Becky McGlade

Infant Holy

Composer's note: 'The words of Edith Reed's translation of this traditional Polish poem wonderfully encapsulate the Christmas message. I love the way that the text captures the innocence and humbleness of the nativity and how the repeated motif of Christ as both babe and Lord underlines the mystery of the incarnation and forms a signpost towards the radical, unworldly nature of God's rule. For me, it was an obvious choice of text for a carol composition. I attempted to write an uncomplicated melody highlighting the lowliness of the stable scene and thus the verses open with a gently lilting tune, with simple harmony, which intensifies chromatically as the piece progresses, climaxing at the setting of the words 'Christ the Babe is Lord'. At the end, a gentler, slower rendition of 'Christ the Babe was born for you' conveys the more personal nature of the text; this cosmic event finds relevance and application most potently in the life of the individual, 'you'. The piece should be sung expressively, making the most of the suspensions in the alto and tenor parts, with more of a feeling of forward movement at the 'swift are winging' section.' - Becky McGlade -