CAROL OF THE BAGPIPES
(Traditional Sicilian)
And when the Child was born
At Bethlehem He lay
All through the night it seemed as bright
as though it were Midday
Never so brightly, Beautifully lightly,
Have any stars been seen in the night.
From there the light was sent,
A message to the Magi, in the Orient.
Information
MIDI sequenced by Mary Tipton
lyrics from Christmas Carols for Dulcimer
Some believe this tune was the inspiration for
He Shall Feed His Flock from Handel's Messiah.
Quoting from the New Oxford Book of Carols,
RE: Quando Nascette Ninno (the Bagpiper's Carol)
"For many centuries, during the period before
Christmas, mountain shepherds have descended on Rome,
Naples, and other cities in southern Italy,....
singing and playing pastoral music such as this carol.
They accompany each other on the ciaramella (a
small shawm) and the zampogna, a large, sweet-toned
bagpipe with two drones and two chanters, which is
played mostly in thirds and sixths with some embelleshments."
