This edition was prepared by Ian Haslam — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Good King Wenceslas
Staff Notation • Sacred, Christmas
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Good King Wenceslas by Geoffrey Shaw — Lyrics
1.
Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gathering winter fuel.
2.
"Hither, page, and stand by me, if you know it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain."
3.
"Bring me food and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither,
You and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither."
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About Good King Wenceslas
Geoffrey Shaw’s arrangement of the familiar Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas captures the familiar story of the benevolent king’s kindness to a poor man on a cold winter’s night. The carol’s narrative, set here for SATB choir, describes the king’s generosity in bringing food, wine, and fuel to the needy. The English text vividly paints a scene of a deep winter’s night, contrasting the cruelty of the frost with the bright moonlight, and the king’s concern for his subject. This arrangement offers a chance to bring a well-loved Christmas story to life through choral music.
