Jessica French
The Oxen for SATB Chorus, divisi
The French Press jessicafrench.net
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
The Oxen
Text by Thomas Hardy
Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock. “Now they are all on their knees,” An elder said as we sat in a flock By the embers in hearthside ease. We pictured the meek mild creatures where They dwelt in their strawy pen, Nor did it occur to one of us there To doubt they were kneeling then. So fair a fancy few would weave In these years! Yet, I feel, If someone said on Christmas Eve, “Come; see the oxen kneel, “In the lonely barton by yonder coomb Our childhood used to know,” I should go with him in the gloom, Hoping it might be so.
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for Gary James and the Choir of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Seattle, Washington
The Oxen
Quasi-Lullaby, with a rocking motion qd = 46
F # 6 & 8 œ
Soprano
j œ œ
# 6 F & 8 œ
Christ - mas Eve,
Alto
j œ œ
# 6F V 8 œ
Christ - mas Eve,
Tenor
F ? # 68 œ
Bass
5 S
A
T
B
& & V
j œ œ
#
œ
clock, "Now they are all on their knees."
and twelve
clock, "Now they
j œ œ œ J
œ
œ J
œ
clock, "Now they
all on their knees."
j œ œ œ œ
as we
j œ œ œ œ j œ œ.
eld - er said as
we
we
Bar
B
We
? # 38
∑
? # 38
∑
œ œ
œ œ
sat
in a flock By the
#œ. #œ œ œ.
sat
in a flock By the
#œ œ
em - bers in
œ. œ œ œ œ #œ
#œ. œ œ œ sat
in a flock
œ
œ œ J
as
p 68 œ. *Ooo p 68 œ .
œ œ œ J J ‰ J
œ. œ #œ œ œ œ
we sat
F # 3 V 8 ‰ ‰ Jœ 68 œ . œ œ œ ∑
j œ œj œj ‰ œj œ
the
#
# 3 V 8
An
j œ œ
œ
and twelve
9
T
An
Christ - mas Eve,
eld - er said
T Solo
œ J œJ ‰ Jœ
their knees."
j j‰ j j # œ œ œ œ œ
all on their knees."
j œ œ. #œ œ
œ J
œœ œ
em - bers
j œ
œ œ
the
em - bers
the
em - bers
œ œ
œ J
œ
j œ œ.
œ#œ
hearth - side
œ œ
j œ
in hearth - side
ease.
in hearth - side
ease.
j œ œ œ œ
œ.
œ. ˙.
œ.
*Ooo
p 68 ˙ .
˙.
œ.
j œ
œ Jœ œ . œ.
˙. ˙.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit to purchase performance copies. All MusicSpoke.com Rights Reserved - ASCAP
3 8 3 8
˙.
œ‰ œ J J
œ œj œ .
Nor
˙.
œ.
*Ooo
Published by The French Press jessicafrench.net
3 8
œ. œ.
*Non-soli parts should stagger breathing from m. 10-17 to achieve a constant, unbroken sound. Final consonants should be placed on rests. Copyright © 2012, rev. 2014 by Jessica French
38
ease.
ease.
#œ œ
An
j œ nœ. œ.
in hearth - side
œ œ
œ ‰ œj J
˙.
pic - tured the meek mild crea - tures where they dwelt in their straw - y pen
œ.
An
all on
the
j œ œ
clock, "Now they
œ œ J
j j œ ‰ œ
j j j œ œ ‰ œ œ
the
eld - er said as
? # nœ
and twelve of the
and twelve
eld - er said
œ
j œ œ.
Christ - mas Eve,
#
œ
j j œ œ . œ œ œj ‰ œ œ . œ œ œ
Text by: Thomas Hardy Music by: Jessica French
œ œ J
2
# œ. œ œ œ œ œ V
14 T Solo
T
Bar
B
V
#
did
œ
?# œ ?# œ F # œ &
18 S
# F & œ
it oc - cur
to
j œ œ.
# F V œ
œ œ. J j œ œ
B
S
&
# œ
A
&
œ
T
B
V
and
œ
œ
œ
doubt they were kneel
-
œ J
,
˙.
ing
,
then.
œ.
œ.
œ.
œ.
œ # œj # œ .
œ.
œ.
˙.
and
j œ œ
œ J
and
œ œ J
œ J
and
j œ œ. #œ œ
as we
#
eld - er said as
j œ œ œ œ
we
j œ œ œ œ j œ œ.
eld - er said as
eld - er said
we
œ œ j ‰ œj œ
twelve of the
j œ œ
j œ œ
#
? # nœ
œ.
j œ œ.
j œ œ
eld - er said
œ
to
œ
˙.
, ,
*N.B. - no breath between notes
Christ - mas Eve, 22
us there
œ.
j œ œ.
Christ - mas Eve,
F ?# œ
œ J
˙.
Christ - mas Eve,
T
one of
œ.
Christ - mas Eve,
A
œ œ œ œ
*N.B.
twelve
œ twelve
œ twelve
clock, "Now
they
clock, "Now
œ
j j j œ œ ‰ œ
the
œ œ ‰ œ J J J
the
clock, "Now
œ œJ ‰ Jœ J
the
clock, "Now
œ. œ #œ œ œ œ
sat
in a flock By the
œ. œ œ œ œ #œ
sat
in a flock By the
#œ. œ œ œ sat
œ
as
œ. œ œ œ
in a flock
œ œ J
we sat
j œ
the
œ J
the
are all on
they
œ
they
œ œ they
j œ œ
all on
j œ œ
all on
œ œ
all on
#œ. #œ œ œ. em - bers in
#œ œ
em - bers
œ œ
em - bers
œ œ
em - bers
j œ
their
œ.
knees."
j j œ ‰ œ An
j j‰ j œ #œ œ œ
j œ
An
œ
j j œ œj ‰ œ
œ. knees."
œ ‰ œj J
˙.
38
their knees."
j œ
their
j œ
their
knees."
œ#œ
hearth - side
ease.
œ œ
j œ nœ. œ.
œ œ
ease.
in hearth - side
An
38
j œ
ease.
j œ
œ. œ.
38
˙.
38
in hearth - side
#œ œ
An
in hearth - side
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
ease.
3
# 3 ‰ ‰ F j & 8 œ 68 œ . œ œ œ
26 S Solo
S1
S2
A
# & 38 # & 38 # 3 & 8 31
S Solo
S1
S2
A
& & & &
# # # #
fair
P 68 œ .
∑
P 68 ˙. *Ah
∑
Christ - mas Eve,
A
# F V œ
j œ œ
Christ - mas Eve,
T
F ?# œ
j œ œ
Christ - mas Eve,
B
œ J
on
œ œ J
in
these years yet
œ œ. J I
feel
œ ‰ œ J J
if
œ.
œ œ œ
œ.
œ.
˙.
œ.
œ.
œ œ œ
œ.
œ.
œ.
œ.
œ.
œ.
œ.
œ œ
˙.
œ J
and
œ J
Come
see
œ
œ.
œ
œ.
œ
œ
j œ œ
j œ
œ œ œj ‰ œj
twelve of the
j œ œ
and
œ
twelve
œ
twelve
œ
the
œ
,
clock, "Now
œ
clock, "Now
œ œJ ‰ Jœ J
they
œ
they
œ œ
˙.
,
the o - xen kneel.
œ.
˙. œ # œj # œ .
j œ œ.
œ. œ œ œ
they
œ œ ‰ œ J J J
œ J
˙.
clock, "Now
j j j œ œ ‰ œ
the
œ œ œ œ
œ J
j œ
j œ œ.
and
œ
Christ - mas Eve
œ.
˙.
# F & œ
would weave
œ œ œ œ
*Non-solo parts should stagger breathing from m. 27-34 to achieve a constant, unbroken sound.
œ.
j œ œ
œ J
˙.
˙.
F # œ &
œ
œ.
*Ah
some - one said
œ.
a fan - cy few
*Ah
œ œ œ œ
35 S
∑
P 68 œ .
So
j œ œ œ œ
are all on
j œ œ
all on
j œ œ
all on
œ œ
˙.
, ,
?
knees."
j j œ ‰ œ
their knees."
An
j œ
their
j œ j œ
their
j œ
œ.
An
j j‰ j œ #œ œ œ œ
j œ œj ‰ œj
œ.
œ ‰ œ J J
knees."
Christ - mas Eve, and twelve the clock, "Now they all on their knees." This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
An
An
4
39 S
A
T
B
& & V
# # #
œ
j œ œ. #œ œ
eld - er said
as we
œ
j œ œ œ œ
œ
j œ œ œ œ
eld - er said as
eld - er said as
? # nœ
j œ œ.
we
we
œ. œ #œ œ œ œ
sat
œ. œ œ œ œ #œ
sat
sat
as
#œ œ
j œ
œ œ
in a flock
œ œ J
we sat
F # 3 ‰ & 8 œ œ 68 œ Jœ œ œ œ œ
43 S1
S2
A1
A2
T
# 3 & 8 # 3 & 8 # 3 & 8
"In the
∑
? # 38
F 68 . œ F 68 œ.
*Ah
∑
em - bers
œ J
œ œ
œ
œ. œ. œ.
œ
j œ œ.
œ
j œ œ.
œ
j œ œ.
# 3 F 6 V 8 ‰ œ œ 8 œ Jœ œ œ œ œ "In the
B
F 68 œ .
*Ah
∑
the
the
œ J
em - bers
em - bers
œ J
œ
œ#œ
œ J
œ
hearth - side
ease.
œ œ œ œ
j œ
œ. œ.
38
#œ œ
j œ
˙.
38
in hearth - side
ease.
in hearth - side
ease.
in hearth - side
œ J
ease.
cresc. œ œ œ œ œ J ‰ J
œ.
œ.
œ.
˙.
˙.
should
œ œJ œ œ œ cresc.
I
œ.
should
cresc.
œ I
j œ œ œ
œ J
j œ
should
j œ
I
should
I
should
cresc. œ Jœ œ ‰ œ Jœ
lone - ly bar - ton by yon - der coomb Our child - hood used to know."
F 68 ˙ .
I
cresc.
˙. œ
38
j œ nœ. œ.
œ.
œ J
38
˙.
lone - ly bar - ton by yon - der coomb Our child - hood used to know."
*Ah
∑
em - bers in
in a flock By the
#œ. œ œ œ œ
eld - er said
in a flock By the
#œ. #œ œ œ.
˙.
cresc.
*Ah
*Non-soli parts should stagger breathing when singing "ah" throughout this section to achieve a constant, unbroken sound.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
5
48 S1
S2
A1
A2
T
&
# œ. œ œ œ go
# & œ. œ œ œ. & &
#
with him
in
#
œ.
go
œ.
with
œ. œ. go with # œ. œ œ œ V with him
f # œ &
# f & œ # f V œ
and
j œ œ
j œ
j œ œ
Christ - mas Eve,
Bar
B
f ?# œ ?#
f ˙.
œ œ J
Christ - mas Eve,
*Ah
j œ
j œ œ
Christ - mas Eve,
T
-
j œ œ
to
hop - ing
j œ
the
and
œ J
and
œ J
and
it might
œ.
œ # œj # œ .
in - to
the
gloom,
be
œ
j œ œ
in - to
j œ
gloom,
œ.
be
in - to
the gloom,
hop - ing
œ
j j j œ œ ‰ œ
twelve of the
œ twelve
œ twelve
˙.
it might
˙.
so.
˙.
j œ
˙.
be
the
clock, "Now
clock, "Now
œ J Jœ ‰ Jœ
the
clock, "Now
œ œ œ J J ‰ J
the
clock, "Now
j œ
are all on
their
j œ œ
j œ
they
œ
they
œ
they
œ œ they
all on
j œ œ
all on
œ œ
all on
œ.
knees."
their
j œ
their
j j œ ‰ œ An
j j‰ j œ #œ œ œ
their knees."
j œ
f,
f,
so.
˙. œ. œ œ œ
f,
f,
so.
˙. œ œ œj ‰ œj
twelve
œ.
œ œ œ œ
œ.
f,
so.
œ.
him
œ.
be
so.
j œ
œ œ œ
˙.
be
œ
the
f,
œ.
j œ œ
him
j œ
œ.
gloom,
˙.
Christ - mas Eve,
A
œ J
? # ˙. 52
S
œ
œ œ œ œ
œ.
the gloom,
in - to
go
go
B
with him
œ J
œ œ œ
œ
j œ œj ‰ œj
knees."
œ. knees."
˙.
*Basses should stagger breathing from m. 52-59 to achieve a constant, unbroken sound.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
˙.
An
An
œ ‰ œj J An
6
56 S
A
T
Bar
B
& & V
# # #
œ œj œ . # œ œ
eld - er said as we
j œ œ œ œ œ
eld - er said as we
œ. œ #œ œ œ œ #œ. #œ œ œ. œ #œ
sat in a flock By the
eld - er said as we
eld - er said
˙.
em - bers in hearth - side
œ. œ œ œ œ #œ #œ œ œ œ dim.
sat in a flock By the
j œ œ œ œ œ #œ. œ œ œ
? # n œ œj œ . ?#
rit. dim.
sat in a flock
œ as
˙.
œ œ J
we sat
the
œ J
the
j œ
em- bers in hearth - side
œ œ
dim.
#œ œ
j œ
em- bers in hearth - side dim.
œ.
hearth
-
œ.
side
ease.
j n œj ‰ n œj n œ . œ œ œ
em - bers in hearth - side
j dim. œ œ œ œ œ
p ˙.
ease. in hearth - side
U
˙.
pU
˙.
ease.
pU j ‰ n œj œ nœ. œ œ ˙.
ease. in hearth - side ease.
p ˙.
U̇
p ˙.
U
ease.
ease.
This score is not licensed for performance. Please visit MusicSpoke.com to purchase performance copies.
.
˙.