Song 3: In a stable down at Bethlehem - Malcolm Archer
Information:
This is a fairly recently composed piece of music - first published in 2015. It has a very catchy melody with a wonderful Tango rhythm. For this reason it is usually called 'The Tango Carol'. The verse is in a minor key with the chorus in a major key. It is fairly quick.- Part 1: Pages 3, 4 and the top 2 lines of page5: There is a short 4 bar piano introduction and then only the ladies sing the verse which ends at the end of line 2 on page 5. The voices begin medium loud
and at the 2nd bar page 5 it is medium quiet and gradually gets louder till the end of the verse.
- Part 2: Pages 5 (bottom line),6 and 7. This is the chorus in the other key. The first 3 lines are sung in unison Soprano+Alto top line and Tenor+Bass bottom line. The final line at the top of page 7 is sung in 4 part harmony. This ends with a 4 bar piano intoduction to the next verse.
B:
- Part 3: Pages 8 and 9 - This is the verse again with the phrases alternating to the bottom line of page 9. At bar 57 we sing in 4 part harmony with the Sops singing the long notes of the melody. The last 2 lines the volume begins at mp and increases gradually to the end of page 9.
B:
- Part 4: Pages 10, 11 and 12 (1st bar).
The Sops sing the tune whilst the other parts sing the harmony to the first note on page 12
At bar 76 there is a short section played by the piano till the next verse is sung
B:
- Part 5: Pages 12, 13 and page 14 to bar 95. This is the verse again and is mainly in unison till we get to bar 89 when a large part of the rest is in harrmony. It begins medium loud till we get to bar 91 where it is medium quiet gradually getting louder until it is loud at the beginning of part 6 (Chorus).
B:
- Part 6: Page 14 (Bar 96) to the end. For part of this section we have Soprano 1 & 2 parts until bar 108 when the soprano parts join together. It is mostly loud until the last page when it gets loud to very loud at the end.
The Sops and Altos begin singing in long harmony notes while the men sing the tune. From bar 108 the Sops sing the tune whilst the other parts sing the harmony.At bar 114 the tune is repeated to the end.
T:
B:
Sorry I cannot find any recordings of this carol.