While shepherds watched their flocks (George Frideric Handel)
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- Editor: Christopher R. Baker (submitted 2000-11-27). Score information: Copyright: Personal
- Edition notes: adapted by Lowell Mason
General Information
Title: Christmas (While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks)
Composer: George Frideric Handel
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred, Carols
Language: English
Instruments: a cappella
Published: Boston Handel & Haydn Society Collection of Church Music (1821)
Description:
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
- 1.
- While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
- All seated on the ground,
- The angel of the Lord came down,
- And glory shone around,
- And glory shone around.
- 2.
- “Fear not!” said he, for mighty dread
- Had seized their troubled mind.
- “Glad tidings of great joy I bring
- To you and all mankind
- To you and all mankind.
- 3.
- “To you, in David’s town, this day
- Is born of David’s line
- A Savior, who is Christ the Lord,
- And this shall be the sign,
- And this shall be the sign.
- 4.
- “The heavenly Babe you there shall find
- To human view displayed,
- All meanly wrapped in swathing bands,
- And in a manger laid,
- And in a manger laid.”
- 5.
- Thus spake the seraph and forthwith
- Appeared a shining throng
- Of angels praising God on high,
- Who thus addressed their song,
- Who thus addressed their song.
- 6.
- “All glory be to God on high,
- And to the Earth be peace;
- Good will henceforth from Heaven to men
- Begin and never cease,
- Begin and never cease!”
- Words: Nahum Tate, 1700; first appeared in Tate and Brady’s Psalter, 1702.