by Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830 - 1894)
Before the paling of the stars
Language: English
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)
Text Authorship:
- by Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830 - 1894), "A Christmas Carol", appears in Lyra Messianica, first published 1864 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
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]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- by Moneta Morrison Eagles (1924 - 2003), "Before the paling of the stars", 1954 [ SSSATB chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- by James Neff , "Before the paling of the stars", published 1962 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], Minnesota: Schmitt, Hall, & McCreary [sung text not yet checked]
- by Havelock Nelson (1917 - 1996), "Carol", 1942, first performed 1942 [ SATB chorus and organ ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Paviour (b. 1931), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1966 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], London: Mills [sung text not yet checked]
- 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]
- by Godfrey Sampson (flourished 1930), "Before the paling of the stars", published 1928 [ SATB chorus and piano or organ ], London: Stainer & Bell [sung text not yet checked]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-04-10
Line count: 24
Word count: 115