O Little Town of Bethlehem (Traditional)

From ChoralWiki

Music files

See also the Christmas Songbook

• CPDL #7061 and #7062: PDF and MIDI files available.

Editor: Edward L. Stauff (added 2004-05-20).   Score information: Letter, 1 pages, kbytes   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes: "Forest Green" and "St. Louis" tunes available in two separate scores.

• CPDL #621: .
  

Editor: Rafael Ornes (added 1999-12-07).   Score information: 20 kbytes   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: tune: "Forest Green"

General Information

Title: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Composer: Traditional

Number of voices: 4vv  Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred, Carol
Language: English
Instruments: a cappella.
Published:

Description: For obvious reasons, the final verse is traditionally only sung on Christmas Day.

External websites:

CyberHymnal entry for O Little Town of Bethlehem:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/o/l/olittle.htm

Original text and translations

English text

1.

O little town of Bethlehem how still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

2.

O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth,

and praises sing to God the King and peace to men on earth;

For Christ is born of Mary; and, gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondring love'.

3.

How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is giv'n!

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav'n.

No ear may hear his coming; but in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.

4.

O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray,

Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today,

We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.

Lyrics: Phill­ips Brooks, 1867

This page is awaiting cleanup. For a description of the error(s), see below or see the discussion page. This work is listed under "Traditional". Two scores say composer is L. H. Redner, tune: "St. Louis", also "Forest Green", traditional English harm. by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Please separate the editions and correct titles etc. Bobnotts 17:41, 14 December 2006 (PST)