This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Christmas
Staff Notation • Secular, Partsongs
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Christmas by George Alexander Macfarren — Lyrics
Christmas comes, he comes, he comes,
Ushered with a rain of plums;
Hollies in the windows greet him
Schools come driving post to meet him;
Gifts precede him, bells proclaim him,
Ev'ry mouth delights to name him.
Wet, and cold, and wind, and dark,
Make him but the warmer mark;
And yet he comes not one embodied,
Universal's the blithe Godhead,
And in ev'ry festal house
Presence hath ubiquitous.
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About Christmas
George Alexander Macfarren’s Christmas is a celebratory SATB setting of a lively English text. The music opens with a sense of anticipation, quickly blossoming into rich, homophonic textures that mirror the poem’s joyful pronouncements of the season. As the text describes the universal and ubiquitous presence of Christmas, the composer employs flowing melodic lines and close harmonies to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. The music effectively captures the festive spirit, depicting the sensory details of winter celebrations, the giving of gifts, and the overall merriment associated with the holiday. This partsong is a delightful evocation of Christmas cheer.
