Make We Merry

Make We Merry is an original double choir work for The Swingle Singers, setting words of two medieval texts – “Make We Merry” from the Commonplace Book (1500) and “Lullay, Mine Liking” from the Sloane Manuscript. The combination of a secular and sacred text into one piece is intriguing and offers the opportunity of performance in church or concert hall.

Make we merry, both more and less,
For now is the time of Christmas.

Let no man come into this hall,
Nor groom, nor page, nor yet marshall,
But that some sport he bring withal.

If that he say he cannot sing,
Some other sport then let him bring,
That it may please at this feasting.

I saw a maiden sitten and sing:
She lulled a child, a sweete Lording.

This very Lord he made alle thing:
Of lordes the Lord, of kinges the King.

Lullay, my liking, my dear son, my sweeting.
Lullay, my dear heart, my own dear darling.

Angels bright they sang that night and saiden to that child:
Blest be thou and she, both meek and mild.

Pray we to that child and to His mother dear,
Grant them his blessing that now make cheer.

Make we merry, both more and less,
For now is the time of Christmas.

If he say he naught can do,
Then, for my love, ask him no more
But to the stocks then let him go.

For now is the time of Christmas.

This work is part of the Kikapust Choral Series curated by The Swingle Singers. The series offers choirs an extensive choice of close-harmony a cappella arrangements. All the arrangers/composers Jonathan Rathbone, Ben Parry & Mark Williams were long-standing members of The Swingle Singers.