Concert Band - Level 3 - Digital Download
SKU: A0.1314114
Composed by David Ahrens. 21st Century,Advent,Christian,Christmas,Holiday. 74 pages. Baseline Music Publishing #902847. Published by Baseline Music Publishing (A0.1314114).
Composer's web store: https://www.sounded.us/baseline/product/merry-dont-you-know-by-david-ahrens-wind-band/
āGod Rest You Merry, Gentlemenā is a traditional English Christmas carol dating to the mid 17th Century. It was referenced by Charles Dickens in his 1843 novella āA Christmas Carolā but with the lyric:
āGod bless you, Merry Gentleman!
May nothing you dismay!ā
The phrase āGod rest you merryā historically meant āmay God grant you peace and happinessā. āRest you merryā was used both in Shakespeareās āAs You Like Itā and āRomeo and Julietā. Over time, there has been confusion over this title due to changes in common language usage. The word āmerryā is an adverb of rest and not an adjective of Gentlemen.
āPat-A-Panā is a traditional Burgundian French Christmas carol written by Bernard de La Monnoye and published in 1720. The text calls for the bringing of a drum and flute to play for newborn Jesus Christ in worship. The title is onomatopoeic for the sound of a drum, as is the additional lyric ātu-re-lu-re-luā for the sound of a flute.
āYigdalā is a Jewish hymn and prayer that is a poetic adaptation of Maimonidesā 13 principles of faith. The text is attributed to 14th century poet Daniel ben Judah. The melody dates to the 17th century or earlier. It is traditionally sung for morning prayer and as the conclusion of Shabbat evening services. Upon hearing Yigdal, English Methodist Thomas Olivers adapted this melody for use in his Christian hymn āThe God of Abraham Praiseā, which is a paraphrase of the ben Judah doxology, and was first published in 1772.
āMerry! Donāt You Know?ā is a playful melding of these sacred songs, acting as a reminder that Christmas is a time to be merry and joyful as we celebrate the nature, power, and love of God.
