Gwyneth Walker On Christmas EvEcombine the intimacy of a solo voice with the varied instrumental timbres. A central message is the tenderness of the Mother’s love for Child. The

Piano Vocal

Gwyneth Walker

On Christmas EvE

for Soprano, Brass Quintet, Percussion and Organ

1. Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella 2. In the Bleak Midwinter 3. Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow

On Christmas EvE duration 9 minutes 30 seconds

Premiered at Emmanuel Episcopal Church

of Petoskey, Michigan on December 24, 2020

André Strydom, organist, Judith Zorn, soprano with musicians from the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra

Table of Contents

1. Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella 1

2. In the Bleak Midwinter 7

3. Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow 14

Notes

Christmas Eve 2020 will be a special time. Although choirs cannot gather for group singing during this pandemic, soloists are ready. And therefore, new music for solo voice with instruments (brass, percussion and organ) has been created for this year. The title is On Christmas Eve. These are three songs (revisiting traditional carols) which combine the intimacy of a solo voice with the varied instrumental timbres. A central message is the tenderness of the Mother’s love for Child. The gift is of the heart. The first song in the set is a traditional french carol, “Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella.” There is joy for those coming to the manger. And Mary, guarding her sleeping son, must quiet the noisy shepherds! Hush! Hush! Ah! que l’enfant est beau! [Ah! the beautiful son!] “In the Bleak Midwinter” (text by Christina Rossetti) follows next. In order to suggest bleakness of landscape, the music opens with a low, sustained chord in the organ. Above this barren land floats the melody played by the french horn. Maracas add a touch of quiet, peaceful slumber. The voice enters to present the four verses, each with an increasingly active accompaniment. Finally comes the plaintive question of What can I give him, poor as I am? This is repeated with urgency until the answer brings resolution: I would give my heart. “Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow” presents a new dimension to the Nativity story. For it is shepherds (i.e., working-class folk) who follow the star to Bethlehem, in contrast with the Magi (kings). The shepherds travel by foot, perhaps at a jaunty, swing – rhythm pace. They heed the angel’s word: You’ll forget your flock, you’ll forget your herd. And thus, they leave behind all that they own to witness the Savior’s birth.

Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella (Traditional French carol, G. Walker, alt) Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella Bring a torch, to the cradle run! It is Jesus, good folk of the village; Christ is born and Mary's calling; Ah! ah! beautiful is the Mother Ah! ah! beautiful is her Son! Ah! Que la mere est belle! Quiet, all, don’t waken the baby; Quiet, all, and whisper low. Silence as you gather around him, Lest your noise awaken Jesus. Hush! hush! Quietly now he slumbers; Hush! hush! Quietly now he sleeps! Voyez comme il dort! Softly to the little stable, Softly for a moment come; Look and see how sweet is Jesus. See how he smiles! With cheeks so rosy! Hush! hush! Quietly now he slumbers; Hush! hush! Quietly now he sleeps! Ah! ah! beautiful is the Mother Ah! ah! beautiful is her Son! Que l’enfant est beau!

In the Bleak Midwinter (Christina Rossetti, G. Walker, alt.) In the bleak mid-winter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone. Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak mid-winter Long ago. Heaven cannot hold Him Nor can earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away When He comes to reign. In the bleak mid-winter A stable warm sufficed Our Lord God Almighty, Our Savior Jesus Christ. Angels and archangels May have gathered there. Cherubim and seraphim Thronged the evening air, But his mother only, In her maiden bliss, Worshipped the Beloved With a tender kiss. What can I give Him, Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would give a lamb, If I were a wise one, I would do my part, But what can I give Him, I would give my heart.

Rise up, Shepherd, and Follow (Traditional African –American carol) There’s a star in the East on Christmas morn, Rise up, shepherd, and follow. It will lead to the place where Jesus is born, Rise up, shepherd, and follow. Follow, follow, Rise up, shepherd, and follow. Follow the star of Bethlehem. Rise up, shepherd, and follow. Leave your sheep and leave your lambs. Rise up, shepherd, and follow. Leave your ewes and leave your rams. Rise up, shepherd, and follow. REFRAIN If you take good heed to the angel’s word. Rise up, shepherd, and follow. You’ll forget your flock; you’ll forget your herd. Rise up, shepherd, and follow. REFRAIN

Widely performed throughout the country, the music of American composer Gwyneth Walker is beloved by performers and audiences alike for its energy, beauty, reverence, drama, and humor. Dr. Gwyneth Walker (b.1947) is a graduate of Brown University and the Hartt School of Music. She holds B.A., M.M. and D.M.A. degrees in Music Composition. A former faculty member of the Oberlin College Conservatory, she

resigned from academic employment in 1982, in order to pursue a career as a full‐time composer. For nearly 30 years, she lived on a dairy farm in Braintree, Vermont. She now divides her time between her childhood hometown of New Canaan, Connecticut and the musical community of Randolph, Vermont.

Further information concerning Gwyneth Walker and her works is available at: www.gwynethwalker.com

Piano

(reduction)

With joyful energy = 66

with pedal

9

Bring a

A lightly

A

torch Jean

nette, Is a

bel la!

Bring a

torch to the

cra dle

run!

- - - - -

17

(“running” motive)

It is

B

B

Je sus, good

folk of the

vil lage;

Christ is

born and

- -

Gwyneth Walker

© Copyright 2020 by Gwyneth Walker252 Park Street, New Canaan, CT 06840

www.gwynethwalker.com All rights reserved

Traditional French Carol

1. Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella

On Christmas Evefor Soprano, Brass Quintet, Percussion and Organ

Piano Reduction

25

Mar y’s

call ing.

(as a call in the distance)

Ah!

Cdelicately

C

Ah!

beau ti ful

is the

- - - -

33

moth er!

Ah!

Ah!

beau ti ful

is her

son.

D

D

- - -

41

Ah!

(Ah!

(as a quiet commentary, an “aside”)

que la

beau ti ful

mere est

moth

bel le!

er!)

Qui et,

()E

a quiet sparkling accompanimentE

()

with pedal

all, don’t

- -- - -

48

wa ken the

ba by;

[Mary quiets the shepherds]

[The noisy shepherds need quieting!]

Qui et,

all, and

- --

2

Walker | On Christmas Eve | 1. Bring a Torch. Jeannette, Isabella

54

whis per

low.

[The shepherds keep quiet]

()

Si lence

F

F

as you

- -

60

gath er

round him,

lest your

noise a

wa ken

Je sus.

- - - -

67

Hush!

G

G

Hush!

qui et ly

now he

slum bers;

Hush!

- - -

74

Hush!

qui et ly

now he

sleeps.

H

H

()

- -

3


81

Vo(See

yez

(as a quiet commentary, an “aside”)

howcomme

heil

dort!sleeps!)

I

I

especially joyous

-

88

J

J

95

Ah

102

Soft ly

lightly, delicately (almost whispered)K

K

to the

lit tle

sta ble,

- - -

4


109

soft ly

for a

mo ment,

come.

Look and

L

L

cresc.

see how

sweet is

- -

116

Je sus.

See how he

( )

(Ossia for lower voices)

smiles!

with

cheeks

so

-

123

ro

( )

sy!

Hush!

M

M

Hush!

-

131

qui et ly

now he

slum

bers;

Hush!

Hush!

qui et ly

- - - - -

5


138

now he

sleeps.

Ah!

N

N

Ah!

beau ti ful

is the

- -

145

moth

er.

Ah!

Ah!

beau ti ful

is her

son!

- - -

153

rit.

rit.

Que

(Beau ti

l’en

ful

Slower

Slower

fant

is

est

her

beau!

son!)

2:30

-

- -

6


(to suggest the bleakness of midwinter)

Free tempo, introduction

(pedal stays throughout, for blurred harmony effect)

cantabile

A Slowly, reverently = 92

()

6

()

12

B

()

with pedal

18

poco accel.

7

Walker | On Christmas Eve | 2. In the Bleak Midwinter

2. In the Bleak Midwinter

Christina Rossetti (1830 –1894)G. Walker, alt.

adapted from the hymn tuneby Gustav Holst (1874 –1934)

23

In the bleak mid

cantabile

a quiet background

C

C

Slightly faster = 100

Slightly faster = 100

win ter,

frost y wind made

moan.

- - -

27

Earth stood hard as

i ron,

wa ter like a

stone.

- -

31

Snow had fal len,

D

D

snow on snow,

snow on

snow.

-

35

In the bleak mid

win ter,

long a

go.

- - -

8


40

Hea ven can not

()E

E

[Same tempo = 100]

[Same tempo = 100]

hold him,

simile

- -

44

nor can earth sus

tain.

Heaven and earth shall

flee a way

- -

48

when he comes to

reign.

In the bleak mid

F

F

win ter, a

- -

52

sta ble warm suf

ficed. Our

Lord God al

might y, our

- - - -

9


56

Sa vior Je sus

Christ.

()

- -

60

An gels and arch

3 3 3

3

()G

G

[Same tempo = 100]

[Same tempo = 100]

delicately, shimmering

with pedal

an gels

3 3 3

3

- - -

63

may have gath ered

3 3 3

3

there.

3 3 3

3

Cher u bim and

3 3 3

3

- - -

10


66

ser a phim

3 3 3

3

thronged the eve ning

3 3

3 3

air.

3 3 3

3

- - -

69

But his moth er

33

3

3

H

H

on ly,

3 33

3

in her maid en

3 33

3

- - -

72

bliss,

33

3

3

wor shipped the be

3 3 3

3

lov ed child

3 3 3

3

- - -

75

with a ten der

3 3

3 3

kiss.

-

11


78

poco accel.

poco accel.

What can I

I

I

Faster = 112, more animated and rhythmic

Faster = 112, more animated and rhythmic

give him,

82

poor as I

am?

If I were a

shep herd,

-

86

I would give a

lamb.

If I were a

wise one,

90

I would do my

part. But

what can I

J

J

give him?

12


94

What can I

give him?

What can I

with more urgency

rit.

rit.

give him?

Slower

Slower

98

I would give

loco

my

heart,

a tempo (= 100)

a tempo (= 100)

102

rit. to end

rit. to end

my

heart.

4:15

13


(with the joy of seeing the “star of the East”)

Relaxed tempo = 100, swing rhythm (Â = Ç‰)

4

8

Lively tempo = 112A

12

There’s a

in celebration

star in the East on

(with the energy of rising up and following the star)

B

B

Christ mas morn.

-

14

Walker | On Christmas Eve | 3. Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow

3. Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow

Traditional African-American spiritual

15

Rise up, shep herd, and

fol low. It will

lead to the place where

- -

18

Je sus is born.


(Ossia for higher voices)*

fol low.

- - -

21

Leave your ewes and

C

C

leave your lambs.


-

24

fol low.

Leave your sheep and

leave your rams.


- -

15


28

fol low.

fol low,

D

D

fol low,

rise up, shep herd, and

- - - -

32

fol low.

Fol low the star of

Beth le hem.

- - - -

35


fol low.

E

E- -

38

If you

16


41

take good heed to the

F

F

an gel’s word.


- -

44

fol low. You’ll for

get your flock, you’ll for

get your herd.

- - -

47


fol low.

Leave those ewes and

emphaticallyG

G

leave those lambs.

- -

51


fol low.

Leave those sheep and

leave those rams.

- -

17


55


fol low.

Fol low,

H

H

- - -

58

fol low,

rise up. shep herd, and

fol low.

- - -

61

Fol low the star of

Beth le hem.

Rise up, shep herd,

I

I

- - - -

64

rise up, shep herd,

-

18


67

rise up, shep herd,

and fol

*

- - - - - - -

70

low,

fol

low,

- - - -- -

74

rit.

rit.

fol low!

-

19


2:45 | Total 9:30December 12, 2020

New Canaan, Connecticut

*The singer may “sneak a breath” in this passage if necessary.

Documents

Gwyneth Walker On Christmas EvEcombine the intimacy of a solo voice with the varied instrumental timbres. A central message is the tenderness of the Mother’s love for Child. The