Canasg Choral Music Publishing

Canasg 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

See a sample of the 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

The price of this piece depends on the number of singers in your group. This is a single payment for a licence to make as many copies as you need for your group to rehearse and perform the song as often as you wish. Copies of the song must not be given, lent or sold to any other group.

Number of singers in your group
up to 12 singers13 to 24 singers25 singers or more
£5 (approx US$8.00)
£10 (approx US$16)
£15 (approx US$24)
Please note that your Paypal transaction will be in sterling but it should automatically
be converted if your credit card draws on a different currency.


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




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ã Page updated by Peter Hill January 2006