Adam Carol
This carol was first published in 1833 in a collection entitled “Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern”. William Sandys, a solicitor by day and music & manuscript collector by night, purportedly came across the tune in Devonshire, England.
In this gentle setting from 1991 many colors of choral writing appear with sections for SATB, 3-part men, 3-part women, and solos by section. There is a gentle back-and-forth between measures set in 3/2 vs. 4/4.
According to the 1868 publication “Songs of the Nativity” by William H. Husk: “…The line in the second stanza, ‘As the lot fell unto me,’ alludes to the manner in which Joseph was miraculously pointed out as the husband of the Virgin by a flower budding forth from his rod and the Holy Ghost, in the form of a dove, descending thereon, as related in the Apocryphal Gospel of the Birth of Mary.”
An accompaniment arranged for piano (2-hand or 4-hand) is available directly from the composer at [email protected].
| Descriptive Tags: | Carol, Celebratory, Christian, Liturgical text |
| Difficulty: | Easy, Medium |
| Duration: | 5-10 Minutes |
| Instrumentation: | Organ, Piano |
| Language: | English |
| Season or Event: | Advent, Christmas |
| Voicing: | SATB |
$2.50
This title is available in print or for immediate download. For both options, there is a minimum required quantity of 8 copies for choral titles. Please support self-publishing composers by ordering the quantity according to the number of singers in the ensemble that will perform the work.
Print orders are printed on demand and shipped by our printing partner, and can be expected to be processed within a few days of the order. Please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] to follow up.
Explore More Music…
Title | View | Voicing | Duration | Language | Composer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equal Voices ⋅ Unison | 2'27" | A moving setting of the classic American lullaby. Good for developing singers, but also a good choice for some lovely unison singing with more advanced ensembles. The students we arranged this for absolutely loved it. We hope your choir does too. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A moving setting of the classic American lullaby. Good for developing singers, but also a good choice for some lovely unison singing with more advanced ensembles. The students we arranged this for absolutely loved it. We hope your choir does too. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 3'30" | English | The words of Job are paired with the style of the American work song or chain gang song for this a cappella SATB setting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The words of Job are paired with the style of the American work song or chain gang song for this a cappella SATB setting. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 3' | English | This new setting of the Christmas/Epiphany words, “As with gladness, men of old did the guiding star behold” seeks to emphasize the joyful nature of the visit of the Magi to the Christ child. Set in a lively 7/8 time, it is mainly in four parts (SATB), although the 3rd verse, “As they offered gifts most rare” […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This new setting of the Christmas/Epiphany words, “As with gladness, men of old did the guiding star behold” seeks to emphasize the joyful nature of the visit of the Magi to the Christ child. Set in a lively 7/8 time, it is mainly in four parts (SATB), although the 3rd verse, “As they offered gifts most rare” […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 3' 12" | English ⋅ Latin | The words of this carol/motet are well-known from Britten’s teenage tour-de-force, but that double-chorus setting is out of the reach of most church choirs. The powerful text, alternating English and Latin in the style of medieval carols, warrants an additional, simpler setting. The work is suitable for concert performance, as well as for liturgical use […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The words of this carol/motet are well-known from Britten’s teenage tour-de-force, but that double-chorus setting is out of the reach of most church choirs. The powerful text, alternating English and Latin in the style of medieval carols, warrants an additional, simpler setting. The work is suitable for concert performance, as well as for liturgical use […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 5' | English | This is a tuneful, contemporary setting of a multi-verse carol for choir a cappella using an original melody. It starts with a statement by the alto section and gradually adds parts and harmonic variations. The unusual time signature of 5/4 provides a lilt and propels the piece forward. All parts sing the melody along the […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This is a tuneful, contemporary setting of a multi-verse carol for choir a cappella using an original melody. It starts with a statement by the alto section and gradually adds parts and harmonic variations. The unusual time signature of 5/4 provides a lilt and propels the piece forward. All parts sing the melody along the […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 4' | English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SSAATTBB | 5' 15" | Finnish ⋅ Vocables | In Runo XIV of the Kalevala, Lemminkäinen hunts the black swan that lives on the river of Tuoni in the underworld in order to win a daughter of Louhi as his wife. While searching for the swan, he is killed and his body is dumped into the river. In Runo XV, Lemminkäinen’s mother searches all […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In Runo XIV of the Kalevala, Lemminkäinen hunts the black swan that lives on the river of Tuoni in the underworld in order to win a daughter of Louhi as his wife. While searching for the swan, he is killed and his body is dumped into the river. In Runo XV, Lemminkäinen’s mother searches all […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 2'50" | English | Roll the Tide is a short, a cappella setting in a quasi-spiritual style of Elisabeth T. Eliassen’s poem of peace and longing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Roll the Tide is a short, a cappella setting in a quasi-spiritual style of Elisabeth T. Eliassen’s poem of peace and longing. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SATB | 2' | English | The Noble Art of Music sets two Martin Luther quotations as a bright, uplifting choral fanfare celebrating the joy of singing. Commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Artists, it unfolds in clear panels—urgent, then stately, before opening into a broad final statement—making a crisp, welcoming opener for almost any program. “As long as we live, […] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Noble Art of Music sets two Martin Luther quotations as a bright, uplifting choral fanfare celebrating the joy of singing. Commissioned by the San Francisco Choral Artists, it unfolds in clear panels—urgent, then stately, before opening into a broad final statement—making a crisp, welcoming opener for almost any program. “As long as we live, […] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TBB ⋅ TTBB | 3' | English | TTB American folksong arrangement | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TTB American folksong arrangement | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||