Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

Representative Text

1 Infant holy, infant lowly,
for His bed a cattle stall;
oxen lowing, little knowing
Christ, the babe, is Lord of all.
Swift are winging angels singing,
noels ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the babe is Lord of all!
Christ the babe is Lord of all!

2 Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping
vigil till the morning new
saw the glory, heard the story,
tidings of the gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow,
praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the babe was born for you;
Christ the babe was born for you.

Source: Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #243

Author (attributed to): Piotrowi Skardze

(no biographical information available about Piotrowi Skardze.) Go to person page >

Paraphraser: Edith M. G. Reed

(no biographical information available about Edith M. G. Reed.) Go to person page >

Notes

Scripture References:
all st. = Luke 2:1-20

Evoking the atmosphere at the manger (st. 1) and among the shepherds (st. 2), this traditional Polish carol tells the Christmas story in short phrases with tight rhymes. A final refrain sums up the significance of the event Christ the child, Lord of all, was born for our salvation!

“W Zlobie Lezy” ("In a manger lies") may date back to the thirteenth or fourteenth century. However, it was not published until the early twentieth century, when it was included with its traditional tune in Spiewniczek Piesni Koscielne (1908). Edith M. Gellibrand Reed (b. Islington, Middlesex, England, 1885; d. Barnet, Hertfordshire, England, 1935) translated the text into English and published it in Music and Youth (vol. 1, Dec. 1921), a journal that she edited.

Reed was educated at the Guildhall School of Music in London, England, and devoted her life to the musical education of children. In association with Percy Scholes she edited various magazines such as Music and Youth, The Music Student, and Pan’s Pipes. Her publications include Story Lives of Great Composers. (1925) and several Christmas dramas. She also contributed to the Kingsway Carol Book and various church school songbooks.

Liturgical Use:
Christmas season, in regular worship services, or in carol and candlelight services, especially those that feature carols from many lands.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1988

Tune

W ZLOBIE LEZY

The Polish tune is a rounded bar form (AABA). Its lines consist of short figures and phrases bound together by the consistent rhythmic pattern of the Polish mazurka (made famous by Frederic Chopin). Note especially the third line with its fine sequences and harmonic suspensions. Sing in parts with a…

Go to tune page >


Timeline

Media

You have access to this FlexScore.
Download:
Are parts of this score outside of your desired range? Try transposing this FlexScore.
General Settings
Stanza Selection
Voice Selection
Text size:
Music size:
Transpose (Half Steps):
Capo:
Contacting server...
Contacting server...
Questions? Check out the FAQ

A separate copy of this score must be purchased for each choir member. If this score will be projected or included in a bulletin, usage must be reported to a licensing agent (e.g. CCLI, OneLicense, etc).

This is a preview of your FlexScore.
The Cyber Hymnal #2973
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #353
  • Full Score (PDF, XML)
  • Bulletin Score (PDF)
  • Bulletin Score (melody only) (PDF)

Instances

Instances (1 - 63 of 63)

A Teaching Hymnal #34

Ambassador Hymnal #36

Audio

Baptist Hymnal 1991 #106

Text

Baptist Hymnal 2008 #213

Breaking Bread (Vol. 39) #85

Text

Celebrating Grace Hymnal #139

Chalice Carols #15

Text

Chalice Hymnal #163

TextPage Scan

Christian Worship #339

Church Hymnal, Fifth Edition #163

Text

Common Praise (1998) #125

Text

Community of Christ Sings #416

Text

Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New #321

Complete Mission Praise #342

TextAudioPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Worship #276

Gather (3rd ed.) #445

Text

Gather Comprehensive #354

Gather Comprehensive, Second Edition #377

Glory and Praise (3rd. ed.) #251

Text InfoTextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Glory to God #128

Great Songs of the Church (Revised) #209

Text

Hymnal Supplement 98 #812

Hymnal #206

Text

Hymns for a Pilgrim People #130

Text

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #86

Hymns of the Saints #242

Hymns Old and New #251

TextPage Scan

Hymns to the Living God #126

Text

Journeysongs (2nd ed.) #344

Text

Journeysongs (3rd ed.) #312

Text

Lutheran Service Book #393

TextPage Scan

One in Faith #398

Page Scan

Oramos Cantando = We Pray In Song #390

TextPage Scan

Psalms and Hymns to the Living God #243

Text InfoTune InfoTextScoreFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #353

Page Scan

Rejoice Hymns #215

Text

Rejoice in the Lord #221

Text

RitualSong #509

Text

Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal #127

TextPage Scan

Sing Joyfully #211

Audio

Small Church Music #254

Text

The Book of Praise #143

TextFlexScoreAudio

The Celebration Hymnal #279

The Christian Life Hymnal #119

Page Scan

The Covenant Hymnal #169

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #2973

Text

The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration #143

TextPage Scan

The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #322

Text

The Presbyterian Hymnal #37

TextAudio

The United Methodist Hymnal #229

Page Scan

The United Methodist Hymnal Music Supplement #345

The Worshiping Church #169

Text

Together in Song #292

TextFlexScoreAudioPage Scan

Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #216

TextPage Scan

Trinity Psalter Hymnal #321

Text

Voices Together #243

Text

Voices United #58

TextPage Scan

With Heart and Voice #82

Text

Worship (3rd ed.) #393

Text

Worship (4th ed.) #416

Text

Worship and Rejoice #221

Worship His Majesty #148

찬송과 예배 = Chansong gwa yebae = Come, Let Us Worship #152

Include 32 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us