For 3-part choir, with optional solos:Soprano, Alto and Baritone/All Men

orSoprano, Tenor and Bass

Text from Christmas by George Herbert

Alistair Brown

The Shepherds sing;and shall I silent be?

The first verse and chorus may be sung by either3 soloists (1 per part), or by the full choir.

The remaining verses and choruses should be sung by the full choir.

Verse 1The shepherds sing; and shall I silent be?

My God, no hymne for thee?My soul's a shepherd too: a flock it feeds

Of thoughts, and words, and deeds.The pasture is thy word; the streams, thy grace

Enriching all this place.

ChorusHis beams shall cheer my breast, and both so twine,

Till ev'n his beams sing, and my musick shine.

Verse 2Shpeherd and flock shall sing, and all my powers

Out-sing the day-light houres.Then we will chide the sunne for letting night

Take up his place and right:We sing one common Lord; wherefore he should

Himself the candle hold.

Chorus(His beams...)

Verse 3I will go searching, till I finde a sunne

Shall stay, till we have done;A willing shiner, that shall shine as gladly,

As frost-nipt sunnes look sadly.Then we will sing, and shine all our own day,

And one another pay:

Chorus(His beams...)

Soprano

Alto

Baritone

Piano(optional)

1.The

3.I2.Shep

shepherdwill

-herdsandgo

- sing;flock

search

andshalling,-

shallsing,till

Iand

I

siall

finde

lentmya

- be?pow'rssunne

Molto Rubato; q=c.100

1.The2.Shep

3.I

shepherdwill

-herdsandgo

- sing;flock

search

shallsing,ing,-

Iandtill

siallI

lentmy

finde

- be?pow'rssunne

1.The2.Shep

3.I

shepherdwill

-herdsandgo

- singflock

search

andshalling,-

shallsing,till

Iand

I

siall

finde

lentmya

- be,pow'rs

sunne,

sil

finde

ent

a

-

S.

A.

B.

Pno.

Myout

shall

God,singstay

-nothetill

hymnedaywe

forlighthave

-thee?

houres,done,

Forthe

havehoures.done.

thee? MyThen

A

soul'swewill

awilling-

4

Myout

shall

God,singstay

-nothetill

hymnedaywe

forlighthave

-thee?

houres,done,

Forthe

have

thee?houres.done.

MyThen

A

soul'swewill

awilling-

be?

sunne

(My)out

(shall)

God,singstay

-nothetill

hymnedaywe

forlighthave

-thee?

houres,done,

Nothetill

hymnedaywe

forlighthave

-thee?houres.done.

MyThen

A

soul'swewill

awilling-

The shepherds sing; and shall I silent be?(An excerpt from Christmas)

Music by Alistair BrownText by George Herbert(1593-1633)

S.

A.

B.

Pno.

shepchideshi

herdthener,

-

-

too:sunnethat

aforwill

flocklet

shine

ittingas

-feedsnight

glad ly,- -

oftakeas

thoughts,up

frost

andhisnipt-

8

shepchideshi

herdthener,

-

-

too:sunnethat

aforwill

flocklet

shine

ittingas

-glad

feedsnightly,-

oftakeas

thoughts,up

frost

andhisnipt-

shepchideshi

herdthener,

-

-

too:sunnethat

aforwill

flocklet

shine

ittingas

-feedsnight

glad ly,-

oftakeas

thoughts,up

frost

andhisnipt-

S.

A.

B.

Pno.

words,place,sun

ofhisnés-

words,placelook

andandsad

deeds.right:ly.-

Thewe

Then

12

words,place,sun

ofhisnés-

words,placelook

andandsad

deeds;right;

ly-

wordsplacelook

andandsad

deeds.right:

ly.-

Thewe

Then

words,placesun

ofhisnés-

words,placelook

andandsad

deeds;right;

ly;-

ofhis

words,placelook

andandsad

deeds.right:

ly.-

Thewe

Then

S.

A.

B.

Pno.

passingwe

tureonewill

- iscomsing,

thymonand

-word;Lord;shine

thewhere

all

streamsforeour

-thyhe

own

graceshould

day,

enhimand

richselfone

--

ingthea

- allcanno-

thedlether

--

15

passingwe

tureonewill

- iscomsing,

thymonand

-word;Lord;shine

thewhere

all

streamsfore

our

thy

ownhe

graceshould

day,

enhimand

richselfone

--

ingthea

allcanno-

thedlether

--

passingwe

tureonewill

- - iscomsing,

thymonand

-word;Lord;shine our

wherethyhe

own

graceshouldday,

enhimand

richselfone

--

ingthea

- allcanno-

thedlether

--

S.

A.

B.

Pno.

place.hold.pay:

His beams shall cheer my

poco rit. A tempo20

place,hold,pay,

thecanwe

dleshall

-place.hold.pay:

His beams shall cheer my

place,hold,pay,

allcanwe

thedle

shall-

place.hold.pay:

His beams shall cheer my

S.

A.

B.

Pno.

breast, and both so twine, till e ven- his beams

25

breast and both so twine, till e ven- his beams

breast, and both so twine, till e ven- his beams

S.

A.

B.

Pno.

sing, and my mu sick- shine.

28

sing, and my mu sick- shine, my mu sick- shine.*

sing, and my mu sick- shine.*

* On the final chorus, the Altos and Baritones may split to include the bracketed notes if desired.