VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers; Chamber orchestra; Charles Gray, viola; Louis Porter, narrator

“Welcome the King” was composed for the 2009 VocalEssence Welcome Christmas Carol Contest. While the text is primarily the composer’s own, two Biblical passages are included; the introduction quotes Jeremiah 29:14a, and the second stanza begins with Isaiah 9:2.

The carol is composed in repeated AB “verse-refrain” form with a ritornello-like bridge between the sections. New text for each occurrence of the “B” section keeps it from being a true refrain; rather, the carol is effectively comprised of three stanzas, each the
composite of two contrasting sections. For each of these three stanzas, the melody is transferred among the vocal parts, but always performed in its unaltered form. Different treatments to the accompaniment and harmonies prevent the monotony often
associated with strophic-form works, and lend color to tell the story.

And what a story it is. I believe that a Christmas carol should have a touch of melancholy sadness in it, a foreshadowing of what’s ahead. The rich, haunting quality of the viola is the perfect accompaniment in both sorrow and joy. After all, we’re celebrating the birthday of a Child whose entire reason for birth was to be crucified.

This contest was the ideal outlet to compose something to express this dichotomy. “Welcome the King” celebrates Christ’s birth, foreshadows His crucifixion and resurrection, and interweaves prophesy, doubt, and ultimately, hope. With a nod to tradition, the final soprano descant begins with a sketch around the popular carol “Gesù Bambino,” now in public domain. It’s just five measures, and it doesn’t include the ornamentation of Yon’s original, but it’s a nice juxtaposition of something new and something familiar. After all, that’s what Christmas traditions are all about.

—Michael J. Glasgow