Welcome to Anthem 52 in my successful attempt to write a new choir anthem every week for a year. I’m Kevin Mulryne and I hope you have enjoyed listening to my progress throughout 2024. Please do visit the website Anthem52.com, follow along on x.com - @realanthem52 or Instagram - @realanthem52 and send me a message to show@anthem52.com.

Well, here we are at Anthem 52. It's been a great year of composition, despite the many traditional and unexpected ups and downs of family life. At times it's been a bit of a slog but I'm surprised how little difficulty I've had coming up with ideas and working them through. Whether that has resulted in any decent anthems, I'm not sure and I'll let you know exactly how I'd like you to help me decide on that in 2025.

That's to come soon but, for now, I should concentrate on the final anthem in the whole project. Its words come from Alfred Lord Tennyson, 1809-1892. It's on the theme of New Year, somewhat appropriately.

Here are the words I chose:

Words for Anthem 52:

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light,
The year is dying in the night,
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring happy bells across the snow,
The year is dying, let him go,
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Welcome to Anthem 51 in my attempt to write a new choir anthem every week for a year. I’m Kevin Mulryne and I hope you will enjoy listening to my progress throughout 2024. Please do visit the website Anthem52.com, follow along on x.com - @realanthem52 or Instagram - @realanthem52 and send me a message to show@anthem52.com.

This week, I was still on the search for more unusual Christmas carol words. After quite a bit of unsuccessful browsing, I found an order of service for King's College Chapel way back in 1918. It's fascinating to see what has changed and what hasn't since then. One of the most interesting sets of words was for a carol I had never come across before - 'Childing of a maiden bright'. From the 15th Century, the words are suitably archaic in places and each verse ends with a different Latin phrase, as we know, not a unique characteristic, but one I like.

The words are a little unusual in that they mention 'flocks of fiends' rather then sheep and a few other odd ideas. Again, I found these words intriguing and fun to set.

Here are the words I chose:

Words for Anthem 51:

Childing of a maiden bright
Life to-day hath brought to light;
And hath put that prince of might
With his flock of fiends to flight:
Christus natus hodie.

Whoso aught hath done amiss,
An it rue him sore for this,
Mary's Babe will shrive i-wis,
Gentle as a lamb He is:
Miserere, Domine.

He at Bethlehem was born,
Salem gave him crown of thorn,
Life of want and death of scorn -
All for love of man forlorn.
Ergo benedicite.

On this Infant may we call,
Born for man in oxen-stall:
He vouchsafe us bliss withal
In His everlasting hall.
Cum Maria Virgine.

Welcome to Anthem 50 in my attempt to write a new choir anthem every week for a year. I’m Kevin Mulryne and I hope you will enjoy listening to my progress throughout 2024. Please do visit the website Anthem52.com, follow along on x.com - @realanthem52 or Instagram - @realanthem52 and send me a message to show@anthem52.com.

Wow. I've made it all the way to 50 anthems. I've surprised myself - and probably you as well, I imagine. I'm also pleased to say that the 50th anthem is one of my favourites so far.

The words come from yet another Carol Service order of service, this time from Pembroke College, Oxford. The 15th Century words were set by William Matthias but I haven't listened to his version, as yet.

Here are the words I chose:

Words for Anthem 50:

A babe is born all of a may,
To bring salvation unto us.
To him we sing both night and day.
Veni Creator Spiritus.

At Bethlehem, that blessed place,
The child of bliss now born he was;
And him to serve God give us grace,
O lux beata Trinitas.

There came three kings out of the East,
To worship the King that is so free,
With gold and myrrh and frankincense
A solis ortus cardine.

The angels came down with one cry,
A fair song that night sung they In worship of that child:
Gloria tibi Domine.

A babe is born all of a may,
To bring salvation unto us.
To him we sing both night and day.
Veni Creator Spiritus.
O lux beata Trinitas.
A solis ortus cardine.
Gloria tibi Domine.
Noel!