A Maiden Mild

Healey, Derek (b. 1936)

Voicing:
Mixed Choir → SATB

Accompaniment:
Unaccompanied
Piano

Occasion:

Proper of Time → Advent → Fourth Sunday of Advent → Cycle A
Proper of Time → Advent → Fourth Sunday of Advent → Cycle B
Proper of Time → Advent → Fourth Sunday of Advent → Cycle C
Proper of Time → Christmas Season → The Nativity of the Lord → General
Proper of Time → Christmas Season → The Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God
Commons → Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary → In Advent
Commons → Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary → In Christmas Time

Publication Information:
Ione Press (ECS) — 6205 (2005)
Choral/Piano score
Ione Press (ECS) — 6223 (2005)
Harp part

Text Information:
Reference: James Ryman (c. 1492)

Duration: 4:45
Lyrics:

A maiden mild a child hath bore,
Mankind to bliss for to restore.

As long before prophesy said,
With us to dwell now Christ is come,
Born of Mary, mother and maid,
To make us free, both all and some.

As the sunbeam goeth through the glass,
And as a flow’r bereft his odor,
So Christ conceived was
And born of her without dolor.

“Hail, full of grace, Christ is with thee,”
To her said Angel Gabriel;
“Of all women blest thou be;
Thou shalt conceive Emmanuel.”

This maiden mild to him said then,
“How shalt this be that thou dost tell,
Since I purpose to know no man,
And shalt conceive Emmanuel?”

“The Holy Ghost shall light in thee,
And God shall shadow thee each day
And work right so that thou shalt be
The mother of Emmanuel.”

”The handmaid of the Lord behold,”
She answered him, that maiden mild;
“To me be done as thou hast told:”
And forth withall she was with child.

And without maternal dolor
She hath born Christ, that heavn’ly King.
That virginal flow’r most of honour,
Out of thralldom mankind to bring.

A maiden mild a child hath bore,
Mankind to bliss for to restore.

Glory must be, good Lord, to thee,
With the Father and Holy Ghost,
That art born of a virgin free,
Both God and man, of might’s most.

Notes: SATB with Alto, Tenor, Bass divisi. Can be unaccompanied OR with piano OR with harp.
Submitted by: Brian Luckner Added: Oct 30, 2021 Last updated: Jan 20, 2022