I wrote this carol as a teenager in 1973, and it was first performed in Bakewell Methodist Church at a Christmas carol service that year. I was encouraged to add the instrumental obbligato part to provide an opportunity for one of the young exponents of the descant recorder that my music teacher father was well-known locally for encouraging; it works equally well for most other melody instruments, or indeed can be omitted if need be.

The three verses of the carol each employ the same tune, with variation achieved by setting the first verse for SATB and organ, the second for optional solo and then unison tenor and bass, with the final verse beginning quietly with choir alone. A short cadenza for the solo instrumentalist heralds a restful conclusion. The piece originally had different words, but copyright issues persuaded me to provide a new text in the lead-up to its being kindly recorded by Southwell Minster in 2017 for the CD Hush Little Child on the Heritage label.