Christmas Candles

This is a lighthearted piece, my first ever commission!  It was written for John Bayley and the Solihull Chandos Choir, and received its first performance on 14th December 2010 at Christ Church, Solihull, West Midlands.  I was asked to incorporate a children’s choir, and the words were written by Jean Lewis,who sang soprano in the choir.  The newly formed Solihull Youth Choirs also took part in this performance, and the accompanist was Darren Hogg.

Here are the words:

CHRISTMAS CANDLES

Everyone should have a Christmas candle – light it up and let it shine.

Let yours glow in your small corner, I will let mine glow in mine –

And we’ll banish the world’s darkness, for a while, at Christmas Time.

Though the light may start quite slowly – just encourage it to grow.

Join the candles all together and the light will grow and grow –

till the darkness that hangs o’er us will diminish and will go.

Everyone should have a Christmas candle – light it up and let it shine.

Let yours glow in your small corner, I will let mine glow in mine –

And we’ll banish the world’s darkness, for a while, at Christmas Time.

See the light that feeds the spirit, that transfigures all around.

It will chase away the darkness that in this sad world abounds.

So let us make this joyous light stay with us through the year.

Keep the Christmas candles burning and let us chase away the fear

that keeps the world in darkness, in sadness and in woe,

And with light will come the confidence to help mankind to grow

Everyone should have a Christmas candle – light it up and let it shine.

Let yours glow in your small corner, I will let mine glow in mine –

And we’ll banish the world’s darkness, for a while, at Christmas Time.

Everyone should have a Christmas candle – light it up and let it shine,

Let yours glow in your small comes, I will let mine glow in mine,

And we’ll chase away the darkness, for ever, at Christmas time.

Jean Lewis

To hear it please click here, where you can also see and download the score.

The piece was also performed a couple of years ago at the University of Hawaii Performing Arts Centre in Hilo (see picture!)

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