Many years ago – more than I care to remember – I belonged to the School Choir at Blackness Primary School in Dundee. I remember the music teacher (Mrs Maxwell, I think) teaching us a carol which fascinated me because it had an irregular number of beats in the bar, or at least seemed, to my limited little musical world at 8 years old, rather odd. The words were beautiful and I remember the first verse completely – but I can’t remember any more. I’d love to know who wrote it, find a copy or even just find somebody else who knew it.
The words as I remember them are;
The cloak of sleep now wraps us round
Each small bird has sought its nest
Beasts lie still upon the ground
In my arms come take thy rest
By, by, my son, lulay.
I’ve written in Sibelius how I think the melody went – I may be slightly out on the length of notes. I may even have imagined the whole thing!! We are talking at least 47 years ago after all..
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