Christmas Carols with the London Gallery Quire

Wednesday 2nd December 2015 7.00pm

Christmas Carols with the London Gallery Quire
Tickets £6 on the door

St George’s German Lutheran Church
55Alie Street
London E1 8EB
(Located at the junction of Alie St and Leman St – 2 mins walk from Aldgate East tube)

If you come along to this concert you will not only get to hear me play the serpent, but you’ll be at the premiere of my setting of “The great God of heaven has come down to earth.”

Here’s a .pdf:
Addington – Full Score

No singing robots yet, but I’ll try and get a recording of Wednesday’s performance.

It’s called “Addington” because that’s where I was when I wrote the tune. I was in a shape-note sort of mood that day and so the harmonies are rather reminiscent of that tradition.

Here are the words:

The great God of heaven is come down to earth,
his mother a Virgin and sinless his birth;
the Father eternal his Father alone:
he sleeps in a manger; he reigns on the throne:
Refrain:
Then let us adore him and praise his great love:
to save us poor sinners he came from above.

A Babe on the breast of a Maiden he lies,
yet sits with the Father on high in the skies;
before him their faces the Seraphim hide,
while Joseph stands waiting, unscared, by his side: Refrain

Lo! here is Emmanuel, here is the Child,
the Son that was promised to Mary so mild;
whose power and dominion shall ever increase,
the Prince that shall rule o’er a kingdom of peace: Refrain

The Wonderful Counsellor, boundless in might,
the Father’s own image, the beam of his light;
behold him now wearing the likeness of man,
weak, helpless and speechless, in measure a span: Refrain

O wonder of wonders, which none can unfold:
the Ancient of days is an hour or two old;
the Maker of all things is made of the earth,
and worshipped by angels when God comes to birth: Refrain

I chose this because of another of LGQ’s forthcoming performances, which will be at the National Portrait Gallery on 18th December. Sadly I won’t be able to be there, but it was the fourth verse above that I drew me to the text as suitable for that occasion.