Hush! My Dear, Lie Still and Slumber

Published by Roger Dean Publishing Company

Catalog # 10/3684R
Part of the Janet Galván Treble Choral Series

SATB / piano

Traditional French Carol
Duration: 4:20
Difficulty rating (1-5): 3

While this simple Christmas lullaby (text by Isaac Watts) is not a well-known carol, its melody, of Italian origin, is quite gorgeous and deserves more notice.

In creating this arrangement, suitable for church and high school and beyond mixed choirs, I felt the influence of John Rutter’s incredibly beautiful Dormi, Jesu-- another charming Italian carol. Rutter’s setting is full of delectably subtle dissonances and suspensions, and these were compositional devices I wished to highlight in my setting of Hush! My Dear.

Choral directors are invited to create a varied palette of warm choral colors, along with a fluid rubato as they interpret this arrangement.

TEXT

Hush! my dear, lie still and slumber,
Holy an-gels guard thy bed!
Heav'nly blessings without number
Gently falling on thy head.
Loolay, lullaby, etc.

Soft and easy is thy cradle;
Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay,
When his birth-place was a stable
And his softest bed was hay.
Loolay, lullaby, etc.

See the lovely Babe addressing;
Lovely Infant, how he smil'd!
When he wept, the mother's blessing
Sooth'd and hush'd the holy Child.
Loolay, lullaby, etc.

How much better thou art attended
Than the Son of God could be
When from heaven he descended,
And became a child like thee.
Loolay, lullaby, etc.

(partial score)

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PAUL CAREY composer / conductor
All materials and information on this site © 2008 Paul Carey and respective music publishers
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