Augsburg Fortress

Carol of the Birds

Carol of the BirdsCarol of the Birds

Carol of the Birds

by J. William Greene (Composer)
This gentle text from the province of Bas-Quercy in Southwest France begs for joyous birdcalls in celebration of Christ's birth. While the choir sings a lovely, smooth, original melody, sometimes with harmony, the organ takes the parts of birds singing joyfully around it, prefiguring and echoing the tune. At the end, with a final trill and an upward "swish," both birds and choir fade into the distance with the words, "Noel, Noel." Perfect for Christmas Eve or Lessons and Carols for Christmas.
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  • Publisher Augsburg Fortress
  • Format Sheet Music
  • ISBN 9781451498783
  • Brand Augsburg Choral Library
  • Dimensions 7 x 10.25
  • Pages 8
  • Season/Occasion Christmas
  • Difficulty Easy-Medium
  • Voicing Organ; SAB/3-part mixed
  • Publication Date March 18, 2015

Composer Commentary

I found the "Carol of the Birds" text in a book that I bought titled Welcome Christmas! (compiled by Anne Thaxter Eaton, publ. 1955) that was discarded from a library. There was no commentary or copyright info for this poem in the book. The text originates from the province of Bas-Quercy, which is in Southwest France near the border with Spain. The tune is original—there were no tunes in this book. I was captivated with the idea of the fun birdcalls, most of which are related to the tune the choir sings, and not just grafted on. There is no dedication, nor was it written for any particular choir or occasion. In fact, although it was written 16 or 17 years ago, I first performed it with a choir this past Christmas!

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