Sweet was the song (Jennifer Bastable)

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• (Posted 2025-12-22)  CPDL #87847:       

Editor: Jennifer Bastable (submitted 2025-12-22).   Score information: Letter, 6 pages, 356 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Sweet was the song
Composer: Jennifer Bastable
Lyricist:
Number of voices: 5vv   Voicing: SSATB
Genre: Sacred, Carol

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published:
Description: A setting for five voices.

The text is most often encountered in the setting from William Ballet's Lute Book (c.1600). This slightly different version of the words is taken from John Attey's First booke of ayres (publ. 1622).

Original text and translations

English text

Sweet was the song the virgin sung,
When she to Bethlem was come,
And was delivered of her Son,
That blessed Jesus hath to name.

Lula lula, lullaby
Sweet Babe quoth she,
My Son, and eke a Saviour borne,
Who hath vouchsafed from on high,
To visit us that were forlorne,

Lula lula, lullaby,
Sweet Babe sang she,
And sweetly rockt him on her knee.