SATB choir unaccompanied
SKU: ST.W213
Composed by Derek Healey.
A carol in the manner of
Delius. SATB
unaccompanied. Choral.
Octavo. Stainer & Bell
Ltd. #W213. Published by
Stainer & Bell Ltd.
(ST.W213).
ISBN
9790220221019.
Thou
gh Frederick Delius was
in no sense a man of
traditional religious
beliefs, the
distinguished composer
and organist Derek Healey
has imagined the sound of
a Christmas carol he
might have written, and
given us Sleep, Holy
Babe!, a delightful
unaccompanied SATB
setting of Edward
Caswall's classic
hymn.
The result
will delight all lovers
of Delius's music, and
not least those who wish
to add a dash of his
unique style to this
year's Christmas
festivities. A slow and
expressive lullaby,
Sleep, Holy
Babe! adds a
different nuance to each
of the four verses,
reflecting their changing
moods. In turn, sopranos,
tenors, basses and altos
have solo roles, and
together create a richly
Delian sonority that
stays well within the
technical range of an
average choir.