Christmas At Home – Five Carols for Upper Voices

Publisher: LAH Publications

Catalogue Number: LAH 79

Year: 2022

For: SSA

Duration: 11:00

This set of carols was commissioned by Jackie Hawley for the Cantiamo Women’s Choir in 2022.  The set includes:
1. Deck the Hall – Old Welsh Air
2. O Christmas Tree – trad.
3. The Christmas Waltz – Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne
4. Let it snow! – Sammy Cahn and Jule Style
5. I wonder as I wander – John Jacob Niles

Deck the hall is available as a single movement. Other single movements available upon request!

These arrangements began as a Christmas project in December 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel restrictions prevented me from being with family to celebrate the holidays. I decided to write some two-part arrangements for my mother and I to sing together over Zoom. The limited technology prevented us from both singing at the same and having our sound blend together in real time, so we each took turns going on mute, which meant we would also take turns hearing both our parts at once – while I muted, I could hear my voice and my mum’s voice and it felt like singing a duet.

The collection’s title, “Christmas at Home,” is based on the idea of carols that go with experiences I and perhaps others have celebrating the season at home. Here are the carols:
1. “Deck the Hall:” The first thing I do each year is decorate my house to get into the festive spirit. This carol was the first arrangement I wrote for my 2020 project, and for this collection, I’ve kept it in its two-part version in the spirit of how these arrangements all started, including the silly inside-jokes I put in the score for a laugh. My mother and I are both mezzos, so I’ve adjusted the arrangement to be more suitable for a section of sopranos and altos.
2. “O Christmas Tree:” Decorating the tree is always a special event in my family, and usually happens well after the house decorations go up. My arrangement is inspired by the peaceful and nostalgic feeling associated with gazing at the beautiful tree once the trimming is done.
3. “The Christmas Waltz:” This is a carol that comes up on rotation in our house, and one that is less frequently performed, but so lovely! The images of frosted window panes, candles gleaming inside, candy canes on the tree, and the world falling in love feel very “at home” to me, as does my memory of my mum singing this carol!
4. “Let it snow” is all about staying inside cozy by the fire while feeling completely content about the snow falling outside.
5. “I wonder as I wander:” This final carol is the only sacred selection in the set, but a favourite of mine, and one that for me captures the magically special feeling of winter solstice. The sense of stillness and mystery in this carol really reflects how I often feel while out for wintery neighbourhood and forest walks in the dark snowy evenings.

I welcome choirs to treat these arrangements flexibly as best fits your group. I’ve endeavoured to keep the scoring as clean as possible, but you may wish to move voices around in different verses to have more singers on the melody line, use small groups, solos, or other arrangements – go for it!

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Watch the premiere by Cantiamo Women's Choir
Jackie Hawley, Artistic Director

1. Deck the hall

Deck the hall with boughs of holly
Fa la la la la la la la la
'Tis the season to be jolly
Fa la la la la la la la la
Fill the mead cup, drain the barrel
Fa la la la la la la la la
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol
Fa la la la la la la la la

See the flowing bowl before us
Fa la la la la la la la la
Strike the harp and join the chorus
Fa la la la la la la la la
Follow me in merry measure
Fa la la la la la la la la
While I sing of beauty’s treasure
Fa la la la la la la la la

Fast away the old year passes
Fa la la la la la la la la
Hail the new, yea lads and lasses!
Fa la la la la la la la la
Laughing quaffing all together
Fa la la la la la la la la
Headless of the wind and weather
Fa la la la la la la la la

2. O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
Not only green when summer’s here
But in the coldest time of year.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Of all the trees most lovely;
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Of all the trees most lovely.
Each year you bring to us delight
With brightly shining Christmas light!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Of all the trees most lovely.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
We learn from all your beauty;
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
We learn from all your beauty.
Your bright green boughs with festive cheer,
Give hope and strength throughout the year.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
We learn from all your beauty.

3. The Christmas Waltz

Frosted window panes
Candles gleaming inside
Painted candy canes on the tree
Santa's on his way
He's filled his sleigh with things
Things for you and for me
It's that time of year
When the world falls in love
Every song you hear seems to say
Merry Christmas
May your New Year dreams come true
And this song of mine
In three-quarter time
Wishes you and yours
The same thing too

4. Let it snow!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
Since we've no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

It doesn't show signs of stopping
And I've brought some corn for popping
The lights are turned way down low
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

When we finally kiss good night
How I'll hate going out in a storm
But if you'll really hold me tight
All the way home I'll be warm

The fire is slowly dying
And my dear, we're still goodbying
As long as you love me so
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

5. I wonder as I wander

I wonder as I wander out under the sky
That Jesus my Savior did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I
I wonder as I wander out under the sky

When Jesus was born it was in a cowstall
With Shepherds and Wisemen and angels and all
The blessings of Christmas from Heaven did fall
And the weary world woke to her Saviour’s call

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
A star in the sky or a bird on the wing,
Or all of God’s angels in heav’n for to sing,
He surely could have it,
For he was the King.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky
That Jesus my Savior did come for to die
For poor on'ry people like you and like I
I wonder as I wander out under the sky