"Christmas hath a darkness" [Derek Healey]

"Christmas hath a darkness" [Derek Healey]

First line of lyrics: Christmas hath a darkness

Part of: "Two Christina Rossetti Carols"

Healey, Derek; music (English, lived and worked in Canada & US, born 1936)

Rossetti, Christina Georgina; text (English, 1830-1894)

2009 [copyright] [publication]

Boston: Ione Press

genre: carol|choral music|Christmas music|sacred music|song|song cycle

chorus: SATB voices with divisi

instrumentation: piano

initial sharps/flats: two sharps

initial time signature: 2/4

origin: United States

male composer

English

Rossetti poem(s): "Christmas Eve"

Place in the larger work: The second song of two in the song cycle called "Two Christina Rossetti Carols," which includes 1. "Before the paling of the stars"; 2. "Christmas hath a darkness."

Tempo markings: "Triumphantly"; quarter note = 56

Performance instructions: "Before the paling of the stars is gentle and penitential, similar to plainsong, whereas Christmas hath a darkness is by contrast both strong and joyful. In both carols, the melody often moves to an inner voice and the words 'in relief' appear. The singers should make this voice louder than the surrounding parts. Performers should not exaggerate the crescendi and diminuendi in the first carol except those at the work's close. In Christmas hath a darkness, singers should perform the verse which begins 'Earth strike up your music' with conviction, while the piano part (particularly the right hand) should be strong and evocative of clanging bells. The gradual relaxation of tension in the final two pages should be carefully controlled. Both pieces may be performed unaccompanied, the piano parts being ad lib. However, in the second carol, the fast scales are important. All ascending scales should be brilliant and descending, harp-like. I composed these two carols with college choruses in mind, but they are also suitable for liturgical use."

Dedication: "To Donald Kendrick"

Format 1: musical score

7 pages; performance time 2 minutes and 10 seconds

Cataloguer: Emily McConkey, University of Ottawa

musical score: Derek Healey

Record: CRM-christmaseve-healey

File(s): CRM-christmaseve-healey.pdf

This score is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The score appears on the website by kind permission of composer Derek Healey.

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