God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen (Concert Band with Optional Choir - Score and Parts) - Noble & Willcocks

God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen is an English traditional Christmas carol. It is one of the oldest extant carols, dated to the 16th century or earlier. There are contradictory interpretations of the meaning of the phrase rest you merry at the time it was written in this carol: the verb 'rest' in the sense to keep, cause to continue to remain is typical of 16th to 17th century language. The adjective 'merry' in Early Modern English had a wider sense of pleasant; bountiful, prosperous. Some interpretations have 'merry' meaning 'mighty'. This arrangement represents one in the Series of Band Arrangements compatible with David Willcocks' Carols for Choirs.

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