Away in a Manger

This simple, yet beautiful lullaby to the sleeping Christ-child has long been a favorite of mine. The piece begins with a gentle rocking figure in the left hand while the right hand represents the twinkling of the stars in the night sky. In the first verse, a simple statement of the melody begins over the figure established in the left hand. By the second verse, both hands have introduced another voice to the harmony. There are two popular musical settings of the lyrics, and in the third verse I tried to combine the rhythmic and melodic elements of both. The prelude closes with an air of wonder and reverence as the Child drifts back to sleep while the star shines overhead.