The department of music produced this program. Copyright © 2017 Board of Trustees,

National Gallery ofArt, Washington

Cover Harry Bright, Coral Buntings and Their Nest in a Holly Tree (detail), 1878, National Gallery of Art,

Washington, Gift of John Nichols Estabrook and Dorothy Coogan Estabrook

Back cover Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Typewriter Eraser, Scale x, 1998/1999, National

Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. © Claes Oldenburg

and Coosje van Bruggen

CAROLING IN THE

GALLERY ROTUNDA

DECEMBER 9, 10, 16 & 17, 2017 • NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART
CAROLERS

December 9 • 1:30 and 2:30

West Building Rotunda

National Presbyterian School Chorus

Katie Shuford, Director

Washington, DC

December lO • 1:30 and 2:30

West Building Rotunda

United States Army Chorus 

Major Leonel Pena, Conductor

Fort Myer, Virginia

December 16 • 1:30 and 2:30

West Building Rotunda

Centennial High School Madrigals

Jessica Cummings, Director

Ellicott City, Maryland

December 17 • 1:30 and 2:30

West Building Rotunda

National United Methodist Church Singers and Ringers

Bruce Caviness and Melissa Chavez, Chancel and Dayspring Choir Directors

Susan Staines, Metropolitan Memorial Ringers Director

Washington, DC

The Gallery extends its thanks to the choirs leading

the community caroling this year.

Julius Caesar Ibbetson, Skaters on the Serpentine

in Hyde Park (detail), 1786, pen and black ink and

watercolor, National Gallery of Art, Washington,

Gift of Paul Mellon

Holiday Program • 3
CAROLS

Jingle Bells

Dashing through the snow in a one-horse

open sleigh,

O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way.

Bells on bobtail ring, making spirits bright,

What fun it is to laugh and sing a sleighing

song tonight.

Refrain: Jingle bells, jingle bells,

jingle all the way! 0 what fun it is to ride

in a one-horse open sleigh.

(Repeat)

Day or two ago, I thought I'd take a ride,

And soon Miss Fannie Bright was seated 

by my side.

The horse was lean and lank, misfortune

was his lot,

He got into a drifted bank, and Wo!

We got upsot.

(Refrain)

Deck the Hall

Deck the hall with boughs of holly,

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

'Tis the season to be jolly,

Fa la la...

Don we now our gay apparel,

Fa la la...

Troll the ancient yuletide carol,

Fa la la...

See the blazing yule before us,

Fa la la...

Strike the harp and join the chorus, 

Fa la la...

Follow me in merry measure,

Fa la la...

While I tell of yuletide treasure,

Fa la la...

Fast away the old year passes,

Fa la la...

Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,

Fa la la...

Sing we joyous altogether,

Fa la la...

Heedless of the wind and weather, 

Fa la la...

Allen Tucker, Madison Square, Snow (detail),

1904, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art,

Washington, Gift of the Allen Tucker Memorial

Holiday Program * 5
We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Refrain: We wish you a Merry Christmas,

We wish you a Merry Christmas,

We wish you a Merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year!

Good tidings we bring

To you and your kin,

Good tidings for Christmas

And a Happy New Year!

(Refrain)

O Come, All Ye Faithful

0 come, all ye faithful, joyful and

triumphant,

0 come ye, 0 come ye to Bethlehem!

Come and behold him, born the King

of Angels;

Refrain: 0 come, let us adore him,

0 come, let us adore him,

0 come, let us adore him,

Christ, the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation!

0 sing, all ye citizens of heav'n above:

Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

(Refrain)

The First Noel

The first noel, the angel did say,

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields

where they lay;

In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,

On a cold winter's night that was so deep.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! Born is the king 

of Israel.

They looked up and saw a star

Shining in the East, beyond them far,

And to the earth it gave great light,

And so it continued both day and night.

Noel, Noel...

Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus lay down his

sweet head;

The stars in the sky looked down

where he lay,

The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,

But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.

I love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from

the sky

And stay by my cradle 'til morning is nigh

Joy to the World

Joy to the world! The Lord is come!

Let earth receive her king;

Let ev'ry heart prepare him room,

And heav'n and nature sing,

And heav'n and nature sing,

And heav'n, and heav'n and nature sing.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of his righteousness,

And wonders of his love,

And wonders of his love,

And wonders, wonders of his love.

Silent Night

Silent night! Holy night!

All is calm, all is bright

'Round yon virgin mother and child,

Holy infant so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace,

Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night! Holy night!

Shepherds quake at the sight.

Glories stream from heaven afar,

Heav'nly hosts sing: "Alleluia!"

Christ the savior is born,

Christ the savior is born.

6 • National Gallery of Art

O Christmas Tree

0 Christmas tree, 0 Christmas tree,

Thy branches are unchanging.

(Repeat)

Not only green when summer's here,

But also when it's cold and drear.

0 Christmas tree, 0 Christmas tree,

Thy branches are unchanging.

0 Christmas tree, 0 Christmas tree,

Thou hast a wondrous message.

(Repeat)

The sight of thee at Christmastide

Spreads hope and gladness far and wide. 

0 Christmas tree, 0 Christmas tree, 

Thou hast a wondrous message.

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas

Jolly old Saint Nicholas,

Lean your ear this way;

Don't you tell a single soul

What I'm going to say;

Christmas Eve is coming soon,

Now, you dear old man,

Whisper what you'll bring to me,

Tell me, if you can.

Johnny wants a pair of skates,

Suzy wants a sled;

Nellie wants a picture book,

Yellow, blue, and red;

Now I think I'll leave to you

What to give the rest;

Choose for me, dear Santa Claus,

What you think is best.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Hark the herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!”

Peace on earth and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled!

Joyful, all ye nations rise

Join the triumph of the skies

With the angelic host proclaim:

"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored 

Christ the everlasting Lord!

Late in time behold Him come 

Offspring of a Virgin's womb

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see

Hail the incarnate Deity

Pleased as man with man to dwell

Jesus, our Emmanuel.

Hark! The herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!"

Upcoming Events of the SeventySixth Season of The William

Nelson Cromwell and F. Lammot

Belin Concerts

The Swiss-American Musical Society

Igor Stravinsky, The Soldier's Tale

Christophe Sturzenegger, The Snow Queen

Christophe Sturzenegger, conductor

Robert Baker, narrator

December 10, 3:30

West Building, West Garden Court

Turtle Island Quartet

With special guest Liz Carroll

Winter's Eve

December 17, 4:00

West Building, West Garden Court

Holiday Program • 7