The Oxen

Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
"Now they are all on their knees,"
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.

We pictured the meek mild creatures [where]1
[As]2 they dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.

So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
"Come; see the oxen kneel,

In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know,"
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so.

by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) , "The Oxen", published 1919

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 Oxen", published 1968. [carol: sa and piano]
by Leslie Cochran , "The Oxen", published 1927. [carol: voice and piano]
by Edward Joseph Dent (1876-1957) , "The Oxen" [voice and piano], from Sackbut, Dec. 1920
by Jonathan Elkus (1931-) , "The Oxen" [high voice, piano]
by Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) , "The Oxen", op. 2 no. 3 (1921-2) [voice and orchestra], from By Footpath and Stile, no. 3.
by Robert James Berkeley Fleming (1921-1976) , "The Oxen", published 1945. [medium voice, piano]
by Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889-1960) , "The Oxen", 1951, published 1952. [voice, piano]
by William Reginald Pasfield (1909-) , "The Oxen", published 1963. [unison voices, piano]
by (Gerald) Graham Peel (1878-1937) , "The Oxen", published 1919. [voice, piano]
by Alan Rawsthorne (1905-1971) , "The Oxen", published <<1967. [carol: mixed voices a cappella]
by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) , "The Oxen", published 1954 [Cantata for (mezzo-)soprano, tenor, and baritone soli, boys' chorus, mixed chorus, and orchestra], from Hodie, no. 7.
by Robert Williams , "The Oxen", published 1954. [unison voices, piano]
by Richard K. Winslow (1918-) , "The Oxen", published 1958. [satb and piano or organ]

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 The Oxen, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
  Search musicroom.com for The Oxen, vocal/choral music

CDs:

  Search amazon.com for The Oxen, art song, Lieder, or chansons
  Search amazon.ca for The Oxen, 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