"Love Came Down at Christmas" is a Christmas poem by Christina Rossetti. It was first published without a title in Time Flies: A Reading Diary in 1885. It was later included in the collection Verses in 1893 under the title "Christmastide".[1]
The poem has been set to music as a Christmas carol by many composers including R O Morris, Harold Darke, Leo Sowerby, John Kelsall and John Rutter[2] and is also sung to the traditional Irish melody "Garton".[3] More recently, the poem was given a modern treatment by Jars of Clay on its 2007 album, Christmas Songs.[4] American composer Jennifer Higdon set the text for solo soprano, harp and four-part chorus.[5] A new setting by the British composer David J Loxley-Blount was performed in Southwark Cathedral on 8 December 2014 by the Financial Times Choir, conducted by Paul Ayres. It was repeated by the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree on 11 December 2014.[6]
Studwell describes the poem as "simple, direct and sincere" and notes that it is a rare example of a carol which has overcome the disadvantage of "not having a tune (or two or three) which has caught the imagination of holiday audiences."[7]
- Love came down at Christmas,
- Love all lovely, Love Divine,
- Love was born at Christmas,
- Star and Angels gave the sign.
- Worship we the Godhead,
- Love Incarnate, Love Divine,
- Worship we our Jesus,
- But wherewith for sacred sign?
- Love shall be our token,
- Love be yours and love be mine,
- Love to God and all men,
- Love for plea and gift and sign.
- ^ The Lied and Art Song Texts Page.
- ^ Hyperion Records
- ^ Cyber Hymnal
- ^ Jars of Clay - Christmas Songs (Amazon)
- ^ Jennifer Higdon choral works listing |URL=http://jenniferhigdon.com/choralworks.html
- ^ David J Loxley-Blount http://www.djloxley-blount.co.uk
- ^ Studwell, William Emmett. The Christmas Carol Reader, p.100. Google Books