For 3-part choir, with optional solos:Soprano, Alto and Baritone/All Men
orSoprano, Tenor and Bass
Text from Christmas by George Herbert
Alistair Brown
The Shepherds sing;and shall I silent be?
The first verse and chorus may be sung by either3 soloists (1 per part), or by the full choir.
The remaining verses and choruses should be sung by the full choir.
Verse 1The shepherds sing; and shall I silent be?
My God, no hymne for thee?My soul's a shepherd too: a flock it feeds
Of thoughts, and words, and deeds.The pasture is thy word; the streams, thy grace
Enriching all this place.
ChorusHis beams shall cheer my breast, and both so twine,
Till ev'n his beams sing, and my musick shine.
Verse 2Shpeherd and flock shall sing, and all my powers
Out-sing the day-light houres.Then we will chide the sunne for letting night
Take up his place and right:We sing one common Lord; wherefore he should
Himself the candle hold.
Chorus(His beams...)
Verse 3I will go searching, till I finde a sunne
Shall stay, till we have done;A willing shiner, that shall shine as gladly,
As frost-nipt sunnes look sadly.Then we will sing, and shine all our own day,
And one another pay:
Chorus(His beams...)
Soprano
Alto
Baritone
Piano(optional)
1.The
3.I2.Shep
shepherdwill
-herdsandgo
- sing;flock
search
andshalling,-
shallsing,till
Iand
I
siall
finde
lentmya
- be?pow'rssunne
Molto Rubato; q=c.100
1.The2.Shep
3.I
shepherdwill
-herdsandgo
- sing;flock
search
shallsing,ing,-
Iandtill
siallI
lentmy
finde
- be?pow'rssunne
1.The2.Shep
3.I
shepherdwill
-herdsandgo
- singflock
search
andshalling,-
shallsing,till
Iand
I
siall
finde
lentmya
- be,pow'rs
sunne,
sil
finde
ent
a
-
S.
A.
B.
Pno.
Myout
shall
God,singstay
-nothetill
hymnedaywe
forlighthave
-thee?
houres,done,
Forthe
havehoures.done.
thee? MyThen
A
soul'swewill
awilling-
4
Myout
shall
God,singstay
-nothetill
hymnedaywe
forlighthave
-thee?
houres,done,
Forthe
have
thee?houres.done.
MyThen
A
soul'swewill
awilling-
be?
sunne
(My)out
(shall)
God,singstay
-nothetill
hymnedaywe
forlighthave
-thee?
houres,done,
Nothetill
hymnedaywe
forlighthave
-thee?houres.done.
MyThen
A
soul'swewill
awilling-
The shepherds sing; and shall I silent be?(An excerpt from Christmas)
Music by Alistair BrownText by George Herbert(1593-1633)
S.
A.
B.
Pno.
shepchideshi
herdthener,
-
-
too:sunnethat
aforwill
flocklet
shine
ittingas
-feedsnight
glad ly,- -
oftakeas
thoughts,up
frost
andhisnipt-
8
shepchideshi
herdthener,
-
-
too:sunnethat
aforwill
flocklet
shine
ittingas
-glad
feedsnightly,-
oftakeas
thoughts,up
frost
andhisnipt-
shepchideshi
herdthener,
-
-
too:sunnethat
aforwill
flocklet
shine
ittingas
-feedsnight
glad ly,-
oftakeas
thoughts,up
frost
andhisnipt-
S.
A.
B.
Pno.
words,place,sun
ofhisnés-
words,placelook
andandsad
deeds.right:ly.-
Thewe
Then
12
words,place,sun
ofhisnés-
words,placelook
andandsad
deeds;right;
ly-
wordsplacelook
andandsad
deeds.right:
ly.-
Thewe
Then
words,placesun
ofhisnés-
words,placelook
andandsad
deeds;right;
ly;-
ofhis
words,placelook
andandsad
deeds.right:
ly.-
Thewe
Then
S.
A.
B.
Pno.
passingwe
tureonewill
- iscomsing,
thymonand
-word;Lord;shine
thewhere
all
streamsforeour
-thyhe
own
graceshould
day,
enhimand
richselfone
--
ingthea
- allcanno-
thedlether
--
15
passingwe
tureonewill
- iscomsing,
thymonand
-word;Lord;shine
thewhere
all
streamsfore
our
thy
ownhe
graceshould
day,
enhimand
richselfone
--
ingthea
allcanno-
thedlether
--
passingwe
tureonewill
- - iscomsing,
thymonand
-word;Lord;shine our
wherethyhe
own
graceshouldday,
enhimand
richselfone
--
ingthea
- allcanno-
thedlether
--
S.
A.
B.
Pno.
place.hold.pay:
His beams shall cheer my
poco rit. A tempo20
place,hold,pay,
thecanwe
dleshall
-place.hold.pay:
His beams shall cheer my
place,hold,pay,
allcanwe
thedle
shall-
place.hold.pay:
His beams shall cheer my
S.
A.
B.
Pno.
breast, and both so twine, till e ven- his beams
25
breast and both so twine, till e ven- his beams
breast, and both so twine, till e ven- his beams
S.
A.
B.
Pno.
sing, and my mu sick- shine.
28
sing, and my mu sick- shine, my mu sick- shine.*
sing, and my mu sick- shine.*
* On the final chorus, the Altos and Baritones may split to include the bracketed notes if desired.