On Christmas Night

In 2017 I wrote a carol for our choir at St. Mary’s Church, Thame—a new setting of the traditional Sussex Carol, also known as On Christmas night all Christians sing. The original tune is one of my favourites, but has become so familiar that we can easily sing it without reflecting on the text.

The goal was to create another memorable tune and arrange it to highlight the richness and depth of the message. This first appeared as a four-part choir anthem with organ accompaniment. I was never completely satisfied with that arrangement, and tried again, this time as an a cappella piece for eight-part choir (SSAATTBB).

Thanks to the kindness of my fellow singers in the Thame Chamber Choir (TCC), and after some useful feedback from our director Duncan Aspden, the new version became part of our December 2022 concert. Here is a live audio recording of the premiere:

If you are interested in performing the work please contact me for reproduction and performance rights for your choir. There would be no cost.

The text is a mix of various traditional versions plus a few additions of my own:

On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our Saviour King’s own birth.

Angels with joy sing in the air,
No music may with theirs compare;
While prisoners in their chains rejoice
To hear the echoes of that voice.

Then why should men on earth be sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad,
When from our sin he set us free,
All for to gain our liberty?

Now sin depart! Behold His grace!
Everlasting life comes in its place.
So shall the freed with joy all sing
Their praises to the new-born King.

Then out of darkness we see light,
Which makes all angels sing this night:
‘Glory to God and peace to men,
Now and for evermore, Amen.’