Christmas Lullaby: Carol of the Nuns of Saint Mary's
by J. William Greene
A Cappella - Sheet Music

SSSAA choir, a cappella

SKU: C5.5011

Composed by J. William Greene. Christmas motet for women's voices. Christmas. Octavo. Published by CanticaNOVA Publications (C5.5011).

J. William Greene, a prolific composer living in Lynchburg, Virginia, has set a traditional English carol for women's voices, a cappella. The text appears in both the original Latin and an English translation by Father Franz Wasner. Dr. Greene uses a gently rocking figure with the text "Lully, lully, lu" to craft a wonderful lullaby in beautifully understated British style. The undulating rhythm adds to the effect, alternating quite comfortably among 4/4, 9/8 and 3/4. During those rehearsals leading up to Christmas, when the women's sections of the choir seems to increase in number, this "Christmas Lullaby" offers the women a chance to sing a motet alone, perhaps while the men of the choir rehearse a beautiful and appropriate Christmas Gregorian chant (perhaps Hodie Christus natus est or Puer natus in Bethlehem.