The birds

When Jesus Christ was four years old,
The angels brought Him toys of gold,
Which no man ever had bought or sold.

And yet with these He would not play.
He made Him small fowl out of clay,
And blessed them till they flew away.

Tu creasti, Domine.1
Jesus Christ, Thou child so wise, 
Bless mine hands and fill mine eyes,
And bring my soul to Paradise.

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "The birds", from Verses, published 1910

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) , "The birds", 1929, published 1935. [medium voice and piano]
by Vera Buck , "The birds", published 1932. [voice and piano]
by Walter Joseph Buczynski (1933-) , "The birds", published 1954 [high voice and piano], from Cycle of Three Songs, no. ?
by Geoffrey Bush (1920-1998) , "The birds", published 1948 [SATB a cappella], from A Christmas Cantata
by (Henry) Walford Davies, Sir (1869-1941) , "The birds", published 1931 [high voice and piano], from Twenty-One Songs
by John William Duarte (1919-) , "The birds", published 1971 [high voice and classical guitar], from Five Quiet Songs, no. ?
by Arthur Fagge , "The birds", published <<1940. [voice and piano]
by John Fearing , "When Jesus Christ was four years old", published 1966. [medium voice and piano or organ]
by Norman Gilbert (1912-) , "The birds", published 1964. [unison voices, descant recorder or oboe, and piano]
by Arthur Murray Goodhart (1905-1955) , "When Jesus Christ was four", published <<1967. [unison voices and piano]
by Ivor Gurney (1890-1937) , "The birds" [voice and piano]
by Geoffrey Gwyther , "The birds" [voice and piano]
by Phyllis M. James , "The birds", published <<1940.
by Dom Gregory Murray , "The birds", published 1939. [SATB chorus a cappella]
by William Reginald Pasfield (1909-) , "The birds", published 1962. [unison voices with optional descant and piano]
by Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987) , "Thou child so wise", published 1965 [medium voice and piano], from Hilaire Belloc Songs, no. 1.
by George Rathbone (1874-?) , "When Christ was four years old", published 1924. [SSS chorus a cappella]
by Joseph Roff (1910-1993) , "Toys of gold", published 1959. [SA chorus or unison voices and piano]
by H. Haley Simpson , "The birds", published 1922. [voice and piano]
by Paul W. Sweetman , "The birds", published 1961. [SSA chorus and piano]
by Eric Harding Thiman (1900-1975) , "The birds", published <<1940. [voice and piano]
by Ruth W. Vanderlip (1900-1986) , "The legend of the birds", 1927. [voice and piano]
by Leslie Walters (1902-) , "The birds", published 1935. [medium voice and piano]
by Peter Warlock (1894-1930) [pseudonym] , "The birds", 1926, published 1927. [voice (or unison boys' voices) and piano]

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

Gentle Reminder

This project is not funded. If you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your gift is greatly appreciated!      - Emily I also have a wishlist at Amazon.ca.

Search/Shop for

Sheet music:

  Search sheetmusicplus.com for Thou child so wise, When Jesus Christ was four years old, When Jesus Christ was four, Toys of gold, The legend of the birds, The birds, When Christ was four years old, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for Thou child so wise, When Jesus Christ was four years old, When Jesus Christ was four, Toys of gold, The legend of the birds, The birds, When Christ was four years old, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for Thou child so wise, When Jesus Christ was four years old, When Jesus Christ was four, Toys of gold, The legend of the birds, The birds, When Christ was four years old, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for Thou child so wise, When Jesus Christ was four years old, When Jesus Christ was four, Toys of gold, The legend of the birds, The birds, When Christ was four years old, art song, Lieder, or chansons

Books:

  The Art of the Song Recital [amazon.com]
  The Book of Lieder: The Original Texts of Over 1000 Songs [amazon.com]
  Search amazon.com for art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for art song, lieder, or chansons

Classical Vocal Repertoire