As on the night (Orlando Gibbons)

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• (Posted 2020-12-04)  CPDL #61786:   

Editor: Pierre Chépélov (submitted 2020-12-04).   & Paul Willenbrock. Score information: A4, 2 pages, 458 kB   Copyright: CC BY

Edition notes:

The music was taken from Songs 47 and 34), which fits with the text of Song 46.

Original key, original note values. Text according to the original source.

Only treble and bass are Gibbons', alto and tenor written by Pierre Chépélov.

• (Posted 2010-01-13)  CPDL #20816:         

Editor: James Gibb (submitted 2010-01-13).   Score information: A4, 3 pages, 46 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Includes a keyboard reduction of the a cappella choral score.

The music (taken from Song 47) has been adapted to fit with the text of Song 46.

Transposed one 2nd higher, note values halved. Text is not the original version.

Only treble and bass are Gibbons', alto and tenor here are very similar to those written by Francis Jackson (OUP, 1973).

General Information

Title: As on the night (Song 47)
Composer: Orlando Gibbons
Lyricist: George Wither (1588-1667)

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB

Genre: Sacred, Motet

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1623 in The Hymnes and Songs of the Church (George Wither), no. 46
(text); Nos. 47 and 34 (music)

Description: In the original edition, Song 46 has no clear tune indication. It has been customary to sing it on an altered version of Gibbons' music for Song 47, although it fits betters to the Gibbons' music for Songs 47 (verse) and 34 (chorus).

External websites:

Original text and translations

English text

1. As on the Night before this happie Morne,
A blessed An gell unto Shepheards told,
Where (in a Stable) he was poorely borne,
Whom, nor the earth nor Heav’n of heav’ns can hold
    Through Bethlem rung
This newes at their returne;
    Yea, Angells sung,
That God with us was born:
And they made mirth, because we should not mourne.

Chorus.
Their Angells-Caroll sing wee then;
To God on high all glory bee,
For Peace on earth bestoweth hee,
And showeth Favour unto men.

2. This favour Christ vouchsafed for our sake,
To buy us Thrones, hee in a Manger lay.
Our weaknes tooke, that we his strength might take,
And was disrob’d, that hee might us aray,
    Our flesh hee wore,
Our Sinne to weare away.
    Our Curse hee bore,
That wee escape it may,
And wept for us, that wee might sing for aye.

Chorus.
With Angells therfore, sing agen;
To God on high all glory bee;
For Peace on Earth bestoweth hee:
And showeth Favour unto Men.