Balulalow | Chris Hutchings | MusicSpoke by MusicSpoke

BALULALOW for SATB choir a cappella, with soprano and baritone soloists Some individual singing is required from all singers, and all four sections are divisi at various points.

Text in Scots (16th century), from "The Gude and Godlie Ballads" by J., J. & R. Wedderburn, believed to be a translation into Scots of Martin Luther's "Von Himmel Hoch"

ÂŠ Chris Hutchings 2012 www.hutchingsmusic.co.uk twitter.com/hutchingsmusic

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Full text

Pronunciation and glossary

I come from hevin heich to tell the best nowells that e'er befell. To you thir tythings trew I bring and I will of them say and sing: This day to you is born ane Child of Marie meik and Virgin mild. That blissit bairn bening and kind sall you rejoyce baith hart and mind.

"Balulalow" should rhyme with "now" (so that it rhymes with "bow" in the last couplet). If there is doubt about the pronunciation of a word, it may be pronounced to match the modern English equivalent. This is an approximation of Scots pronunciation (words which are pronounced as they look - e.g. war, wharin, sa - are omitted):

Lat us rejoyis [now] and be blyth and with the Hyrdis go full swyth, and see what Godis grace hes done throu Christ to bring us to his throne. My saull and life, stand up and see wha lyis in ane cribbe of tree. What Babe is that, sa gude and fair? It is Christ, Godis Son and Air. The silk and sandell thee to eis ar hay and sempill sweilling clais wharin thou gloris greitest King as thou in hev'n war in thy ring. And war the warld ten times sa wide cled ouer with gold and stanes of pride unworthie yit it were to thee under they feet ane stule to be. O my deir hart, yung Jesus sweit, prepair thy creddill in my spreit! And I sall rock thee in my hart and never mair fra thee depart. Bot I sall praise thee evermoir with sangis sweit unto thy gloir. The kneis of my hart sall I bow and sing that rycht Balulalow.

v.1: heich: "hee", then a ch as in loch (high) Marie: same as English "Mary" meik: as English "meek" bening: "ben" then ing as in "ring" (benign) sall: as if it was the opening syllable of "Sally" v.2: Lat: as written (let) rejoyis: as "rejoice", but with the diphthong partly split into two syllables; "rih-jaw-ees". blyth: as English "blithe" swyth: rhymes with "blithe" (swift) throu: same as "through" gude: same as "good" Air: same as "heir" (the h is silent) v.3: eis: ay-ees (ease) sweilling: swee-ling (swaddling) clais: clay-ees (clothes) greitest: gree-test (greatest) ouer: ah-oor (ow'r, over) stule: same as "stool" v.4: sweit: same as "sweet" spreit: spreet (spirit) evermoir: same as "evermore" sangis: "sang-is" (songs) gloir: rhymes with "more" (glory) kneis: same as "knees" rycht: richt (i sound as in lift, ch sound as in loch) (right, appropriate)

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Balulalow For SATB choir (min. 4 singers per part), Words: from The Gude and Godlie with soprano and baritone soloists Ballatis (J, J & R Wedderburn), 16th century Calmato, q c.

## 5 Ó & 4

Altos

Sop.

he - vin

## 5 & 4 ˙˙ la

# & # 45 ˙ .

Sop.

bring

heich

˙˙

œœ

## 5 & 4 ww

- lu

∑

45 ˙˙

˙˙ ..

low,

And

46 Ó .

œ œ

5 4 ww

6 4 ˙. Ba

46 ˙˙ ..

best

6 4 ˙˙ .. ba

œ ˙

p Œ ˙.

To you

œ.

will

a ˙˙ ..

lu -

P œ I π ˙.

Soprano solo

F œ ˙ 46 œ œ

The

thir

them

that

lu -

nœ

5 4

trew

˙˙

œœ

from

P ˙˙ ..

P 45 œ œ ˙ say and sing: p 5 4 ˙ ˙˙ .. ˙ - la

come

no - wells

ty - things

œ.

P n ˙˙ ..

˙˙

low,

46 ˙˙

45 ˙ .

46 œ .

low,

tell

low,

˙˙

46 ˙˙

˙˙ .. Œ

p ˙˙ ..

6 4 Ó

be - fell;

- la

## 5 & 4 œ œ œ ˙. e'er

lu -

Ba -

p ˙˙ ..

## p & ˙˙ ..

» ¡¢º

∑

## π & ˙.

π ˙.

Chris Hutchings

low,

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low,

6 4

Balulalow

## 6 F & 4 œ œ œ ˙ Tutti

This day to you

# & # 46 ˙ ˙

This day to

## 5 & 4œ œ ˙

Vir - gin mild.

## 5 & 4˙

and Vir - gin

## 5 & 4 ˙.

f œ

kind,

That

f œ œ

kind,

That

## 6 P & 4œ œ

sall

you

## 6 P & 4 œ œœ sall

you

6 4 ˙.

œ œ œ

you

is born ane

64 œ

46 œœ

œ œ

Œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ

bli - ssit

œ œ

˙˙ ..

45 ˙ ˙

re - joyce

5 4

45 ˙

Of Ma - rie

5 4

œ œ œ œ œ œ

be - ning

That bli - ssit

bli - ssit

and

œ œ œ

child

piu cresc.

mild;

46 œ œ œ ˙ piu cresc.

˙.

re - joyce

œœ

5 4

Of Ma - rie meik

That bli - ssit bairn

œ œ œ

meik

6 4œ œ œ ˙

born ane child

œ œ œ

5 4 œ œ ˙.

baith

bairn

˙ ˙

œ œ

bairn

hart

œœ

hart

œœ

and

bairn

45 œ

be - ning

nign and

45 œ œ

œœ

˙.

kind

nign

and

46 w .

œœ

46 w .

and

˙˙ ..

kind

mind.

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and

46 46

Animato, q

## . V Ó

»c. ¡•º f

Balulalow

œ œ œ

œ ˙

f œ œ œ

œ ˙

Let

? ## Ó .

Let

re - joy - is

And

5 œ œ œ 4

joy - is and

blyth

46 ˙ .

œ ˙

Go - dis

grace

nœ hes

what Go - dis

## 5 & 4

∑

## 5 V 4 œ œ

? # # 45 œ œ

the

? ## n œ œ œ œ œ œ

blyth

45 œ œ

the hy - rdis

let

full

swyth

hyr - dis

45 ˙ .

full

f Œ œ

rit.

done

hes done

»c. ¡∞º

Piu moderato, q

f 64 œ œ œ ˙

his throne.

6 4 Ó

46 ˙

saull

life,

stand

and

stand

œ To

to bring us

Throu Christ to bring us

what

F 64 Œ œ œ œ œ œ

46 œ œ œ œ œ œ My saull and

6 4

œ œ ˙

Christ

F œ œ œ œ

My saull and life,

swyth

Throu

54 œ œrit. œ n ˙ grace

And see

œ œ œ œ

6 4

? # # 46 œ Œ œ œ œ œ

see

6 ˙ 4œ Œ œ

and

5 4 ˙.

5 4 œ œ œ ˙.

And with

## 6 œ œ œ œ ˙ V 4 with

œ œ œ

re - joy - is,

45 45

45 œ œ ˙ .

5 4 œ Œ œ œ œ > > >

6 4

45 œ œ ˙ .

up and see

life,

stand up and

up and see

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Balulalow

# 6 & # 4

∑

## 6 & 4 œ œ œ ˙ Wha ly - is

# # 6 >˙ . V 4 see

œ ˙

œ œ œ

5 œ 4

œ œ œ œ

6 4 œ

œ ˙

F 64 œ

ane

Wha ly - is

ane

5 4 œ

ane

cribbe

fU Œ

œ œ œ œ

45 w

fU Œ

54 w

fU Œ

that,

# V # ˙

œ ˙

sa gude

gude

and

? ## œ œ œ œ œ œ gude

and

œ œ ˙

fair?

fU Œ

F cresc. œ œ œ œ

What babe cresc.

What babe

F Œ œ œ œ œ

tree;

cribbe of tree.

5 4w

and

6 4 Ó

cribbe of tree;

5 4w

gude

cresc.

What babe is that,

œ œ œ œ œ œ

that,

∑

? # # 46 œ œ œ œ œ œ

F 6 4 œ

5 4 œ

Wha ly - is

5 4

œ œ ˙

cresc.

What babe is that,

rit.

p reverently 6 œ œ œ 4 p 6 œ 4

What babe is reverently

p 46 œ

that,

5 4 45

What babe is reverently

that,

What babe

that,

p reverently œ 46 œ œ What babe

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5 4

# 5 & # 4 œ

» ¡™º

Balulalow Maestoso, q c. warm

F 6Œ 4 œ œ ˙.

˙.

gude and fair?

## 5 & 4 œ

˙.

## 5 œ V 4

˙.

? # # 45 œ

gude and fair?

## 6 f & 4 w.

Ó.

Tempo I

Air.

## 6 f & 4 w. ## 6 f V 4 w.

π ˙.

Tempo I

∑

Air.

Tempo I

∑

Air.

Tempo I

∑

œ a˙

5 4 œ

45 n œ N œ

is Christ,

God - is

45 n œ

is Christ,

God - is

45 ˙ .

sempre

π 54 ˙.

˙ sempre

π ˙

45 Ó . 45

∑

and

Son

and

#œ

Son

and

46 ˙ .

sempre

low

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and

46 ˙ .

π 64 ˙ .

6 4

œ aœ Son

6 4

Son

God - is

Air.

f ? # # 46 w .

is Christ,

F 64 Œ œ warm œ ˙.

˙.

5 4 œ

God - is

F 64 Œ œ nwarm œ b˙.

gude and fair?

is Christ,

F warm 6Œ 4 œ œ n˙.

gude and fair?

Œ Œ Œ Œ

Balulalow

? ##

Bar.

Baritone solo

˙.

# & # Ó.

∑

? ##

∑

# # 6 san - dell & 4 ˙. ## 6 & 4 ˙.

## 6 Ó . V 4 ? ## 6 Ó . 4

5 4

The

silk

and

6 4

˙.

Ó.

6 4

45 œ

Ó.

54 œ

Ó.

Ó ˙

thee

54 w

˙.

45 w

˙.

45 w

˙. la

œ low

eis

piu cresc.

low

? # # 46 œ

45 œ

p œ

˙ la

˙.

# V #

5 4 Ó

∑.

˙.

Bar.

∑.

45 w

5 w 4

46 ˙ . 46

œ.

hay

and sem - pill

Ba -

˙.

Ba -

46 ˙ .

Ba -

6 ˙. 4

Ba -

- lu -

˙.

- lu -

˙.

- lu -

œ.

˙. -

- lu -

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45 45 45 5 4

Balulalow

? ## 5 œ œ œ ˙ . 4

6 4 Ó

Bar.

## 5 & 4 ˙

swei - lling clais

# 5 & # 4

# V # 45 ˙ ? # # 45 ˙

? # # 45 ˙ .

Bar.

# & # 45 w # & # 45 w ## 5 w V 4 ? # # 45 w

˙.

low,

6 4 ˙

˙.

46 ˙

low,

˙. low,

˙. -

low,

œ As

Œ Œ Œ Œ

P ˙ œ

whar - in

thou

˙.

46 ˙

Œ ˙.

64 ˙

œ.

hev'n

46 ˙ .

n˙.

˙.

thou

46 ˙ . ba

46 ˙ . ˙. 46 ba

˙.

n˙. lu

war

n˙.

p ˙

thy ring.

n˙

45 ˙ ˙ 45 -

low,

a˙

low,

˙ -

low,

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5 4

low,

œ -

5 4

low,

œ 45

œ.

King

n˙

˙. -

grei - test

˙.

˙. -

45 ˙

œ nœ

glo - ris

˙.

œ.

. 46 œ

low,

U U 6 j‰ U

46 46

U œ ‰U 6 J

Balulalow

p # # 6 cresc. poco aœ pocoœ œ 5 œ & 4 œ œ œ 4

And war the warld ten

times sa wide,

p cresc. poco a poco 5 Œ œ œ 4 ˙ œ

## 6 & 4 ˙

p cresc. poco a poco Œ œ œ œ 45 œ And war the

## 6 ˙ V 4

warld

And war the

warld

P cresc. poco a poco œ 5 œ ? # # 46 œ œ œ ˙ 4 And war the warld

6 4 œ

œ ˙.

ten

œ œ œ œ œ

Cled ouer with gold

6 ˙ 4 œ œ œ

ten times sa

wide,

46 œ

œ ˙.

times sa wide,

œ œ œ

5 4

cled ouer

œ œ œ œ 46 ˙ . ten times sa

œ ˙

wide,

and

5 4

with

cled ouer with

œ œ ˙

Cled ouer with gold

and

rit.

## 5 œ & 4

œ ˙

# & # 45 œ

œ œ œ œ

˙. 46

œ œ œ œ

œ ˙

6 œ 4

stanes of pride,

gold and

# œ V # 45

gold and

? ## 5 œ 4

stanes

stanes of pride,

46 œ

Cled ouer with gold

pride,

œ and

Cled ouer with

pride,

Cled ouer with

cled ouer with

˙ gold

œ and

œ œ œ œ œ œ 45 stanes

œ. œ. œ. œ. gold

and

œ œ 45 œ œ œ œ gold

and

œ œ œ œ œ œ stanes

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5 4

a tempo

# # 5 U. & 4 Ó

Sop.

Bar.

? # # 45 U Ó. f U ## 5 & 4 ˙.

œp

## 5 f & 4 œ # # 5 œf V 4

# & # 46

wor

pride,

Bar.

der

thy

feet

der

thy

feet

? ## 6 œ 4

# & # 46 ˙ . ## 6 & 4 ˙. ba

## 6 ˙ . V 4 ba

? # # 46 ˙ .

˙.

stule

˙. -

lu -

ane

˙.

45 ˙ -

˙ 45

˙.

ane

45 ˙

lu -

˙.

5 ˙ 4

lu -

45 ˙

˙.

45 ˙

˙.

lu -

˙.

π˙ . 46

thie yit

Sop.

π 64 ˙ .

stanes of pride,

π 64 ˙ .

œ Uœ Ó

ƒ U ? # # 45 ˙ .

yit œ œ- thie œ ˙ 6 4 wor

π 6 ˙. 4

stanes of pride,

6 4 œ œ œ ˙

Balulalow

pride,

p œ

stule

5 4 œ

œ œ ˙.

were to

thee

were to

thee

5 œ 4

45 ˙

- la

5 4 ˙

- la

˙ 45

- la

be.

low.

46 w .

˙.

low.

46 w .

˙.

46 w .

˙.

46 w .

low.

˙.

low,

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˙.

6 4

low,

6 w. 4

˙.

low.

low,

be.

6 4

˙.

˙. 46 w .

˙.

6 4

Balulalow

12 76

Sop.

## π & ˙

Ó.

(start about 5 seconds after basses enter)

p œ œ œ

œ ˙

O my deir hart, yung

## π & ˙ ##

∑

(Baritone in octave unison with soprano)

˙.

w . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

low

Ba - lu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

low

π ˙

Ó.

(start about 5" after S&A)

? ## w .

Je sus

low

π ˙

∑.

(start about 5" after T)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ˙

low

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The notes in boxes are to be sung in any order, freely, being repeated as required, by each member of the section, ad lib. Bring in each note pp, with a swell in the middle (volume should never be more than mp, usually p), and fade it off with a diminuendo; leave a slight rest before the next note. The crotchet speed should be similar to the soloists' speed. Any rests are entirely ad lib. 80

Sop.

c. 3"

œ ˙. Œ œ œ œ œ œ

sweet,

pre - pair thy cred-dill

# & # ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ &

? ##

in my spreit,

~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~

Ó œ ˙ œ

And I sall

rock thee in my

la low

~~~~~~~~

~~~~ n ˙ ˙ ˙ n w . Ba lu la low

~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~

n ˙ ˙ n w . ~~~~

nœ œ ˙ ˙

˙ n˙ ˙ w.

∑

œ œ œ ˙.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ n ˙ ˙

sim.

lu la

low

˙ ˙ w.

lu la

low

Ba lu

low

w. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ˙ ˙ n ˙

˙ ˙ ˙ nw.

low

Ba lu

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ba lu

la low

low

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~~~~~~~

Balulalow

Sop.

˙.

hart

and

# V # ˙

? ## ˙

low

»c. ¡¢º

## P & œ œ œ ˙

## P & œ œ œ n˙ œ Bot I sall praise thee ## π V ˙˙ .. ˙˙ .. π ? ## ˙ . ba

lu -

n ˙˙ ..

lu -

frae

œ.

thee

part;

w . ~~~~~~

low

(niente)

low

w . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

low

œ.

mair

Calmato, q

ver

Tutti

œ.

Bot I sall praise thee

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

# & #

œ.

& ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(niente)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(niente) Begin to fade out (over about 5 seconds) when "depart" is sung: all singers should sing "low" as their last syllable before fading out.

45 œ œ ˙ .

46 œ

45 n œ œ ˙.

46 n œ

e - ver - moir

Œ 46

œ œ ˙

5 4 œ œ nœ ˙

Œ 46

˙˙ ..

45 ˙˙

˙˙ ..

5 4 ˙˙

n ˙˙ ..

6 4

with sang-is sweit un

˙˙ ..

46 ˙˙ ..

5 4 n ˙˙

˙˙ ..

6 4 n ˙˙ ..

- la - low,

œ 45 œ œ ˙

with sang-is sweit un

45 ˙˙

- la - low,

œ œ ˙

lu -

˙˙ ..

lu -

to thy gloir,

- la - low,

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Balulalow

## P 6 & 4 œ

œ œ œ œ œ a œ œ 45 ˙ .

fœ 6 Œ œ 4

5 4 ˙.

f Œ œ 46 œ

5 4 ˙.

f Œ œ 46 œ

P œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 5 ˙. ? # # 46 œ n œ 4 œ œ

œ 6f Œ 4 œ

Maestoso

rit.

œ œ ˙

with sang - is sweit un - to

## P 6 & 4 œ

thy

œ œ œ œ œ œ. œ. œ. œ.

with sang - is sweit un - to

thy

## P 6 V 4 œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ. œ. œ. œ. with sang-is sweit un - to

with sang-is sweit un

poco

U ## œ œ ˙ &

I bow, poco

œ œ ˙

thy

P rall. al fine Œ ˙ œ ˙ And sing

that

rycht

rall. al fine

# # œ œ #U˙ V U ? ## œ œ ˙

P rall. al fine ˙ Œ œ ˙

I poco bow,

I bow,

And

sing

And sing

that

gloir;

˙ œ ˙ n˙ And sing that rycht P rall. al fine n Œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ

I bow, poco

gloir;

rycht

n˙ rycht

45 ˙

The

45 b ˙

œ œ ˙ œ

ma dolce

kneis of my hart

The

œ œ œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ

kneis of my hart sall

p 64 w.

œ aœ œ

p 64 w.

low.

˙ -

sall

ma dolce

nœ

sall

ma dolce

kneis of my hart

The

45 œ œ ˙ Ba

kneis of my hart sall

The

œ œ ˙ œ

ma dolce

#œ

œ -

low.

p 64 w . p 64 w .

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low.

Balulalow

101

## π V ˙ ba

Ó.

˙.

## π & ˙

? ## ˙ .

π ˙

w . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

low

(niente)

w . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

low

#˙

Ó.

low

π ˙ ba

(niente)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ˙

low

(niente)

~~~~~~~~~~~

(niente) The conductor should give a signal about 10" before he/she wishes the piece to end; at this point, everyone should make their next syllable "low" (on the notes of a D major chord, entering individually within 1-3 seconds of the conductor's signal), and fade off gradually on that syllable.

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