Cherry Tree Carol

Petrich, Roger (1938–2022) Show Biography

Voicing:
Men's Choir → TTB

Accompaniment:
Unaccompanied
Percussion

Occasion:

Proper of Time → Advent → General Advent Season
Proper of Time → Christmas Season → The Nativity of the Lord → General

Manuscript Availability:

Click here to download.

Lyrics:

Noli timire, Joseph.  Joseph, fili David.

1. Joseph was an old man, an old man was he: he married sweet Mary, the Queen of Galilee.
2. As they went awalking, in the garden so gay, Maid Mary spied cherries hanging over yon tree.
3. So Mary said to Joseph with her sweet lips so mild, "Pluck those cherries, Joseph, for to give to my Child."
4. "O then," replied Joseph with words so unkind, "I will pluck no cherries for to give to thy Child."
5. Mary said to cherrytree, "Bow down to my knee, that I may pluck cherries by one, two, or three!"
6. The uppermost sprig then bowed down to her knee: "Thus you may see, Joseph, these cherries are for me."
7. "O eat your cherries, Mary, O eat your cherries now, O eat your cherries, Mary, that grow upon the bough."

Notes: The percussion part is to be improvised.
Submitted by: Roger Petrich Added: Oct 19, 2021 Last updated: Dec 4, 2023