Choral ~ Holiday ~ with Keyboard
“Adam Lay Ybounden”
(An original setting of the 15th-century text)
SOUND CLIP / WATCH VIDEO ON VIMEO / SCORE SAMPLE
SCORING: SATB (minimal divisi), acc. by piano
DURATION: ca. 3:40 — DIFFICULTY: 3/5 — PAGES IN PDF SCORE: 9
HOW TO PLACE AN ORDER — PDF: $50 (for all the copies you need)
DESCRIPTION
In this original composition, I wanted to set the ancient text of “Adam Lay Ybounden” in a mysterious and pensive style.
In medieval theology, Adam remained in bondage from the time of his death until the time of Christ (“four thousand winter”). The left hand of the piano part solemnly plays repeated half-notes throughout most of the piece, evoking the long passage of time from the Fall to our redemption.
The piece is in E-flat minor, but is not difficult to perform. Despite the darkness of this carol, it's very accessible and would make a nice contrast to the mostly “sweet-sounding” pieces on a typical holiday program.
TEXT INFO
Adam Lay Ybounden
Anonymous 15th-century text
COMPLETE TEXT:
Adam lay ybounden,
Bounden in a bond;
Four thousand winter
Thought he not too long.
And all was for an apple,
An apple that he took,
As clerkès finden
Written in their book.
Ne had the apple taken been, ["Ne"= not]
The apple taken been,
Ne had never our lady
A-been heavenly queen.
Blessèd be the time
That apple taken was.
Therefore we moun singen ["moun" = must]
Deo gratias! ["Deo gratias!" = Thanks be to God!]
