Advent Calendar – 14th December, 2020
Merry Christmas!
Danielle and Dave’s Advent Calendar
14th December, 2020
O Little One Sweet
words Percy Dearmer (1867 – 1936)
German melody harmonised and arranged for harp by Danielle Perrett
The most famous harmonisation of this melody O Jesulein Süss is by JS Bach but the earliest printed version of this German carol is found in Tablaturbuch in 1650 by the composer Scheidt.
It is possible that the carol was written by him, but we do not know. The Bach version was printed in 1736 in Schemelli’s Gesangbuch. The English words are by Dearmer, an Anglican priest who edited ‘The English Hymnal’. This is very much a lullaby referring to how Christ came from Heaven to Earth.
O little one sweet, O little one mild,
Thy Father’s purpose thou hast fulfilled;
Thou camest from heaven to mortal ken,
Equal to be with us poor men,
O little one sweet, O little one mild.
O little one sweet, O little one mild,
With joy thou hast the whole world filled;
Thou camest here from heaven’s domain,
To bring men comfort in their pain,
O little one sweet, O little one mild.
O little one sweet, O little one mild,
In thee Love’s beauties are all distilled;
Then light in us thy love’s bright flame,
That we may give thee back the same,
O little one sweet, O little one mild.
O little one sweet, O little one mild,
Help us to do as thou hast willed.
Lo, all we have belongs to thee!
Ah, keep us in our fealty!
O little one sweet, O little one mild.az
Recorded on Erat Grecian Harp (1830s)
https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw.asp?dc=W16681_GBAKR8150316