What Child Is This? (Vocal Score)

PATRICK HAWES

What Child Is This?

for unaccompanied SATB choir

Vocal Score

ISBN 978-1-910623-72-5

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Published by Hawes Music Ltd

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Printed in the United Kingdom by Caligraving Ltd, Thetford, Norfolk.

PATRICK HAWES

What Child Is This?

for unaccompanied SATB choir

Duration: circa 4 minutes

What Child is this who, laid to rest

On Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping?

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Refrain:

This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing; Haste, haste, to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate, Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear: for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Refrain

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh, Come, peasant, king to own Him. The King of kings salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Refrain

Words: William Chatterton Dix (1837 – 1898)

Composer’s Note

Choirs should feel free to work towards their own interpretation of this relatively straightforward strophic carol. The tempo is fairly flexible and there are no set dynamic markings. However, care should be taken to mirror the text’s juxtaposition of question and answer as well as the contrasting moods of each verse. It may be interesting to note that the premiere performance asked the questions at a quieter dynamic than the ensuing answers, and the last verse began with a confident forte.

What Child Is This?

William Chatterton Dix PATRICK HAWES

4 4 4

? b & b # < b> n

an gels - greet with an thems - sweet, While shep herds - watch are kee ping? -

? b n n n & b

Chorus: Christ, shep -

10 bring him laud, The Babe, the Son of Ma r y, - the Babe, the Son of Ma r y! -

# Haste, ? b & b ? b n

Chorus ˙ ˙ œ œ œœ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ nœ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙œ œ ˙ ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ nœ ˙ ˙ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ ˙

1. What Child is this, who laid to rest, On Ma r y ’s - lap is slee ping? - Whom

2 Why lies He in such mean estate, Where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christian, fear: for sinners here The silent Word is pleading.

Chorus

3 So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh, Come, peasant, king to own Him. The King of kings salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone Him

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forperusalonly

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ISBN 978-1-910623-72-5

HM 0072

9781910623725