"The Shepherds had an Angel" [David Hamilton]

"The Shepherds had an Angel" [David Hamilton]

First line of lyrics: The shepherds had an angel

Part of: "Four Carols"

Hamilton, David; music (New Zealand, born 1955)

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

1991 [copyright]

Helsinki: Sulasol

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

chorus: SATB chorus

instrumentation: a cappella

initial sharps/flats: two flats

initial time signature: 7/8 8/8

origin: New Zealand

male composer

English

Rossetti poem(s): "A Christmas Carol, for my Godchildren" ("The shepherds had an angel")

Place in the larger work: The second song of four in the song cycle called "Four Carols," which includes 1. "Love Came Down at Christmas" (Christina Rossetti); 2. "The Shepherds Had An Angel" (Christina Rossetti); 3. "The Childhood of Christ" (Eustace Condor); 4. "Epiphany Carol" (James Lowell).

Composition history: "While overseas in 1989 I came upon the book by Erik Routley A Panorama of Christian Hymnody - a sourcebook of hymns and other sacred texts. These four carols draw their texts from that book: the first two by Christina Rossetti (1830-1894), the third by Eustace Condor (1820-1892), and the fourth by James Lowell (1819-1891). The fact that the poets are contemporaries is quite coincidental - these are texts which appealed and which appear to form a satisfactory cycle (although individual pieces may be performed separately). Love Came Down at Christmas is a popular and widely set Christmas text, and originally appeared in Time Flies: A Reading Diary, while The Shepherds had an Angel comes from Rossetti's Poetical Works. Both texts were originally intended as hymns for children. The Childhood of Christ was also a children's hymn and is drawn from the Congregational Church Hymnal of 1867, whereas the Epiphany Carol appeared in the 1865 publication Songs of the Sanctuary. Over a number of years I have written short Christmas pieces for groups directed by John Rosser - the Summer Singers, Quintessence, the Star Quartet and his fine chamber choir Viva Voce. These four pieces are dedicated to John and Kathryn Rosser as an appreciation for their interest in my music and willingness to perform (and record) it" (Hamilton).

Tempo markings: "rhythmically"; quarter note = c. 126

Dedication: "For John and Kathryn Rosser"

Format 1: musical score

performance time 8 minutes (song cycle)

Other data reference(s): Hamilton, David. "Four Carols." Sounz, https://www.sounz.org.nz/works/11734?locale=en#loan-information. Accessed 25 August 2020.
Record for "Love came down at Christmas." WorldCat, http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/155720234. Accessed 11 April 2019.

Cataloguer: Emily McConkey, University of Ottawa

Record: CRM-christmascarolformygodchildren-hamilton

File(s): CRM-christmascarolformygodchildren-hamilton.pdf

"Copyright © 1991 David Hamilton." The score is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The score appears on this website by kind permission of composer David Hamilton.

The Christina Rossetti in Music project website is hosted in Canada at the University of Ottawa Library, and we aim to comply with Canadian copyright laws. If you believe we have violated Canadian copyright law, please contact us at christinarossettimusic@uottawa.ca. The Christina Rossetti in Music project is strictly not for profit and intended for research and educational purposes only.