This is a Christmas lullaby from Patrica Smith’s folio And the Angels Sang. It would be lovely as a backing to a Nativity scene or a Christ centered Christmas pageant.
This time, instead of an old tune with a new text this is an old text with her new tune. It is a C16 Scottish lyric by John and Robert Wedderburn. “Spreit” is spirit and “Balulalow” means Mary’s lullaby to the baby Jesus. “Songes” has two syllables as in Middle English.
Her setting is well suited to the delicate words. Apart from having the keyboard arrangement in the collection, you can get that arrangement, as well as the lead sheet and SAB arrangement for$A3.95 each at Willow. It looks like the altos just get to hum.
She asked for a gentle accompaniment with harp or guitar. BIAB can handle that.
1 Oh my dear heart, young Jesus sweet,
Prepare thy cradle in my spreit,
And I shall rock thee in my heart,
And never more from thee depart.
2 But I shall praise thee evermore,
With songes sweet unto thy gloir;
The knees of my heart shall I bow
And sing that right Balulalow.
Being ignorant of this traditional piece I went looking for other settings – there are a lot. Here are a few examples.
Britten:
Francis Pott’s setting by the amazing Voces8:
Sandy Denny:
Oliver Tarney’s setting by Sansara: