Stephen was a stable-boy
Mäntyjärvi Jaakko7,57€ – 7,80€
Description
The original work in Swedish was a commission by Chanticleer in 2016. Duration 4’30”
This is a version in English from 2019. English translation by the composer.
Staffan var en stalledräng (Stephen was a stable-boy) is a traditional Swedish Christmas carol based on an English and Nordic legend claiming that the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen, was a stable-boy in King Herod’s household. In its most extensive form, the song has four sections: Stephen caring for the horses; Stephen riding out hunting; Stephen sees the star of Bethlehem and foretells the birth of Jesus to King Herod; and a concluding section generically about the Christmas feast, unconnected to Stephen himself.
The text in this setting is a hybrid, taken from three different versions of the song; it omits the King Herod scene entirely for conciseness. The melody draws on the traditional Swedish tune of the song but takes some liberties and incorporates scraps of tunes from the Piae Cantiones collection as well.
Additional information
| Composer | Mäntyjärvi Jaakko |
|---|---|
| Opening words | Stephen was a stable-boy, hold thee well mare of mine, he watered his five colts with joy... |
| Ensemble | SSATBB |
| Music Style | Christmas |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Sulasol |
| Weight | 52 g |
| Format | Digital, Paper |
| Categories | Mixed choir |
| Tags | Christmas, Joulu |
| Product ID | S2345E |
| Page count | 16 |
