Still, Still The Night
COMPOSER’S NOTE
As part of the choir’s Virtual Summer School series, the choir chose to perform my Quanta Qualia for which I created a series of videos talking singers through the work and helping each of them to master their part.
Following on from the success of that performance, I wanted to write the choir a new work to premiere as part of their Christmas 2020 concert. Still, Still The Night sets new words by my librettist brother Andrew. The carol is imbued with both a sense of longing and the hope that a healing light may be born to comfort mankind. It wonderfully draws together the familiar Nativity story and a hope for better things to come.
The work also appeared on my Christmas album, The Nativity, with the Voce Chamber Choir.
DURATION
4 minutes
CHORUS
unaccompanied SATB
YEAR OF COMPOSITION
2020
PUBLISHER
Hawes Music
SHEET MUSIC
Available from
Hawes Music
JW Pepper
Music Room
Music Shop Europe
Still, still the night.
Black, black the sky.
A star is rising bright and sheds a healing light:
O lux aeterna natus est.
Slow, slow it dawns;
Soft, soft the sound.
The star is singing high and clear this melody:
O lux aeterna natus est.
Light, light as fire,
Falls, falls like sparks,
This melody and harmony is burning hearts:
O lux aeterna natus est.
Shine! Shine! O Light!
Sing! Sing! O star!
Humility and tenderness is in your gift –
O lux aeterna natus est.
Lift! Lift your voice!
Seek! Seek this light!
Nativity in simplicity transfigures all –
O lux aeterna natus est.
Words: Andrew Hawes (1958 – )
