What Cheer

This Sunday, January 17, the Canterbury Choir will sing a short New Year’s anthem by the English composer William Walton (1902-1983). The text comes from a unique volume called a “Commonplace Book,” a sort of historical scrapbook that collates any number of random items: quotes, poetry, prayers, proverbs, recipes — you name it — along with the owner’s written responses. This particular commonplace book was kept by a London grocer, Richard Hill, between the years 1500-1533. The unsophisticated and bubbly poem drawn from Hill's book proclaims the new interpersonal reality open to us through Christ’s birth: “the incarnation” to quote Ivan Illich, “makes possible a surprisingly and entirely new flowering of love and knowledge.” We are now free to see Christ in the face of another person.

Justin Appel, Director of Music

Lyrics and video below

What cheer? Good cheer!

Be merry and glad this good New Year!

‘Lift up your hearts and be glad

In Christ’s birth’ the angel bade,

Say each to other, if any be sad:

‘What cheer? What cheer?’

Now the King of heav’n his birth hath take,

Joy and mirth we ought to make:

Say each to other, for his sake:

‘What cheer? What cheer?’

I tell you all with heart so free:

Right welcome, welcome ye be to me:

Be glad and merry, for charity!

What cheer? Good cheer!

Be merry and glad this good New Year!

What Cheer? Good Cheer? William Walton, sung by Voces8