This edition was prepared by James Gibb — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
I Sing the Birth
Staff Notation • Sacred, Christmas
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I Sing the Birth by Arthur Sullivan — Lyrics
1. I sing the birth was born tonight,
The author both of life and light;
The angels so did sound it.
And like the ravish'd shepherds said,
Who saw the light, and were afraid,
Yet search'd, and true they found it.
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About I Sing the Birth
Arthur Sullivan’s I Sing the Birth is a festive anthem for SATB choir, setting a well-known English Christmas text. The music opens with a joyful, homophonic declaration of the Nativity, quickly developing into contrapuntal sections that reflect the awe and wonder of the shepherds and angels. Sullivan skillfully contrasts moments of majestic pronouncements with more intimate passages, mirroring the text's journey from heavenly announcement to the humble manger. The SATB voicing is exploited to its fullest, with rich harmonies and imitative passages creating a vibrant and uplifting sound-world, ideal for a Christmas carol service or concert performance.
