Noël

On a winter's night long time ago
(The bells ring loud and the bells ring low),
When high howled wind, and down fell snow
(Carillon, Carilla).
Saint Joseph he and Nostre Dame,
Riding on an ass, full weary came
From Nazareth into Bethlehem.
And the small child Jesus smile on you.

And Bethlehem inn they stood before
(The bells ring less and the bells ring more),
The landlord bade them begone from his door
(Carillon, Carilla).
"Poor folk" (says he), "must lie where they may,
For the Duke of Jewry comes this way,
With all his train on Christmas Day."
And the small child Jesus smile on you.

Poor folk that may my carol hear
(The bells ring single and the bells ring clear),
See! God's one child had hardest cheer!
(Carillon, Carilla).
Men grown hard on a Christmas morn;
The dumb beast by and a babe forlorn.
It was very, very cold when our Lord was born.
And the small child Jesus smile on you.

Now these were Jews as Jews must be
(The bells ring merry and the bells ring free).
But Christian men in a band are we
Carillon, Carilla).
Empty we go, and ill be-dight,
Singing Noel on a winter's night.
Give up to sup by the warm firelight,
And the small child Jesus smile on you.

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "Noël", from Verses and Sonnets, published 1896

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

by Neville Bower , "Carillon, carilla", published 1965. [SSA chorus and piano]
by Shena Eleanor Fraser (1910-1993) , "On a winter's night long time ago", published 1958 [SSA chorus and piano (and optional strings)], from Carillon, no. ?
by Norman Houston O'Neill (1882-1964) , "Noël", 1914. [SATB chorus and bells ad libitum]
by Peter Warlock (1894-1930) [pseudonym] , "Carillon, carilla", published 1930. [SATB chorus or unison voices and organ]

Date added to the website: 2009-01-16.

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