Choral Choir,Choral (SSA) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1295545

By Sylvia Miles. By Sylvia Miles. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christmas,Medieval,Multicultural,World. 8 pages. Sylvia Miles #885841. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.1295545).

This is one of the oldest extant carols; it has been dated to the C13. There's nothing ancient about its style though, it's full of life, and positively skips along.
It may have its origins in the book of Isaiah ch 1 v 3: the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib.
This arrangement is for SSA choir with piano accompaniment and optional violin. If you have a friendly violinist, the violin line adds a real sparkle!
People who aren't used to singing in French won't find it too taxing (I hope!) as there's lots of repetition in the verses, and the refrain stays the same.
Translation: v1.Between the ox and the grey donkey the little boy sleeps.
Ref: A thousand heavenly angels, a thousand seraphim, fly around this great God of love.
v2: In Mary's arms sleeps the fruit of life.
v3: Between roses and lilies sleeps the divine child.
v4: Surrounded by the cheerful shepherds the little boy sleeps.

Choral Choir,Choral (SSA) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1290618

By Sylvia Miles. By Sylvia Miles. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christian,Christmas,Medieval,Multicultural,Praise & Worship,World. 10 pages. Sylvia Miles #881341. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.1290618).

I just love the old carols - and this one dates back to the 14th century!
It's German, so I've put the 1st and 4th verses in German, and the 2nd and 3rd in English. 
It's a fresh and cheerful arrangement, and fun to sing. There's a lovely a capella trio section in the middle, and a sweeping coda to finish. Enjoy it!

Choral Choir,Choral (SAB) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1299488

By Sylvia Miles. By Sylvia Miles. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christmas,Folk,Multicultural,Traditional,World. 8 pages. Sylvia Miles #889361. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.1299488).

This charming Catalan carol, probably dating back to the sixteenth century, has one of the most lilting of all folk melodies. It's a Christmas folk-song, which tells of bringing local Mediterrranean produce as gifts for Mary's newborn son: dates, figs, nuts, honey, cheese.
This setting, for SAB, has fairly straightforward harmonies, and if you have a friendly flautist, the flute line adds a touch of sparkle!
(Note on pronunciation: just pronounce pretty much every letter. So, for example, 'que' is kay, and 'nuez' is pronounced nooze.).

Choral Choir (SSA) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1118650

By U A Fanthorpe. By Sylvia Miles. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christian,Christmas,Religious. Octavo. 4 pages. Sylvia Miles #720142. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.1118650).

I can't resist U A Fanthorpe's Christmas poems, written each year to send out to friends, now published by Enitharmon Press. This poem hooked me on the first reading - like the birds, it just ASKS to sing! Try to capture the swooping of the swallow, the brashness of the wren, the melody of the blackbird - and then, the soundless yet penetrating quality of the owl's verse.

Choral Choir (SSA) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1113190

By Traditional French. By Sylvia Miles. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christmas,Early Music,Folk,Praise & Worship,Traditional. Octavo. 5 pages. Sylvia Miles #715143. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.1113190).

The tune of this Provençal carol has been known since the 14th century; originally it was a lively dance. It was first published as a carol in France in 1553. The words were written by Emile Blémont, based on a much earlier folk text: it tells the story of two milkmaids, Jeannette and Isabelle, who go to milk their cows in a cowshed near Bethlehem. When they get there, they find Jesus asleep in the hay ... and you know the rest of the story. To this day, children in the Provence region dress up as shepherds and milkmaids, and carry torches to Midnight Mass while singing the carol. Here, I've put verse 1 in French with (underneath) a translation crib, and verse 2 and 3 in English. Contact me if you want all the verses in French!

Choral Choir (SAB) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1112802

By Traditional Poitou, France. By Sylvia Miles. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christmas,Early Music,Folk,Multicultural,Praise & Worship,World. Octavo. 9 pages. Sylvia Miles #714767. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.1112802).

This ancient carol comes originally from the Poitou region of France, and it's not difficult to imagine it as a dance, like many early carols. The singer says: Get up, neighbour, get going, run, see the baby in the crib - God is born on earth. Choose the very best of your flock, neighbour, and give it with all your heart to Joseph and Mary. Hell is finished; Heaven has the victory. Neighbour, let's sing the praises of the long awaited Messiah. The harmonies are deceptively simple, and from time to time deliberately dissonant, in keeping with ancient modal music styles. (The scoring is SAB - I taught it to my French choir, and as for many 3 part choirs, it's actually S/A/ deep voices!).

Choral Choir (SAB) - Level 2 - Digital Download By Traditional Mexican. By Sylvia Miles. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. 163, Christmas, Folk, Multicultural, Praise & Worship, World. Octavo. 3 pages. Sylvia Miles #713924. Published by Sylvia Miles

Choral Choir (SSA) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1111409

By UA Fanthorpe. By Sylvia Miles. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christmas,Comedy,Praise & Worship,Religious. Octavo. 5 pages. Sylvia Miles #713696. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.1111409).

This charming Christmas poem by the celebrated UA Fanthorpe tells of the stable cat's feelings at having been left out of the Gospel story. Light-hearted but nonetheless spiritual. In this setting, for 3 treble voices, violin and piano, I'd encourage the singers to think feline - and the violinist to play like a cat stretching!

Choral Choir (SAB) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.977670

Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. A Cappella,Baroque,Christian,Christmas,World. Octavo. 2 pages. Sylvia Miles #4890375. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.977670).

A beautiful lilting tune.
A capella.
Difficulty level: fairly easy.

Choral Choir (SAB) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.977675

Composed by Traditional French. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christian,Christmas,Classical,World. Octavo. 2 pages. Sylvia Miles #4890429. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.977675).

Dates from the C16.
Words:

1.Joseph est bien marié (2), A la fille de Jessé (2). C’était chose bien nouvelle, Que d’ être mère et pucelle

Dieu y a bien operé, Joseph est bien marié.

2.Et quand ce vint au premier (2), Que Dieu voulut nous sauver (2), Il fit en terre descender, Son cher fils Jésus pour prendre

En Marie humanité: Joseph est bien marié.

3.Quand Joseph eut aperçu (2), Que Marie avait conçu (2) Il lui dit ma bonne amie, Certes dignes je suis mie

D’ être vous apparié: Joseph est bien marié.

4.Mais Gabriel lui a dit (2), Joseph tu es en credit (2), Car ton épouse Marie Est grosse de fruit de vie

Par prophètes publié: Joseph est bien marié.

5. Change donc ton pensement (2), Et l’approche hardiment (2), Car par divine puissance, Tu es durant son enfance

A le server dédié: Joseph est bien marié.

6.A Noel sur les minuit (2) La Vierge enfanta son fruit (2); Sans lit traversin ni couche, De ce lieu elle ne bouge

Où son ame était lié: Joseph est bien marié.

Joseph gets a lesson in manners from the angel Gabriel!

The sopranos and altos take turns to tell the story: fun to sing with rhythm and energy.

 

Choral Choir (SAB) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.977672

Composed by Traditional French. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christian,Christmas,Classical,World. Octavo. 3 pages. Sylvia Miles #4890415. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.977672).

Traditional French carol dating from the C15.
The words are macaronic in form, alternating French and Latin.
A gentle, thoughtful carol to sing.

Choral Choir (SAB) - Digital Download

SKU: A0.977669

Composed by Traditional. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. A Cappella,Christian,Christmas,Classical,World. Octavo. 2 pages. Sylvia Miles #4890371. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.977669).

Originally published in the 1582 Finnish song book Piae Cantiones, a volume of 74 mediaeval songs with Latin texts. However, a melody found in a 1360 manuscript from Bavaria is highly similar, and it is from this manuscript that the song is usually dated.
A capella; good with a hand drum.

Choral Choir (SAB) - Digital Download

SKU: A0.977677

Composed by Nicolas Saboly? Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christian,Christmas,Classical,World. Octavo. 2 pages. Sylvia Miles #4890441. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.977677).

La cambo me fai mau in the original Provençal.
Probably composed by Nicolas Saboly (1614-1675), poet, composer and chapel-master.
Saboly was an interesting figure. Born into a family of herdsmen, he studied theology and became a Jesuit priest. (But in 1634 he left the University of Avignon without taking his degrees - wonder why?) He composed and collected many carols in the Provençal dialect, which form one of the monuments of poetry in that language, and have been repeatedly published right up to the present day.
To be sung with humour! and a nice punchy rhythm from the altos.

Words:
2. Tous les bergers, campés sur la montagne, Tous les bergers ont vu le messager,
Qui a crié mettez-vous en campagne, Qui a crié le fils de Dieu est né:

3.Pour ma santé les fièvres sont malsaines, Pour ma santé vaut mieux les éviter.
J’ai attrapé une fièvre quartaine, J’ai attrapé que j’en reste éclopé:

4.Les gens à pied me laissent en arrière, Les gens à pied me laissent le dernier.
Un malotru a ri de mes manières, Un malotru tout lourd et tout ventru:

5. Mon cheval blanc qui passait ventre a terre, Mon cheval blanc me mènera devant;
L’ai acheté d’un qui venait de guerre, L’ai acheté moins cher qu’il n’a couté:

6. Quand j’aurai vu le Fils du Dieu le Père, Quand j’aurai vu le Roi du ciel venu,
M’en revenant de saluer sa Mère, M’en revenant tout sera différent:
        Je n’aurai plus de mal, bouteselle bouteselle
        Je n’aurai plus de mal, bouteselle à mon cheval!

Qui a crié mettez-vous en campagne

Qui a crié le fils de Dieu est né

Choral Choir (SAB) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.977671

Composed by Traditional French. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. A Cappella,Christian,Christmas,Classical,World. Octavo. 4 pages. Sylvia Miles #4890381. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.977671).

One of the oldest extant carols, it has been dated to the C13.
May have its origins in the Book of Isaiah, ch 1 v3: the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib.
A capella.
Difficulty level: straightforward; the parts need to listen to each other to know when to move on to the chorus, this'll be fun to teach!

Choral Choir (SAB) - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.977673

Composed by Traditional Catalan. Arranged by Sylvia Miles. Christian,Christmas,Classical,World. Octavo. 2 pages. Sylvia Miles #4890385. Published by Sylvia Miles (A0.977673).

Anonymous, origin uncertain. It's a 'villacico' - a traditional Catalan Christmas carol.
Published first in 1866, collected by the impressively named Francesc Pelagi Briz y Candico Candi y Casanovas, in Cançons de la Terra.
A haunting melody, in a straightforward SAB arrangement.
Words are in early Catalan.