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Paul John Rudoi
PJR Music (Paul John Rudoi)
Coventry Carol (Rudoi)
An ode not only to the gift of birth but the fragility of life.
SATB a cappella
An ode not only to the gift of birth but the fragility of life, Paul John Rudoi’s arrangement of Coventry Carol breathes new life into this well-known Christmas tune. Connecting the fear and danger of the Massacre of the Innocents with the iconic melody, Paul has created a simple yet effective carol which will linger in audiences’ and artists’ ears long after the performance has ended.
Composer’s Notes
Consider the narrative and point of view of this carol–mothers singing their children to sleep knowing that Harod will seek them out to kill them–as you work out the harmonies and overall affect. The goal is to acknowledge the fear and realities of the moment in the Christmas story, hopefully leading us to consider the fragility of life alongside the gift of birth.
Text
Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.
Thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.
O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we sing,
“Bye bye, lully, lullay?”
Herod the king, in his raging,
Chargèd he hath this day
His men of might in his own sight
All young children to slay.
That woe is me, poor child, for thee
And ever mourn and may
For thy parting neither say nor sing,
“Bye bye, lully, lullay.”
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