Go, Tell It on the Mountain

SATB, a cappella

Go, Tell It on the Mountain is a spiritual familiar to us all. As singers and listeners, we sometimes forget the meaning of the words when they are attached to a familiar melody and, for this reason, I tried to highlight the text in my arrangement and present it in a fresh, new way. Ultimately, this spiritual is about joy overflowing so much that it requires a mountaintop to release it.

Go, Tell It on the Mountain was commissioned by The Singers and received its premiere on December 4, 2004.  It is dedicated with love and friendship to Dr. Matthew Culloton for his leadership, faith, and dedication to the choral art.

The Text

Traditional spiritual

While shepherds kept their watching
O’er silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens
There shone a holy light.

Go, tell it on the mountain,
Over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain,
That Jesus Christ is born.

Down in the lowly manger
The humble Christ was born.
And God sent us salvation
That blessed Christmas morn.

Refrain

The shepherds feared and trembled
When, lo! Above the earth
Rang out the angel choir
That hailed our Saviour’s birth;

Refrain

When I was just a seeker,
I sought both night and day.
I sought the Lord to help me,
And He showed me the way.

Refrain

Performed by The Singers: Minnesota Choral Artists
(Dr. Matthew Culloton, conductor).