Before the paling of the stars

Before the paling of the stars,
  Before the winter morn,
  Before the earliest cock crow,
  Jesus Christ was born:
    Born in a stable,
  Cradled in a manger,
In the world his hands had made
  Born a stranger.

Priest and king lay fast asleep
  In Jerusalem;
Young and old lay fast asleep
  In crowded Bethlehem;
Saint and angel, ox and ass,
  Kept a watch together
  Before the Christmas daybreak
  In the winter weather.

Jesus on his mother's breast
  In the stable cold,
Spotless lamb of God was he,
  Shepherd of the fold:
Let us kneel with Mary maid,
With Joseph bent and hoary,
With saint and angel, ox and ass,
  To hail the King of Glory.

About the headline (FAQ)

Authorship

• by Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830 - 1894), "A Christmas Carol", appears in Lyra Messianica, first published 1864 [ author's text checked 1 time]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

• by Harold Barker , "Before the paling of the stars", published 1941 [SATB chorus a cappella], London: Oxford University Press [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by John Boda (b. 1922), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1961 [SA chorus and piano], St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by B. D. Byles , "Before the paling of the stars", published <<1974 [four-part mixed chorus a cappella], New York: G. Schirmer [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Benjamin James Dale (1885 - 1943), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1912 [SATB chorus and orchestra], London: Novello [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Emma Lou Diemer (b. 1927), "Before the paling of the stars", 1957, published 1962 [soprano, SATB chorus, and organ or piano], New York: Elkan-Vogel [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Stephen Dodgson (b. 1924), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1975 [SATB chorus a cappella], from A Garland of Carols, London: Chappell & Co. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Moneta Morrison Eagles (1924 - 2003), "Before the paling of the stars", 1954 [SSSATB chorus a cappella] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Shena Eleanor Fraser (1910 - 1993), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1958 [SSA chorus and piano (or piano and strings)], from Carillon, London: Curwen [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Robert Graham (b. 1912), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1974 [medium voice and piano or organ], Melville: H. W. Gray [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Majory M. Harrison , "Before the paling of the stars", published 1923 [2-part chorus and piano], London: Oxford University Press [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Ernest Kanitz (1894 - ?), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1943 [soprano, chorus, piano, and 2 trumpets ad libitum], New York: Associated Music Publishing [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Arthur Walter Kramer (1890 - 1969), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1914 [high voice or SATB chorus and piano (or SATB chorus, organ, harp, and strings)], Glen Rock: J. Fischer & Brothers [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Desmond MacMahon (b. 1898), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1935 [voice or unison chorus and piano], from Three Christmas Carols, York: Banks [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Robert William Manton (1894 - 1967), "Before the paling of the stars", 1964 [soprano, SATB chorus, and orchestra], from Dies Natalis [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Don McAfee (b. 1935), "Before the paling of the stars", published <<1963 [SATB chorus a cappella], from Two Christmas Carols on Texts by Christina G. Rossetti, New York: Abingdon Press [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by (James) Gordon Myers (b. 1919), "Cradled in a manger", published 1952 [SATB chorus and organ or piano], New York: Carl Fischer [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by James Neff , "Before the paling of the stars", published 1962 [SATB chorus a cappella], Minnesota: Schmitt, Hall, & McCreary [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Havelock Nelson (1917 - 1996), "Carol", 1942, first performed 1942 [SATB chorus and organ] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Paul Paviour (b. 1931), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1966 [SATB chorus a cappella], London: Mills [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Joseph Roff (1910 - 1993), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1970 [SATB chorus and optional piano], Melville: H. W. Gray [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Godfrey Sampson (fl. 1930), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1928 [SATB chorus and piano or organ], London: Stainer & Bell [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Frederick Silver (b. 1936), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1969 [SATB chorus and piano], New York: Cappella ; a "rock" setting [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Charles H. M. Stiddard , "Before the paling of the stars", published [1927] [voices and organ or piano], London: Novello [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Philip Benjamin Tomblings (b. 1902), "Before the paling of the stars", published [1955] [SATB chorus a cappella], London: Elkin [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
• by Kenneth E. Walton (b. 1904), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1959 [soprano, alto (or bass), SATB chorus, and piano], New York: Bourne [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]

Text added to the website: 2010-04-10T00:00:00.
Last modified: 2014-06-16T10:03:38
Line count: 24
Word count: 115

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