O long and darksome was the night (George Whitefield Chadwick)

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• (Posted 2023-03-06)  CPDL #72939:     

Editor: Claude Tallet (submitted 2023-03-06).   Score information: A4, 6 pages, 606 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

• (Posted 2015-11-23)  CPDL #37637: 

Contributor: Paolo Pandolfo (submitted 2015-11-23).  Score information: A4, 6 pages, 1.38 MB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: Scanned score from IMSLP.

General Information

Title: O Long and Darksome was the Night
Composer: George Whitefield Chadwick
Lyricist:

Number of voices: 1v   Voicing: A
Genre: Sacred, Lied

Language: English
Instruments: Piano

First published:
Description: Christmas Songs from Noël

Original text and translations

English text

O long and darksome was the night
That in dull watches wore away,
With moon and stars alone to light
A world bewildering and astray.

While oft thick shade and murky cloud
Pale moon and stars did deep enshroud;
And nations looked, and hoped in vain
That over earth, of guilt and sorrow,
Of sin and hate, the sad domain.

Might dawn a bright and cheerful morrow,
When Thou, O Christ! of flesh wast born,
To greet Thee in Thy humble bed,
Though earth Thy lowliness should scorn,
Celestial bands with rapture sped;
At midnight on the silent air
Thy birth their floating strains declare:
The shepherds catch the thrilling lay,
In harmony their senses steeping;
Then to Thy manger take their way,
And gaze on Thee, an infant sleeping!