaaeBHae&aiaaS EWJiKmfsv^A'.-^'-:-'.--:^"-:^^^^

Pioc

BsCI

H n l & n

Hnm&rv

Trn&m

Trt)i&n

BsTrt)

Tuba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vtol

Vton

Cello

49

Bethlehem. So, they too had to go there to pay taxes. These people who Uved close to Bethlehem got there eariy and aU the places where people

Pice

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnffl&rv

Tvn&m

TO)i&n

BsTO)

Tuba

Tmq)

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vtal

Vton

Cello

51

Now there were people who Uved much closer to Bethlehem than Joseph and Maiy, who also had been bom at or near

Pice

BsCI

Hnl&nl

Hnm&IV g solo

TVI

Tvn&m

TO)i&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

m mf

S

S

^a a S S S

^ 3 g

F^

P s

Vtol

Vton

VU

Cello

CB

50

could spend the night were soon fiUed. They caUed these places inns. I suppose we would caU them motels.

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

ivn&m

TO)i&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vtol

Vton

Cello

52

WeU, late one aftemoon, or eariy in the evening, when Joseph and Mary reached Bethlehem, aU the rooms at the inns were fiUed. At first, this

Pice

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnra&IV

TrI

Tvn&m

TO>i&n

BsTrt)

Tuba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vtol

Vton

Cello

53

^ ^ ^ ^ • ^ • m ^ ' "

must have made Joseph wonder what they would do for a place to spend the night. But, as he studied about it, he remembered that people could stay in big bams, or a shed, fenced with big rocks. People who had to do this must make their paUets in the staUs where the oxen were kept and fed.

Pice

Hnl&nl

Hnm&IV I

BsCI

I fe S Tvn&m

TO>i&n

BsTrt)

^m m ^ #

^

^ Bari

Tuba

Tm^

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vtol

Vton

VU

Cello

54

This young man and his wife made their beds in a staU in one of these big bams.

Pioc

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

TVI

ivn&m

TM)i&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

g ^

m fe a

m ^ m ss

mf

m

s s

S uga

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

^ s

fl-M

Vtoll

Vton

Cello

55

Pioc

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

TrI

ivn&m

Trt)I&n

BslVb

Bari

Tabt

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Piano

Vtol

Vton

VU

Celk)

CB

I te

I ^ fciz

fe

^

^

^

^ m s gg

p ^

fl-^

And sometime during that night, a little bao« was bom to this beautiful woman. She did not have a bassinet to place this young chUd in. Nor did she have a blanket to cover him. She had to wrap him in swaddUng clotnes and lay Mm in a manger.

Pice

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Trn&m

Trt)i&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Women

Vtol

Vton

Cello

57

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

ivn&m

TO)i&n

BsTO)

58

Pice

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

^

Do you know what my story is about? I know you do. I know that even our Uttle

a tempo

Tmif

Perc I

Percn

Percm

(Chime) to bells

mp

Women eelshov-ercd round His bed and caUedHim King Je sus

Vto 1

VU

Cello

CB

59

chUdren know what 1 am taUdng about. It is about Jesus who was bom in Bethlehem. Of course the people in Bethlehem did not know that night that Jesus, our Savior, was bora in that old bam, and laid to sleep in a manger fiUed with straw.

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

ivn&m

T^i&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Women

^Ifc g

I susp. cymb.

mf-

60

@ But God was looking down on that UtUe town that night, and He knew aU about what was happening there. He wanted somebody to know that a wonderfiil

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTrt)

Percn

Percm

Women

thing had come to pass in that place that night. But God did not wake the people who were sWnino in „.i,- - , .u bmldmg, nor did rfe wake up the man who kept the inn. Neither did H e w E n Z H ^ t L ! S ^ ^ """l' °^ " *

^ town, not the mayor, not the'man who was to ?oUect taxes. G J ^ ' S let J o f ftlm s f t ^ ' ^ ^ S S j " '^ ^^^

Pice

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&nl

Hnm&IV

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Women

Vtol I

a tempo

^

^

I m ^ ^

lo r t F H V jii Ti-' m ff crash cymb.

Vton

Celk)

62

Pice

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

TrI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

^

^

SlMJSk'ln^y.^''.'^?.!!!'''^'^''"?"? ""="= 'J^ '^^- * ^ ''•1<=°' "Sht. There may have been a soft tinkUng of the litUe beUs on some of the sheep which were also in the big bmlding that night. *

^ ^

^

^ ^ ^ ^ /ode away

repeal and fade until Narrator finishes

Women

0 J . Now, there were some shepherds out in the country who were keeping watch over their flocks by night. Maybe they were sitting around their camp

Pioc

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

m m m m

retune A, B | ) , C , E

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Men's Chonis

Vtol

Vtonl

VU

Cello

CB

64

fires taUdng about the stars, and maybe they were wondering when the Christ would be bom. They had read in their big Bible- the Old Testament- that

Pice

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Men's Chorus

^

i - °c r r r r ir r r r-r-r r r r r

Vtol

Vton

Cello

65

some day this wonderfiil chUd would be bom. It just could be that they were taUdng about aU of this, wondering if they would ever Uve to sec it happea

Pkx

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

TVI

Tvn&m

Trt>I&n

BsTVb

Biri

Tuba

^

^

^

^

^ Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Men's Chonis

^ ^ mf to xyl

mf

Vtal

Vtanl

Cello

66

WeU, God chose to let

Pioc

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Tuba

Tmp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Men's Chorus

Vtal

Vtan

Cello

67

these shepherds know that something wonderfiil had taken place in the 'vhttle town of Bethlehem.

Pkx

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

So, out there that night, God made a great light shine aU around these shepherds, and made his glory sMne over them.

^ m ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

J i i J J J J J J f J J J

^

Tuq>

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Men's Chonis

Vtal

Vtan

VU

Cello

68

When this happened, the shepherds were frightened. They did not know what in the worid had taken place

Pkx

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

Tuiq>

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Men's Chonis

Vtal

Vtan

Cello

69

Pkx

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

n J) r~J ixSlSl n h~n~.n

^ 3fe s f e ^ ^^m

i)

^rra m J) m

^n^n J) m ^ ^ L-f ''P P-C-T-LT

Tmq)

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Men's Chonis

Vtal

Vtan

Cello

70

Pkx

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

TVn&ffl

Trt)I&n

BsTVb

TViba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Men's Chonis

Vtal

Vtan

CeUo

71

M 8ut God had angels come close to these humble shepherds to teU them not to be afraid. One of the angels told the shepherds that he brought

Pkx

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n I

Hnm&IV

TVI

Tvn&m

Trt)I&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

I

I m ^

m

Tmp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtol

Vto

Celk)

72

good news for them. He told them that the Savior had been bom over in a Uttle town. He also told them that they must go and see for themselves what

Pkx

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n I

Hnm&IV I

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

I ^

^ §

^

^

^ Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

S.D.

73

had taken place. He told them exacdy where to go, and how they would know they had found the right place and the right chUd. The chUd, He told

Pkx

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n I

Hnm&IV

TrI

Trn&m

TVbl&n

BsTrt)

Bari

TViba

^

^

^

^

^ Tuiq>

Perc I

Percn

Percm

I

Choir

Vto 1

VU

Cello

CB

w p ' p f—r 1 w r-^^ f f T- -w

74

them, would be wrapped in swaddUng clothes and (y^h would be lying in a manger. SJ. 64

Pice

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

Trt)I&n

BsTrt)

Tuba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vto

Vto

Celk)

75

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

Celk)

76

Pkx

BsCI

Hnl&

Hnm&IV

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

T\iba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtol

Vton

VU

Celk)

CB

r ^

.0 LJ ^ ^ I P M 'C—T y

r>

r

altacca

77

As these shpeherds stood there that night, wondering at the glory which had shown aU around them.

a host of angels joined in with the first angel and they sang a song saying:

Pkx

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Tuba

Taap

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtol

Vton

Celk)

78

@)ltfi "Glory to God in the highest.

Pkx

H

EH

Ob

CI

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

and on earth peace, good wiU toward men.''

takeflute

^ ^

Jin nun J nmn f ff r—r rr-m ^ * g ^ *

T J —

mf X E :

.ff ^ =r=

mf

^ ^ .ff

^m X E : » w f m

.ff

S ^

f ^ ^ re(un« G , A , B , D , E 1 ?

'-"I J .t

suspandcrash cymb crash to marimba

Choir

Vtol I

Vto 4 VU

Cello

CB

But the angels- the whole heaven fiUed with them- soon went back to God, and the shepherds came with haste to the place where

Pkx

BiCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

Tmq)

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vto

Vton

Celk)

80

they found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

Percm

81

And when these shepherds had seen the baby lying in the manger, they went out and began teUing everyone abo\A It, so that aU those who heard the news wondered about the tMngs which were told to them by the shepherds. " '

Pkx

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

Tunp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtol

Vto

Celk)

82

Pkx

BsCI

I have told you the most No other wonderfiil story that has thing like ever been told. this nas

ever happened in the worid. The story of our own Savior when He was bom in Bethlehem is one which we wUl never tire of hearing. Always, as long as you Uve, you wiUloveto hear about His story. And when you grow up, and have little famiUes yourself, you wiU want to teU your chUdren about this.

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Tuba

Timp

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtol

Vton

CeUo

83

J You know I told you that there has never

= ez been any other tMng happen in aU the v ^ ^ on cue worid Uke the story 1 just told you?

A Uttle over forty years ago there was a Uttle boy bom in Tokyo,

Pkx

Fl

EH

Ob

CI

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&nl

Hnm&IV

¥ take harmon mute muled

^ ^ ^ ^ TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tubt

^

lake harmon mute P

muled

ZL

m m m m

B\>M> m g Tunp

Percl

Percn

Percm

»<*

to xyl mp

mf ^^jHiiU ^ ^

da

m to chimes

H-Gong

-e—

Choir

Vtol

Vta • (

VU

Celk)

CB

84

Japan. This Utfle boy was a Prince. That is, when his father would die, he would become the mler- the Emperor of that country.

Pkx

BsQ

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

retune A\)I,D\,,E\>

^ Tanp

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

t^j I ' J mf

. R j T j j j J J ^ ^ ^ 'Ji>3 j j j j

^

Vtol

Vtol

Celk)

85

The mght when that Uttle boy was bom, they had his moUier in the very best hospital in Tokyo. Also, they had some of the greatest doctors in Japan

Pkx

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

TViba

Taap

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtol

Vto

Celk)

86

on hand that night. And too, they had some of the best trained nurses in the whole land to be there that night. They had sUk blankets and other fine

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Percm

87

things to wrap this chUd in. They had the very best UtUe baby bed that could be had for I I /^g>v mm to be tucked away in as soon as he was bom. Nothing was too good for that Uttle boy. I >-R ^ ten. . „ J = .

Pkx

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Trn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

TViba

Tinq)

Percl

Percn

Poem

Choir

Vtol

Vto

CeUo

88

And, at last, when he was bom, they had a man at the telephone who sent word to all of the countries of the worid to teU them that a Uttle boy had

Pkx

BsCI

Bos

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

Tunp

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtol

Vton

CeUo

89

Pkx

^ _ ^ been bora They spread the news aU around the worid. And the worid was glad when it heard about the birth of this Uttle prince.

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Tvn&ra

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

TViba

Tunp

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

* * #

I U^

«i

Vtol

Vtol

Celk)

90

Pkx

BsCI

Hnl&

Hnm&IV

Tvn&ra

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Tuba

Tunp

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtol

Vto

CeUo

91

But there were some things which did not happen that night. There were surely some shepherds out on the hiU country of Japan who were

Pkx

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&ra

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Tuba

Taap

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtal

Vton

Celk)

watching over their flocks. But God did not have a wonderfiil light shine around these shepherds and then have His glory hover above them.

Pkx

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Trn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Tuba

Tunp

Percl

Percn

Percffl

Choir

Vtol

Vto

Celk)

93

No, there was never another tMn^ happened

God did not send and angel to the shepherds to sine a wonderfiil song to them. Uke that which happened I (41^ And then too, he did not nave a host of angels join in and sing the most at Bethlehem in the long J = ^n I it wPtieifiil stoiy of peace on earth good will towards men. ago. , om

Pkx

H

EH

Ob

CI

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&nl

Hnm&IV

ISO cue

TVI

Tvn&ra

TVbl&n

BsTrt)

Bari

Tuba

Tunp

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

^g

take mute muted

f •

S ^

^

^

^

Vta!

Vtal

Celk)

heart, that- tastes those gifts with

94

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Percm

95

Pkx

Hnl&nl

Hnm&IV I

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTrt)

Bari

TViba

BsCI

Bns

n V i\n.n ^^m fl Mm i) n jiTui

'>r r f ^ r r r r i ^ ^

Jim.

S ^ ^S > J. J ' ],n 1 ji i J m

'HH1 hr}.n n > J. J' ^ ^ Tunp

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

* * WJ^W J - - J ~a

I ° 0 - W-P 5-»& Q ^? &4M B^-P9

""ilp Lr^PLfLT

Vta " (

VU

Celk>

CB

n I r (1 CJ ^ P'LJ'CJ ^ ^

96

Pkx

Hnl&nl

Hnm&rv

BsCI

3 n iin.n LJ^PLTLT

n i. i> CJ > r' p

n Mm u ' p-Lf-cj

n hn.n w^uu

open

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

TViba

u ' ru'u p ^ r pr J9

=4i: .1 J J J. i lJ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 5 f r^ pr r a» iH ^ J L ^ ^ _ ^ ^

• y j- 'v j ^ « ITT- t n hn.n

'" CJ "* p CJ g n . ' i) fr

^ ^

n An,^ c_r'' 9U'U ^ ^ ^ PLT-LT

^ ^ ^ k ^ V j ^ i . j i . ; ^ ^ 5 » * * » *--* - X = K = = X ^ ^ ^.1' .^ ^ . . J Z

> • > •

^ii=g= /

^~p p~p (• ^ ^ r.nru t» m~0 0-

^ =^=? ^ 5 ^ ^ >0 0 ' 0,it0 0^

- t — _ — _ —I—_ -^ nviinj ^ ^ n 1 hn.s ^ E Timp

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

0 01-0 0^0-

° 0 - m-D B-m€ fl-»ff

1 VU

CeUo

CB

97

Pkx

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv|

TrI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

' " r r ) r n Mm n A rn

CJ > r L L ; n jisi-n

u' p-CJ-[J [J 1 p"[_r--cji

r '' r ^ x n

ii m 'n i hi ^8-^m n kn-n

'•" n ) J. J' i f ] ^ Jin.rj n t J m n ^ j ^ n n

Tinq)

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

lo Q > P- ff-#M D> PV ff-^ffff

V t o l I

Vtal

VU

Celk)

98

Pkx

H

EH

Ob

CI

BsCI

Bns

Hnl&m

Hnm&rv

^ ^ I A J

m

^ 4 J L.^

rt j=^ m i ,1 J J W

^

1^-r ^

T—r m

^ ^

^ i i J J. j ) i i ^ J J u J J i J J J

r T T I ^

I TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

Tunp

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

^

^

^

^

^

4l ' F J ^ ^ F F F J ^ ^

J J

^

Vtol

Vtal

Celk)

^ 1 ^ ^ best of the sons of the mom ness and

99

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

Bari

Tuba

Timp

Perc I

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtal

Vtan

delta

!< iHi t !

100

Pkx

BsO

Bns

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

TVI

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTrt)

Bari

TViba

."T~3 XTLJi n rr-Lj-i sun. Sim. '•r~2_xnji

5fe ^ ^ J ^ ^ :

n h.n^n

^-^^.1

n !> n i^sm

n >-JU3

^ i •0 -0 J^"SJ 0^-^ 4

' •r r I ' p - r ^ 'n . -n ri J) n ;>-~?5J:!Q

^ ^ L J •'P-CJ-CJ; CJ ^ P'L/'CJ S H i * *•

*H » » u W~'» »'"'» 0 «/ ft r f LT ^ P' 'LT' B • = K m

Taap

Percl

Percn

Percm

Chofa-

Vtal

Vtan I

Celk)

101

Broaden Tempo

Hnl&n

Hnm&rv

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTrt)

Percm

102

Pkx

BsCI

Hnl&n

Hnm&IV

Tvn&m

TVbl&n

BsTVb

TViba

Tunp

Percl

Percn

Percm

Choir

Vtal

Vto

Celk)

103

CHAPTER IV

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The work involved in preparing The Bethlehem Story proved both formidable and rewarding. The realm of

staged music adds interesting possibilities as well as challenging problems. The addition of music to a simple story helps

the narrator engage the audience more intimately. The narrator's text itself presented an interesting hurdle. In order to

preserve the flow of the story, each natural section of the text was read aloud several times. The average time it took to

read each passage controlled how long the music would be that accompanies it There are several instances where the

orchestra continues to play after the narrator has finished his portion of the text These areas occur only at the natural

pauses in the text and serve as an opportunity for the orchestra to expand and finish developing the music that was begun.

The balance of the orchestra and the narrator presented anotiier problem. While the narrator is speaking, the orchestration

is much lighter and thinner. Smaller ensembles accompany the narrator; therefore, he is not forced to shout the entire

story. In places where the narrator pauses or the text calls for loud speech, the orchestration opens up and all the available

forces are used. The narrator must be able to read music because the storybook which he uses on stage is the conductor's

score. Vertical lines guide the narrator where to start each portion of the text The idea of the vertical lines was

discovered by the author in Aaron Copland's A Lincoln Portrait. There are also several areas where the text q)pears in the

score without a vertical line to cue the Narrator. These instances occur when the text is continuing in free form from a

previously marked starting point.

The ensembles in The Bethlehem Story present an exciting mixture of colors. The orchestra is quite large, but the

intimate scoring required to accompany the narrator leads to several interesting smaller ensembles. The addition of the

mandolin was an idea conceived early in the work on The Bethlehem Story. The Grandfather of the author played an

important role in his life, and the teachings of Elder Lowrance continually guide him. Although the mandolin part is

small, the inclusion of the instrument adds a country-living and "down home" feel to the music. As themes are passed

around the orchestra, the various instruments bring out different characteristics of the old hymn tunes as well as the newly

composed themes. The choir grew in size as the work progressed. Initially, a small chamber ensemble was considered,

but the activity in Scene 7 demands the power of a much larger chorus. The men's choral sections also are greatly

enhanced by more singers. The choir is employed also as an additional instrument in the orchestra. Singing neutral

syllables, the choir adds a color to the orchestration that cannot be matched by any other instruments. Even diough the

choir does not physically interact with the narrator on stage, the interplay between the narrator and the choir, as angels and

shepherds, proves quite effective. A diagram of the stage set-up may be seen in Appendix D.

Presently, there are no definite plans for performance of The Bethlehem Story. However, several high schools in

the Dallas area are being considered for a performance in the Winter of 1995. Plans for recording the work at Texas Tech

University or at South Plains College are currently in progress.

Given the nature of this work, it seems appropriate to mention the tools used to note-set the score and integrate the

musical examples into the supporting document Finale 3.2 for Macintosh served as the note-setting software. This

program presented tremendous help in several areas but also exposed several problems with consumer note-setting

programs. First of all, the neatness of the orchestral score is a God-send for composers. The appearance is near to

pubUshed quaUty. With a Uttle editing, the orchestral and choral parts are easUy extracted from the conductor's score, and

can be prepared in a matter of hours rather than days, as in the past Areas which repeat previously stated material are

easily copied and moved. These areas also may be transposed quite easily. Integrating the musical examples into the text

104

of Chapter n was fairly sunple. An EPS (encapsulated postscript) file was made of each example in Finale and then

imported into Microsoft Word 6.0 for Macintosh. These EPS files contain the music and the music font Petrucci. Each

musical example may be moved around in the text document and also may be enlarged or reduced without jeopardizing the

appearance of the music.

Along with the assistance that a computer program offers, problems come as well. The whole rests in the

percussion parts seem to float in midair. For example, Finale recognizes the line in a single-line staff to be the third line.

Whole rests hang from the fourth line; and therefore, the whole rests suspend above the single line in the score. Example

4.1 shows this problem by comparing a whole rest on a five-line staff and a whole rest on a single-line staff.

Example 4.1

II • ^ ^ \i = 1

Finale does not offer a way to drag rests around individually. If the composer desires to have one rest placed in a special

manner, the others throughout the score move as well.

Another difficulty is the printing of a large score. Unless a printer for 1 lxl7-inch paper is available, one must tile

the music on two pages. Each half of a sheet of music is printed on a piece of letter-size paper and then the two are taped

together. This task is quite time consuming. Another problem is that one cannot print these oversized documents from

within Finale. A postscript listing of the score is made in Finale and then that listing is printed using a print utility

program. As a whole, Finale 3.2 proved to be a valuable asset for the production of this document However, it is not

recommended that one try to compose using the program. Unlike word processors, which aid authors in writing, Finale

is a note-setting tool and only should be used as such after the score has been written by hand.

105

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Copland, Aaron. A Lincoln Portrait. Boosey and Hawkes Inc., 1950.

Copland, Aaron. Third Symphony. New York: Boosey and Hawkes Inc., 1947.

Prokofiev, Serge. Peter and the Wolf London: Boosey and Hawkes Inc., 1942.

Recordings

Copland, Aaron. A I^incoln Portrait. From Portraits of Freednm Track number 2. Hollywood, California: Delos International Inc., 1993.

Copland, Aaron. Third Symphony. From Third Svmnhonv/Mu.sic for the Theatit-.. Track 1-4. Cleveland, Ohio: Telarc.

Glass, Phillip. "Low" Symphony New York: Point Music, 1993.

Homer, James. Qlfliy, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Beverly Hills, California: Virgin Records America Inc., iyo9.

Prokofiev, Serge. Peter and the Wnlf TrarVs 1-17 Germany: Warner Music Manufacturing Europe, 1994.

WiUiams, John. The Raider's March. From The SpielhergAVilliams Collahnratinn. Track number 1. New York: Sony Music Entertainment Inc., 1991.

Williams, John. Jurassic Park. Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Universal City, California: MCA Records Inc., 1993.

Hymnals

Bass, Harvey L. Ed. Harpof Age.s. New Edition. Muleshoe, Texas: Harpof Ages, Incorporated, 1977.

Cayce, C.H. Ed. The Good Old Songs. 19Th ed. Thorton, Arkansas: Cayce Publishing Company, 1956.

Dalton, Len. Ed. Primitive Baptist Hymnal. Azle, Texas: BaptistTrumpet, Incorporated., 1961.

Kerr, Robert P. Ed. Hymns of the Ages. Richmond, Virginia: PresbyterianCommitteeof Publication, 1893.

Speir Sr., E.D. Ed. Old School Hvmnal. llThed. Ellenwood, Georgia: Old School Hymnal Co., Inc., 1986.

Books

American Hymns Old and New. New York: Columbia University Press, 1980.

Andrews, Edward Deming. The Gift to be Simple: songs, dances and rituals of the American Shakers. New York: J.J. Augustin Publisher, 1940.

Billings, William. The Continental Harmonv. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1961.

Billings, William. The Complete Works of William Billings. Boston, Massachusetts: The American Musicological Society, 1981.

Chase, Gilbert. America's Music, from the Pilgrims to the nresent. 3rd Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1987.

Christ-Janer, Albert. Ed. American Hvmns Old and New. New York: Columbia University Press, 1980.

Diehl, Katherine Smith. Hvmns and Tunes-an index. New York: Scarecrow Press, 1966.

Drummond, R. Paul. A Portion For The Singers. Atwood, Tennessee: The Christian Baptist Library and PubUshing Co., Inc., 1989

Ostrander, Arthur E. And Wilson, Dana. Contemporarv Choral Arranging. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1986

Randel, Don Michael. Ed. TTip New Harv rfl PJ Honarv of Music. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1986.

106

Software

Finale ® for Macinto.sh. Version 3.2. Eden Prairie, Minnesota: Coda Music Technology, 1992.

Microsoft ® Word. Version 6.0. Madison, Wisconsin: Microsoft Corporation, 1993-1994.

107

APPENDIX A

THE EDITED TEXT

The Bethlehem Story

by Elder V.J. Lowrance, Sr.

Edited by Bryce H. Lowrance

I want to tell you the most wonderful story that has ever been told. But this story is different from many of the

stories you have heard. This is a true story. Before I begin telling you this story, I want to say to the older ones here that

it might be well if aU of us could feel as our litfle ones here do about the story I plan to tell you. Sometimes we need to

become children again-children in our hearts I mean~and listen to this story as if it were the first time we had ever heard

it You will understand this story better if, in your thoughts, you go with me and let us visit a little country far far away,

and see tiiis country as it was a long long time ago.

The people who lived in this country when our story began did not have automobiles and trains as we have today,

and certainly they did not have planes that skim dirough the heavens as we do today. They did not have many of the

things which we have today. Mostly, they traveled in big, heavy wagons drawn by oxen, or they rode in ox-carts, a big

two-wheeled thing that was drawn by one big ox. Or sometimes, they rode on horses or mules. And then too,

sometimes they rode on donkeys, or even walked.

WeU, on a certain time back in this little country, a great ruler, named Caesar Augustus, who was the big boss of

aU that country, had all the people go to the towns they were bom in and pay their taxes. Everyone had to go sign his

name and pay taxes. The taxes were used to help the great ruler mn his business. Now there was a young man named

Joseph and his wife Mary who Uved in the city of Nazareth. But this young man and his wife were bom in or near

Bethlehem; so they had to go there to pay their taxes. But it was nearly one hundred miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

StiU, this young couple had to go aU the way to Bethlehem to do what the great ruler wanted them to do. We do not know

for sure how this young man and his beautiful wife traveled to make the joumey from Nazareth to Bethlehem; but most

people beUeve the man walked and led a Uttle donkey on which his wife rode. Of course it took them several days to

make this long trip. It may have been a week or more. It was probably sometime during the winter so they had to find a

place to spend each night whUe they were on the way.

Now there were people who Uved much closer to Bethlehem than Joseph and Mary, who also had been bom at or

near Bethlehem. So, they too had to go there to pay taxes. These people who Uved close to Bethlehem got there early so

aU the places where people could spend the night were soon fiUed. They caUed these places inns. I suppose we would

caU them motels. Well, late one aftemoon or early in the evening, when Joseph and Mary reached Bethlehem, aU the

rooms in the inns were filled. At first this must have made Joseph wonder what they would do for a place to spend the

night. But, as he studied about it, he remembered that people could stay in big bams, or a shed, fenced widi big rocks.

People who had to do this must make their pallets in the stalls where the oxen were kept and fed. This young man and his

wife made their beds in a stall in one of these big bams.

And sometime during that night, a Uttle babe was bom to this beautiful woman. She did not have a bassinet to

place this young child in. Nor did she have a blanket to cover him. She had to wrap him in swaddUng clothes and lay

him in a manger.

108

Do you know what my story is about? I know you do. I know tiiat even our Utde children know what I am

taUdng about It is about Jesus who was bom in Bethlehem. Of course, the people in Bedilehem did not know that night

that Jesus, our Savior, was bom in that old bam, and laid to sleep in a manger fiUed with straw. But God was looking

down on that Uttle town that night and He knew aU about what was happening there. He wanted somebody to know that

a wonderful thing had come to pass in that place that night But God did not wake the people who were sleeping in other

parts of the building nor did He wake up the man who kept the inn. Neither did He wake up the doctors who Uved in the

little town, not the mayor, not the man was to coUect taxes. God just let aU of them sleep. There must have been very

Uttle noise there that night- that silent night There may have been a soft tinkling of the Uttle beUs on some of the sheep

which were also in the big building that night

Now, there were some shepherds out in the country who were keeping watch over their flocks by night Maybe

they were sitting around their camp fires talking about the stars, and maybe they were wondering when the Christ would

be bom. They had read in their big Bible~the Old Testament-that some day this wonderful chUd would be bom. It just

could be that they were taUdng about aU of this, wondering if they would ever Uve to see it happen. WeU, God chose to

let these shepherds know that something wonderful had taken place in the Uttle town of Bethlehem.

So, out there that night God made a great Ught shine aU around these shepherds, and made his glory shine over

them. When this happened, the shepherds were frightened. They did not know what in the world had taken place.

But God had angels come close to these humble shepherds to teU them not to be afraid. One of the angels told the

shepherds that he brought good news for them. He told them that the Savior had been bom over in a Uttle town. He also

told them that they must go and see for themselves what had taken place. He told them exacdy where to go, and how they

would know they had found the right place and the right child. The child, He told them, would be wrapped in swaddling

clothes and would be lying in a manger.

As these shepherds stood there tiiat night wondering at the glory which had shown all around diem, a host of

angels joined with die first angel and they sang a song saying: "Glory to God in tiie highest and on earth peace, good

wiU toward men." But the angels~the whole heaven fiUed widi them-soon went back to God, and the shepherds came

witii haste to tiie place where tiiey found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when tiiese shepherds

had seen tiie baby lying in tiie manger, tiiey went out a began teUing everyone about it, so that aU tiiose who heard tiie

news wondered about the tilings which were told to them by tiie shepherds.

I have told you tiie most wonderful story tiiat has ever been told. No otiier tiling Uke tiiis has ever happened in die

worid. The story of our own Savior when He was bom in Betiilehem is one which we wiU never tire of hearing.

Always, as long as you live, you wUl love to hear about His story. And when you grow up, and have Uttie famiUes

yourself, you will want to teU your children about tiiis.

You know I told you tiiat tiiere has never been any otiier tiling happen in aU tiie world Uke tiie story I just told

you? A Uttie over forty years ago tiiere was a littie boy bom in Tokyo, Japan. This Uttie boy was a Prince. That is, when

his fatiier would die, he would become die ruler-tiie Emperor of tiiat country. The night when tiiat Uttie boy was bom,

tiiey had his motiier in tiie very best hospital in Tokyo. Also, tiiey had some of die greatest doctors in Japan on hand tiiat

night And too, tiiey had some of tiie best trained nurses in tiie whole land to be tiiere tiiat night They had siUc blankets

and otiier fine tilings to wrap tiiis child in. They had tiie very best Utde baby bed tiiat could be had for him to be tucked

away in as soon as he was bom. Notiiing was too goo for tiiat Uttie boy. And at last, when he bom, tiiey had a man at

tiie telephone who sent word to aU tiie countries of tiie world to teU tiiem tiiat a Uttie boy had been bom. They spread tiie

news aU around tiie worid. And tiie worid was glad when it heard about tiie birth of tiiis Uttie prince.

109

But there were some things which did not happen that night There were surely some shepherds out on the hiU

country of Japan who were watching over tiieir flocks. But God did not have a wonderful Ught shine around tiiese

shepherds and then have His glory hover above tiiem. God did not send and angel to tiie shepherds to sing a wonderful

song to tiiem. And tiien too, he did not have a host of angels join in and sing tiie most wonderful story of peace on earth,

good wiU toward men. No, tiiere was never anotiier tiling happened Uke that which happened at Bethlehem in tiie long

ago.

110

APPENDDC B

THEMES

Example B.l. Tender Care, Ackley, HarpofAgf. . No. 17. (Copied by pennission from pubUsher).

No. 17. Tender Care. C. M. 8 Lines. p. M. Ackley.

^ -J > ' I " i I 1. {^^^^ •" '^''/ •"•r-cies, 0 my Cod, My ris - ing Bonl sur - T.ys, 1

I Transport - ed with the vi.w, I'm lost In won - der lore and praise, f .. 1 When in tha slip - pery paths of youth, With headleaa steps I ran, 1

Ihine arm, nn-seen, conveyed me safe. And led me np to man. |

i - I ^ « i j - - ! • » • — ' — I u 1—ta—id

'^^^m^mM^mm m

Un - num-bared com-furts on my soul. Thy ten - der care be-stowed. Ten thous-and thousand pre-cioua gifts My dai ly thanks em-ploy;

I F t '-ii^Z^=^U-A^±=k-^ 4± '^M^^MmM

^^^^^^^^^m Be - fore my in - fant heart conceived From whom those comforU flowed Nor IS the least a cheer - ful he.irt. That ta.it<'8 those gifU with joy.

- I - 1^ I ^=)«: ^

' ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Example B.2. Tender Care, arranged by Bryce H. Lowrance.

Fonn(AABA)

-eo Ob i M Bsn

'>'«•' i - 11 I I : I - I I 11 r J J Ij Ij I'' • ' . 1 2C

flip

i^ W

3 ^ ^ ^ r r^cr r-p fr^

Bsn

111

Example B.3. Ninety-Third, composer unknown, HarpofAge.s. No. 31. (Copied by permission)

No. 31, Ninety-Third. S. M.

1. Grace, 'tis a charm 2. Grace first con-trired 3. Grace first in-scribed 4. Grace led my roT -5. Grace taught my soul G. Grace all the work

•£•• -•£• -P

• ing sound, the way my name ing feet to pray.

Har - mo To save In God's To tread And made

t ^ = shall cowD, Through ev

nioua re

the mine

^=ig=gii^= It":

to the earl bel - liouaman; t*r . nal book;

haar'n - ly road, eyes o'er - flow; last - ing days;

2zi=t: iflJ mu0i^m^^m:.

Heay'n with the ech - o shall re And all the steps of grace dis 'Twas grace that gave me to the And new sup-plies each hour I 'Twas grace that kept me to this

sound, play

Uamb, meet, dav.

And all the saints shall hear. Which drew the won - drous plan. \\ ho all my sor - rows took. While preas-ing on to God. And will not let me go. And well de-serves the praise.

k;'

Example B.4. Star in the East, composer unknown. The Good Old Songs. No. 618. (Copied by pennission)

THE GOOD OLD SONGS.

618 star in the East, l i s and 10s.

j , Hail the blest morn,see the great Me -di - a tor, Down from the re - gions of j Shepherds, go wor-ship the Babe in the man - ger, Lo, for His guard the bright.

r * : g SEEEI;

CHORUS.

^ 1—t: 2Sf:

1—r glo ry an - gels

p " r t«id (Bright-est and best of the sons of the morn - ing!

de - scend at

^ n e=3t ^ i i

i ^Edgp^^Ef^ — ^ • -

Dawn on

-P-— 3 —

3 ^ S •<s>- 1 our dark-ness , and lend us Thine a id; Star in the east, the ho-

g I

2 1 i 43-

iPB - ^ - 4 : i i 3 i ^

« = « ^TT^'-^-a S^F^ f EC

g a - dorn - ing, Guide where our in - fant Re - deem - er was

-1©- -!•- -K- -1^-laid.

^ a£ I S I £ r f^ 2 Cold on His cradle the dew-drops are s h i n i n g ;

Low lies His bed, with the beasts of the s t a l l ; . Angels adore Him, in slumbers reclining,

Wise men and shepherds before Him do fall. Brightest and best, etc.

3 Say, shall we yield Him, in costly devotion, Odors of Eden, and offerings divine,

Gems from the mountain, and pearls from the ocean. Myrrh from the forest, and gold from che mine?

Brightest and be^t, etc.

4 Vainly we offer each ample oblation, Vainly with gold we His favor secure; >•

Richer by far is the heart's adoration: Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

Brightest and best, etc

112

Example B.5. Shepherds' Tune, Star in the East, arranged by Bryce H. Lowrance. from Overture mm. 66-100.

I -ISO muted trpts

mf Hn, Bari, CeUo

m ^ ^ r if r f if r r ir r r ^

Trpts (open)

'>'f f r if f = # Low Brass and Strings

i »~y p p r r r r r" *"*— ii=»-»r»-r-r»—

Timp 3 ^

J. J 'J ^ |J J i I ^ ^ 7^=? *-#

f ^ Tu 1

• I w 1- L 1- LL

0b.Cl,H

7

,Vlns

•

C1,B OS, Strii

•J

« • •

»

-9'

0

0-

*

H

-(9-:

T-

N p. » — »

0 r

r

9-:

t. .. »

^^

7

9-'

»-=

•

I.

»

» 1

fi^

- ? * -

:J

a-' »-=

»

= j

f-

f=^ =

»-=

[»-=

m » t |Z ^

0 r^

M r [

•. t J p 1 h¥rrrr

1 r

rrffff

'J

1 LLwh i vjr^

113

Example B.6. Brass Fanfare from Overture, mm. 36-40.

f BsTib,'niba

Example B.7. Brass Fanfare from Scene 7. mm. 335-338.

As these shepherds stood there that night.

Trumpets

Sim.

I 80

wondering at the glory which had shown all around them.

f Homs J Homs

J "ftoml

m IVomlranes

t^m f

^ !s

^ ^ f

s

I \f } f

Example B.8. "Little Babe" Lullaby.

70

Example B.9. "Litde Babe" Lullaby Pentatonic variant,

J=es 3

i!ii'rjji'i

114

Example B.IO. Couple's Duet.

i-es^- "" loco

^ M ^ ^ ^

^ ^

^ ^ J j

^

17»~

^

y=: ^

^

/

if t' r

^ ^ =a

mf

^

115

APPENDIX C

FLOWCHART OF MICROFORM

Meas. #

Thematic Material

Key/ Center/ Mode

1-17 "Big Boss"

18-35 Couple's Duet

36-46 Brass Fanfare/ '•Litfle Babe"

47-53 "Litde Babe" Lullaby

54-62 "Litfle Babe" Lullaby

63-74 Shepherds' Tune Star in the East Form (AABA) First A

75-82 Shepherds' Tune Star in the East Second A

83-90 Shepherds' Tune Star in the East Section B

91 -92 2-bar extension

93-100 Shepherds' Tune Star in the East Final A

101-105 5-bar transition

106-114 Tender Care Form (AABA) First A

114-122 Tender Care Second A

Tempo Instruments Narrator's and/or Text Voices

G center

A-flat center

G quintal

J=62

J=68

J=120

Full Orchestra Overture (no text)

Piano solo; CI Overture and Bssn duet; Full Orchestra

Full Brass; Fl Overture and CI

G Major \ , Brass entries; Overture ^-'^ EH; Homs

D Major \_,

Aeolian Mode on A

Aeolian Mode on A

76

J=120

J=120

Aeolian i_ Mode on A ^-^^"

Aeolian i_, ^^ mode on A ^-^^" and a melodic minor

Aeolian Lion Mode on A ^'^^^ Turkish scale on A

Moving to \.^ A Major ^ ^ "

A Major j _ ^ 60

A Major J^^Q

WW and Strings; 2 Trpts

Overture

Muted Trpts, Overture Timp, Homs, Bari, Cellos

Trpts, Trb, Bari, Tuba, Low Strings

Overture

WW, Strings, Overture Mallet Percussion

Full Orchestra Overture

Full Orchestra Overture

Fl, Ob, CI, Timp

Fl, Ob, Skin Head Drum

Ob, CI, Bsn, Drum

Scene 1: "I want to tell you the most..."

'This is a true story. Before I begin..."

"Sometimes we need to become children again..."

Musical Features

Quintal, quartal and tertian vertical combinations.

Figural melody; stretto in full orchestra fugue.

Brass fanfare intermpts final cadence of Couple's duet. Fl and CI play "Litfle Babe" figure in augmentation over the brass fanfare.

After Brass false entries, the EH plays melody accompanied by four Homs.

Continuation of Lullaby in D Major; 2 four-bar phrases, the Trpts enter on second phrase.

Muted Trpts and Timp on a rhythmic ostinato; Homs, Bari, and Cellos on theme.

Trpts on melody with altered rhythms; Others on rhythmic accompaniment.

AU in homophonic arrangement

Building to retam of final A; mixture of two scales.

2-part melody splitting into diree; Quintal harmony has been added to rhytiimic accompaniment; Flares of Turkish scale in Vln I, Pno, and Pice. The Turkish scale consists of notes from this scale: A, B-flat, C#, D,E, F, G#, A.

Fl, Ob, and CI hold trills; Timp rolls an E; This combination suspends an El 3 chord (V in A Maj).

Old hymn tune is used to accompany sermon-like character of the text This is the original melody with a new harmony.

Duet becomes a trio with addition of Bassoon. The new harmony in both A sections stretches die tonal properties of die melody.

116

Meas. #

Thematic Material

122-130 Tender Care Section B

130-137 Tender Care Final A

Key/ Center/ Mode

A Major

Tempo

J=60

A Major j =60

138-151 Ninety-Third C Major j _ 50

152-162 "Big Boss" E center J=62

163-183 Couple's Duet A-flat center J=68

184-198 Ninety-Third Form (A'A'BA") Traveling motif

A-flat Major J=76

198-227 Ninety-Third Traveling motif

A-flat Major J=76

Instruments and/or Voices

Strings and Piano

H, Ob, CI, Bsn, Dram

TrI, Mandolin, 2 solo Cellos

Full brass, Low Strings, Rhythmic Percussion

Piano, CI and Bsn duet; Full orchestra

EH, Bs CI, Strings, Mallet Percussion

Narrator's Text

"You will understand this story..."

Narrator is moving to a stool

Scene 2: "TTie people who lived in this country when our story began did not have..."

"Well on a certain time back in this litfle country, a great ruler named..."

Scene 3: "Now there was a young man named Joseph and his wife..."

"Of course it took them several days to make this long trip..."

Full Orchestra in canon

"Now there were people who Uved much closer to Bethlehem than Joseph and Mary, who also had been born..."

228-231 Couple's Duet E-flat center J=76 Piano, Low Strings

Musical Features

Standard melody with modem harmony; continues to stretch the tonality of tiie melody.

Retum of transparent trio of instraments; This represents the close to the sermon.

Tr I is doubled on the melody by the Mandolin. The Mandolin symbolizes Elder Lowrance. ThetwoceUos add harmony by moving aimlessly around in lOfli's. This harmony and the text set up this theme as a traveling motif.

This entrance of the "Big Boss" theme, in its intervalUc texture, coincides with the text which gives the theme its name. The dark mixture of colors is amplified in a lower key than that of the overture and is even more ominous in its instramentation here.

This theme is brought back in the same form as the overture. However, the final cadence is not interrapted.

The A sections are marked by a droning ostinato in the ceUo and CB with the EH playing the theme. Section B adds die rest of the Strings, the Percussion and the Bs CI. The ostinato contiinues throughout the entire 15 measures.

Here the theme is treated in a canon with several stretto entrances of the theme. Each entrance contains the melody and a single harmony; these "duets" represent the various couples that were traveling to Bethlehem. The final two subject entrances (meas. 213) are one measure apart and the hynm tune expresses the modem idea of quintal harmony.

The theme is presented in die piano with the Low Strings holding a pedal A-flat below. The Couple's Duet is brought back to close this section of the text. Mary and Joseph have reached the bam where they wiU spend the night and their theme comes back to a resting point.

117

Meas. #

After meas.

Thematic Material

no music

Key/ Center/ Mode

N/A

Tempo Instruments Narrator's and/or Text Voices

N/A

232-235 4-bar introduction D Major J=60

N/A

FuU Orchestra (on cue)

"And sometime during that night, a litde babe was born..."

Scene 4:

236-239 "Litfle Babe" LuUaby

D Major J=60 CI, Bs CI, Tr

I,MaUet Percussion, and Women's Choir

240-243 "Litfle Babe" LuUaby

244-251 "Litde Babe" LuUaby

D Major J=60

D Major J=60

Women's Choir, Strings

WW, Strings, Homs

252-265 "Litfle Babe" LuUaby

A Major j ^ ^ ^

"Do you know what my story is about? I know you do..."

FuU Orchestra "But God was looking down on..."

266-284 Shepherds'Tune Star in the East Form (AABA) mm 266-284 are flie First and Second A

AeoUan on A J=120

Men's Choms, Vibe, Tom-tom, Gong, Timp

Scene 5: "Now, there were some shepherds out in the country..."

Musical Features

This is the first time since the story began that the narrator speaks in sUence. The stillness in the absence of music adds to the peace and purity of the moment in the text.

This section is marked Triumphant. There are several stretto entrances of the head of die "Utfle Babe" LuUaby. Many are marked by hom fifths. The introduction ends with an open fifth half cadence in die key of D Major.

Tr I has the main melody and is accompanied by the otiier instraments. The Women's Choir acts as an instrament and sings only Ah. The 2nd CI, Vibe and 2nd Soprano double the melody in coloration an octave below the Trampet.

The Women's Choir and strings perform a chorale-like setting of the theme. The text being sung is the author's addition.

Two statements of the theme. The Homs join in on the second statement, which also modulates and ends on the V of A Major.

Spirited arrangement (with the melody in several octaves and passed around the orchestra.) This section closes with the Vibe sustaining an ostinato representing the bells on the sheep, whUe the narrator speaks about the sUent night

The Men's Choms represents the shepherds in the coimtry. The melody is in the second tenor and the other three parts are in quintal and quartal harmony. The non-pitched Percussion help to move the homophonic stmcture along, while the pitched Percussion add a Ught harmony but serve mainly to help the intonation of die a cappeUa singing. The lyrics sung throughout this theme are from the hymn's first verse and choras.

118

Meas. #

285-292

Thematic Material

Shepherds' Tune Star in the East Section B

Key/ Center/ Mode

AeoUan on A

Tempo

J=120

Instruments and/or Voices

Brass, Men's Choras, CeUo

Narrator's Text

"WeU, God chose to let these shepherds know that..."

293-294 2-bar extension AeoUan on A and a melodic minor

J=120 FuU orchestra "When diis happened die shepherds were frightened. They did..."

295-302 Shepherds' Tune Star in the East Final A

AeoUan on A and Turkish scale on A

J=120 FuU Orchestra, Men's Choras

303-311 Tender Care Form (AABA) First A

C Major j ^ ^

311-319 Tender Care Second A

C Major j ^ ^ ^

Ob and CI duet

Ob, CI, Bs CI, Bns, S.D., Vhis, CeUo

Scene 6: "But God had angels come close to these humble..."

The narrator continues text begun at meas. 303.

319-327 Tender Care Section B

C Major j ^ ^ FuU Orchestra; Mixed Choras

The narrator continues text begun at meas. 303.

327-334 Tender Care Final A

C Major J^^Q Fl, CI, Bs CI, Bns, Tr I, S.D., Mixed Choras, Vln I, CeUo

Musical Features

The brass join the men as they sing the words Brightest and best... The countermelody of the CeUos interweaves between the lines of the larger ensemble. Meas. 289 presents a correlation between die words of the old hymn tune and the narrator's text. The narrator is speaking about God making His glory shine over them, whUe the men sing the words Dawn on our darkness.

This is an extension similar to the one found in the overture, (mm 91-92) The commotion of the flurried scalar activity represents the fear that the shepherds were feeling.

The frightened feeling of die shepherds is embodied in the final A of the theme. This arrangement is identical to the final A of this theme found in the overture, starting at meas. 93, with the addition of the Men's Choras.

The Tender Care dieme is brought back here to aid in the comfort of the shepherds. The text once again is sermon-like and this theme seems appropriate.

The Ob and CI duet is once again made into a trio with die addition of the lower WW parts. The strings serve as doublings to die WW parts. The S.D. punctuates with its counter-rhythms.

The choir, now in five and six parts, joins the full orchestra with words from the old hymn tune. The arrangement is new and the words reflect the reUef of the shepherds, as they are told where and how they would find Jesus and they sing Urmumbered comforts on my soul.

This final A is in two sections. The first section presents die theme in Tr I doubled an octave higher in tiieR The Bs CI, Bns, men and CeUo add the lowest harmony whUe the CI and women add die middle harmony. The second section of diis Final A is die original trio of Ob, CI, and Bsn.

119

Meas. #

335-345

Thematic Material

Brass Fanfare

Key/ Center/ Mode

Bitonal E harmonic minor and G major; The resultant scale is: E, F#, G, A, B, D, D#,E.

Tempo

J=80

Instruments and/or Voices

FuU Orchestra and Mixed Choras

Narrator's Text

Scene 7: "As these shepherds stood there tiiat night..."

346-364 "Litfle Babe" LuUaby

D Major j ^ ^ FuU Orchestra and Mixed Choras

no music N/A N/A N/A

365-387 "Litfle Babe" LuUaby Pentatonic Variant

Pentatonic j _ , , , Mode n on ^'^^ A-flat

FuU Orchestra (on cue)

"But die angels~the whole heaven fiUed with them-soon went back to God, and die shepherds came with haste to the place..."

"I have told you the most wonderful story..."

Scene 8: "A Utfle over forty years ago in Tokyo, Japan..."

Musical Features

The brass fanfare retums in a highly altered form. Here, each statement made by the narrator is precisely timed to the activity in the orchestra. The high point of The Bethlehem Story (meas. 340) is when aU the forces join in a double forte statement of "Glory to God in The Highest..." The narrator and choir quickly subdue the power as the choir and marimba accompany the narrator to finish the phrase "... and on earth peace, good wiU toward men."

The "Littie Babe" LuUaby retums once again in several large arrangements with the melody spoken in different instraments for each statement of the theme. The choras is treated as an additional instrament again and sings onlyA/i. These entrances are also marked by a reharmonization of the "Litde Babe" LuUaby. The most noticeable difference is the first chord. It is stiU a tonic chord but it appears in 2nd inversion. This section closes widi an antiphonal rhythmic effect between the high and low instraments which modulates to the center of E-flat.

The sUence of the orchestra paraUels the sUence when the narrator told of Jesus' birth. The choir, orchestra and audience need a rest from die forceful activity, and the narrator's words are very important to the story.

The narrator's text paraUels the birth of Jesus to the birth of die Japanese Emperor. Therefore die "Litfle Babe" LuUaby is transformed into an Asian variant on a pentatonic mode. The theme is first presented in die Xyl (meas 367) and accompanied by muted Trumpets. Additional musical lines are added one at a time untU the entire orchestra presents the theme at Rehearsal letter Y.

120

Meas. #

Thematic Material

387-395 Tender Care First A and "Littie Babe" LuUaby

Key/ Center/ Mode

Bitonal A Major andD Major

Tempo Instruments Narrator's and/or Text Voices

Musical Features

J=56 Fl, Tr I, Vibe, The narrator The bitonaUty of this section Marimba, continues occurs in that two melodies Vln n text begun at are heard simultaneously in

meas. 365. dieir original keys. Tr I, Vln n and Marimba present Tender Care in A Major whUe die solo Fl and Vibe play die "Litfle Babe" LuUaby high above in D Major. The new arrangement that has been used with the Tender Care melody made it possible to present two keys simultaneously.

395-403 Tender Care Second A

A Major J=56 Full Brass

403-411 Tender Care Section B

A Major J=56 FuU Orchestra and Mixed Choras

The narrator The brass continues the continues presentation of the Tender text begun at Care theme. The narrator's meas. 365. text about die birth of die

Japanese prince is ending and the narration retums to a sermon-like portion of the text Hence, the church music of the Tender Care is brought back.

"But there The fuU orchestra along with were some the choir singing die text from things which the hymn present Section B. did not happen that night.."

411-418 Tender Care Final A

A Major J=56 Mixed Choras The narrator

continues ^etext begun at meas. 403.

423-438

5-bar introduction

Shepherds' Tune Star in the East Fonn (AABA) First 2 A's

Moving to a center of A

AeoUan on A with quintal accompani­ment

J=120

J=120

Trpts and Vlns

Brass, Percussion, Men's Choras, and Strings

"No, there was never another thing..."

439-446 Shepherds' Tune Star in the East Section B

J=120 WW, Women's Choras, and Strings

The choras is singing words of thanksgiving for the birth of Jesus, whUe the narrator teUs how die birth of the Utde babe in a bam far exceeds the birth of even a great world leader (The Japanese Prince).

AcappeUa chorus finishes the statement of this theme. This is the only arrangement of an old hymn tune used in its natural form, direcfly from the hymnal. The Primitive Baptist Church does not use instruments in the church service, and it seemed appropriate to convey that practice at the closing of the narrator's sermon-like text

The rhythmic ostinato of the Shepherds' Tune announces the close to the entire work.

With quintal chords and rhythmic accompaniment the Men sing the words to the first verse of the hymn Star in the East The melody is supported in the same octave by die Homs, Bari, and Vln II.

The women continue witii the text from the hymn and the instraments provide melodic support and harmony in several octave doublings of this homophonic arrangement

121

Meas. #

447

Thematic Material

1-bar extension

Key/ Tempo Instruments Center/ and/or Mode Voices

Narrator's Text

AeoUan on i ,._ A ^=120

448-455 Shepherds'Tune Star in the East Final A

AeoUan on A J=120

FuU Orchestra

FuU Orchestra and Mixed Choras

455-462 Final extension C center J=120 FuU Orchestra andMbced

Tempo Choras begins to broaden

Musical Features

Frantic scales and pulsing open fifths bring aU the instraments back for the retum of the Final A.

AU the forces join in a spirited arrangement The voices are pleaduig for the Star in the East to guide them to the Savior. This theme was chosen as the closing theme to move the audience to continue seeking the Savior every day.

The text "He is Bom!" is repeated several times by the chorus and is supported throughout by the orchestra. The violins have scalar passages rising and falling which add to the akeady frantic environment created by the shifting chords. The work ends with the last tiiree bars spelling a nine-note quint^ constraction throughout the orchestra. The last two bars consist of this nine-part stracture, a pulsing S.D. and a quintal ostinato in the xyl. The same chord is heard at a triple forte in an accented staccato on beat three of the final measure.

122

APPENDIX D

STAGE SET-UP

Choir on Risers

Orchestra

Conductor

Pulpit

Narrator's stool and stand O for storybook

Children from audience seated at the feet of Narrator

Figure D.l. Stage Setup

123

PERMISSION TO COPY

In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for a master's degree at Texas Tech University or

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, I agree that the Library

and my major department shall make it freely available for research

purposes. Permission to copy this thesis for scholarly purposes may

be granted by the Director of the Library or my major professor. It

is understood that any copying or publication of this thesis for

financial gain shall not be allowed without my further written

permission and that any user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Agree (Permission is granted.)

Student's Signature Date

Disagree (Permission is not granted.)

Student's Signature Date