This edition was prepared by Caroline Lesemann-Elliott — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Cherry Tree Carol
Staff Notation • Sacred, Christmas
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Cherry Tree Carol by Caroline Lesemann-Elliott — Lyrics
When Joseph was an old man, an old man was he,
He married virgin Mary in the land of Galilee.
When Joseph and Mary walked through an orchard green,
there were cherries and berries, as thick as might be seen.
Young Mary said to Joseph, so meek and so mild:
“Joseph, gather me some cherries, for I am with child”.
Joseph flew in anger, in anger flew he.
“Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee”.
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About Cherry Tree Carol
This SATB arrangement of the traditional Cherry Tree Carol opens with a gentle, flowing musical texture, evoking the pastoral setting of the narrative. The choir enters in homophony, soon developing into imitative passages that mirror the unfolding story. The English text recounts a well-known episode from the Christmas story, where the pregnant Virgin Mary requests cherries from Joseph, who initially refuses. The miraculous intervention of the infant Jesus, speaking from the womb, causes the cherry tree to bow down, allowing Mary to gather the fruit. The composer's setting brings out the domestic tenderness and the divine wonder inherent in this ancient carol.
