The Coventry Carol

Lament in 3/4 time -- key of G minor (2 flats)

(Time through) Barbara-Lee Daniel Val Linda Tony
1 (tacit) (tacit) Melody (tacit) Vibes melody
2 (tacit) Bass pizz. chord changes Melody (tacit) Vibes melody
Interlude (tacit) Bass pizz. chord changes Melody (tacit) Vibes melody
3 (tacit) Bass pizz. (cello part) (tacit) (tacit) Vibes melody
4 (tacit) Bass arco (cello part) Melody (tacit) Vibes melody

Val and Tony start this as a duet, no count-in. Be sure to repeat the last four measures, ending on G and B notes!!

Background: this was part of a 16th century English nativity play called The Pageant of the Shearman and Tailors based on the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2. The carol is a segment of this play, performed at the time when king Herod orders all male infants in Bethlehem to be killed (the "massacre of the innocents"), the lyrics sung as a lullaby by the grieving mothers. The name of this carol comes from the English town (Coventry) where this play was first performed. The oldest known setting of the tune comes from Thomas Mawdyke who incorporated it into the nativity play manuscript in 1591 as a three part harmony, although it is not certain if Mawdyke was the composer or if the tune is older than that.