Canasg Choral Music Publishing

Canasg Music

publishing startlingly original choral music

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  SG1004 

 
Please to see the king


traditional new year song from Wales 

arranged by Paul Carline

for soprano, alto, tenor and bass chorus

with tenor solo


SATB  performance time approx  1m 30s











Arranger's note


The wren traditionally symbolised winter and the robin summer, and on Twelfth Night in parts of Wales and the west of England, a wren was hunted and killed to represent the death of winter.  The dead bird would be placed in a garlanded box and taken from door to door, and at each house this song would be sung. The occupants would be asked for money to see the dead wren, with the words: 'Please to see the king'.


The piece can be sung a whole tone lower in the key of B flat if that is more comfortable.

  














 Music

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Hear a  MIDI  file of the song 








 Words 


Please to see the king


Joy, health, love and peace

Be all here in this place.

By your leave we will sing

Concerning our king.


Our king is well dressed

In the silks of the best,

In ribbons so rare

No king can compare.


We have travelled many miles

Over hedges and stiles

In search of our king:

Unto you we bring.


We have powder and shot

To conquer the lot,

We have cannon and ball

To conquer them all.


O Christmas is past,

Twelve tide is the last,

And we bid you adieu - 

Great joy to the New!


Traditional (from Pembrokeshire in Wales)







Price per copy £1.30 ($2.00)

Note: This price is for the first 20 licensed copies of the song, further copies cost only 25% of this price.












Companion pieces

Browse the 'Christmas' or 'World folk and traditional' sections of the Canasg catalogue for more songs like this one.  To go there now, click on the 'catalogue' box to the right.
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Canasg Choral Music Publishing 	


Canasg Music









16 Morningside Park Edinburgh Scotland EH10 5HB 

475 Walhalla Road Columbus Ohio OH 43202 
 










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Page updated by  Peter Hill February 2003