15th Century Traditional English Christmas Carol rgan q. = 9 Lively, with energy n. rightly THE CHERRY TREE CARL Christmas Carol or SATB Choir with divisi and organ accompaniment 8 8 <n Nicholas White 7 <n Ped. <n n mp legato 1 mp dolce Jo - seph was an old man and an old man was he, When he wed -ded - ry, in the mp dolce Jo - seph was an old man and an old man was he, When he wed -ded - ry, in the mp dolce Jo - seph was an old man and an old man was he, When he wed -ded - ry, in the mp dolce 8 8 8 8 Jo - seph was an old man and an old man was he, When he wed -ded - ry, in the j j 8 8 Copyright 015. Biretta Books. Chicago. All Rights Reserved. www.birettabooks.com
0 poco cresc. 8 j 8 land o Ga-li lee. Jo - seph and - ry walked through an or -chard good, poco cresc. 8 8 <n land o Ga - li - lee. Jo - seph and - ry walked through an or -chard good, 8 8 land o Ga - li - lee. 8 8 land o Ga - li - lee. poco cresc. 8 8 <n <n 8 8 j j j j 7 Where Where Where Where was - ries and er - ries, so <n was - ries and er - - - ries, <n was - ries and er - - - ries, was - ries and er - - - ries, n <n <n <n <
1 red as a - ny lood. red as lood. <n < red as lood. red as lood. < <n mp legato 8 J j - ry, so meek and oh so mild: 8 j j - ry, so meek and oh so mild: 8 J J - ry, so meek and oh so mild: 8 J J - ry, so meek and oh so mild: 8 8 n. Ped. j
8 j 8 8 "Pluck me one -ry, Jo- seph, or I am with child." 8 "Pluck me one -ry, Jo- seph, or I am with child." 8 "Pluck me one -ry, Jo- seph, or I am with child." 8 "Pluck me one -ry, Jo- seph, or I am with child." 8 "Let him pluck thee a "Let him pluck thee a cresc. <n j cresc. mp 8 Jo - seph, with words most un - kind: "Let 8 Jo - seph, with words most un - kind: "Let j j j 8 8 <n 8 <n j 8 <n him pluck thee a him pluck thee a n <n
5 - ry that rought thee with child." n n 5 n n - - - ry that rought thee with child." - - - ry that rought thee with child." n n - - - ry that rought thee with child." n n <n <n < J n n n n 59 Sopranos then e - spoke the <n <n <n mp <n # # p (still right) n j j j
5 a espress. - y, with - in his mo - ther's wom: "Bow down Altos espress. "Bow <n down <n j j j j j j j j espress. j j 7 then the tall - est tree, or my mo then the tall - est tree, or my mo p <n - - p - ther to have some." - <n - - ther to have some." n <n <n j p j n j
78 Basses # n 8 mp cresc. 8 8 8 owed down the p cresc. high-est tree un - to his mo -ther's hand; owed down the high - est tree; she p cresc. Tenors <n n n 8 p cresc. mp legato owed down the high - est tree; she owed down the high - est tree; she # Ó No Ped. n Ó cried, "See, Jo - seph, I have - ries at com - 8 <n cried, "See, Jo - seph, I have - ries at com - n 8 cried, "See, Jo - seph, I have - ries at com - cried, "See, Jo - seph, I have ries she - at com - 8 8 <n Ó <n Ó Ped. 7 8 8 8 8
8 88 mand." mand." mand." mand." 9 Jo Jo Jo Jo - seph: "I have done - ry wrong; But cheer up, my - seph: "I have done - ry wrong; But cheer up, my - seph: "I have done - ry wrong; But cheer up, my - seph: "I have done - ry wrong; But cheer up, my j j
98 8 j J 9 8 10 dear - est, and e ye not cast down." - ry plucked a 8 dear - est, and e ye not cast down." - ry plucked a 8 dear - est, and e ye not cast down." dear - est, and e ye not cast down." 8 J J - ry, as red as a - ny lood, - ry, as red as a - ny lood, 8 8 <n <n j <n 8 j 8 <n 8 j 8 j 8 <n j j <n <n J J J J n <n
10 108 11 J J <n - wards, - wards, - wards, - wards, - - - - wards wards wards wards <n j <n <n <n J <n j j all with her hea - - vy all with her hea - - vy <n all with her hea - - vy J J <n all with her hea - - vy j J
11 p mp mp load. p mp mp load. 11 p mp mp load. p mp mp p load. U <n p <n <n U u "The Cherry Tree Carol" tells a anciul story o the Holy Family's journey to Bethlehem. n the way they stop at a garden with a ry orchard. This imagery calls to mind Adam and Eve in Eden's Garden as mentioned in the Book o Genesis. The image o the orchard oering its ruit to ry ecomes even more itting in light o evidence that the ranch rom which she plucks elongs to no ordinary tree. The ry tree is a symol or the "Tree o Lie." ry, as the new and perect Eve, is eing shown as worthy to partake o the "Tree o Lie." New Year's Eve 01 ry asks Joseph to pick her ries. The anger that the carol ascries to Joseph indicates his inner rustration over his inaility to provide ry's request. In the carol, the tree is ar aove him and he cannot get the ries ry wants. In a spiritual sense, Joseph knows that only Jesus, the new "Adam," is worthy to gain the ruits o redemption, symolized in the carol y the ries. It is true that Adam and Eve s departure rom the Garden o Eden arred them and their posterity rom the "Tree o Lie." However, a rainic tradition has it NICHLAS WHITE that the last divine word that rang in the ears o Adam and Eve as they let the Garden o Eden was tashu ( You shall return! ). When Genesis :15, the Protoevangellium ("First Gospel") promises the human race a Redeemer (the New Adam, Jesus Christ), Scripture paints an image o the head o the serpent (Satan) eing crushed under heel. Just as an inant stands upon his mother's oot held up y her hands, so Jesus stands upon the oot o ry as His own ootstool. With the mighty orce o this Holy Child, Jesus crushes the serpent--the dragon with ry's delicate heel. Nicholas White, the Grammy nominated composer and conductor, provides a thrilling setting o this amous carol, which choirs will add to their Christmas repertoire with great delight!