Richard Convery, Composer

Phoenix Consort

From the YouTube page:
We hope you enjoy this recording of Robert Convery’s ‘Christmas Daybreak’, recorded at Castle Howard.

It’s set to Christina Rossetti’s beautiful text, copied below… her poetry is also the central theme to our upcoming Christmas concert, Midwinter (check out our website for all the details and get your tickets!)

Before the paling of the stars,
Before the winter morn,
Before the earliest cock-crow,
Jesus Christ was born:
Born in a stable,
Cradled in a manger,
In the world His hands had made
Born a stranger.

Priest and King lay fast asleep
In Jerusalem,
Young and old lay fast asleep
In crowded Bethlehem:
Saint and Angel, ox and ass,
Kept a watch together,
Before the Christmas daybreak
In the winter weather.

Jesus on His Mother’s breast
In the stable cold,
Spotless Lamb of God was He,
Shepherd of the fold:
Let us kneel with Mary Maid,
With Joseph bent and hoary,
With Saint and Angel, ox and ass,
To hail the King of Glory.