The Coventry Carol originates from a medieval mystery play entitled The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. The play depicts the Christmas story, from the Annunciation (where the Angel Gabriel appears to Mary), to the Massacre of the Innocents (where King Herod of Judea orders the death of all male infants near Bethlehem under the age of two).
It is this tale that the Coventry Carol depicts, taking the form of a lullaby sung by the mothers of the murdered children. As is appropriate, the music is in a minor key – this arrangement uses G minor and D minor as a homage to well-known harmonisations by Thomas Sharp and Henry Walford Davies. It is unknown when the words were first set to music, but a proposed date is 1591, or earlier! Other interesting musical features include the use of a ‘Picardy third’, and ‘false relations’, contributing to the haunting quality of this enduring piece, both in the heart of the English Midlands, and further afield.
This arrangement is suitable for all bands of beginner-intermediate ability or higher. There is plenty of interest for both experienced players, and for newcomers. The instrumentation is designed to facilitate both a full sound, but also for flexibility, which is often desired by school, youth, and amateur wind bands / concert bands / wind orchestras.
