Musical Contribution – December 2022

Good night (A Manger Lullaby) Mark Brandwijk (1994)

For the final month of the year, we invited a young, talented musician. Mark has already more than earned his stripes. We now let him speak for himself in his introduction to the Musical Contribution:

In this arrangement, we all step together into the stable of Bethlehem. We see a baby lying there, swaddled in cloths. Father Joseph and mother Mary sit around him. The scene exudes calm and peace. A child, just like any other child, is sleeping. Yet there is a great difference: this Child sleeps in a manger, in a stable, because there was no room for Him. "So poor became the Savior, for you and for me!"

This arrangement combines two themes that, in terms of meter and phrasing, fit together almost seamlessly. The constant motion in the right hand, consisting of five eighth notes forming a subtle counter‑rhythm, covertly heralds the second theme. After a few bars of introduction, the pedal enters with the first true theme: William Croft’s Hanover melody, known in Dutch as "In Bethlehems stal", set to text by Jan de Liefde.

A brief interruption follows when the third verse of the hymn appears. This is written intentionally, here you may take your time. In the final line the opening motion returns.

And then it is time for the second theme. With the constant right‑hand motion continuing, the left hand introduces the second theme. This is the melody from Johannes Brahms’s Lullaby op. 49 no. 4: "Guten Abend, Gute Nacht (…) schlaf nun selig und süss". The melody of "In Bethlehems stal" simultaneously returns once more.

Once both themes have been presented, a concluding chorale follows in which the first theme is played canonicly for a final statement.

Performance Tips

In sections where the melody is in the pedal part, that line must lead in tone and phrasing. Ensure a good balance!
Keep the articulation in the right hand consistent, even as other parts (left hand and pedal) move in different rhythms.
The interweaving themes can make the arrangement somewhat complex in places. Use registration to keep the sound transparent.

I wish every organist much enjoyment playing this new arrangement.

Mark Brandwijk

We wish you a blessed Christmas

André