The Three Drovers - Australian Christmas Carol

An Australian Christmas Carol - The Three Drovers. Photographs from Flickr. Choir is the Sydney Philharmonia Motet Choir. Song composed in 1948 by John Wheeler and William G. James

Text is:
Across the plains one Christmas night
Three drovers riding blithe and gay,
Looked up and saw a starry light
More radiant than the Milky Way;
And on their hearts such wonder fell,
They sang with joy. 'Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel!'

The air was dry with summer heat,
And smoke was on the yellow moon;
But from the heavens, faint and sweet,
Came floating down a wond'rous turn;
And as they heard, they sang full well
Those drovers three. 'Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel!'

The black swans flew across the sky,
The wild dog called across the plain,
The starry lustre blazed on high,
Still echoed on the heavenly strain;
And still they sang, 'Noel! Noel!'
Those drovers three. 'Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel!'

Category:

Music

Tags:

• the three drovers
• australian christmas carol
• john wheeler
• william james
• sydney choir
• sydny
• philharmonia
• motet
• choir
• the omniscient mussel

[Choirguy2012]

Can you please let us know who the choir is?

[TheOmniscientMussel]

@Choirguy2012 Hi - it's the Sydney Philharmonia Motet Choir

[The100Force]

love this carol. Thx for putting it up!! :-D

[TheOmniscientMussel]

@The100Force My pleasure! Glad you liked it.

[BlossomFlowerGirl]

Thankyou for putting this carol up. I learnt it at school when I was in grade 3 or 4. This was in the days when there was a radio on the wall in each class, and we had singing once a week and learnt Australian history.

Have a lovely Christmas.

Cheers.

[TheOmniscientMussel]

My pleasure! I have become rather bewitched by this little carol. You have a lovely Christmas as well.

[cherrylovechild]

this is lovely

[sooouuuuper]

i have never heard this its really nice isnt this a english christmas carol ?

[wbworkout]

Wonderful! Greetings from Chicago!

[EeBee51]

Living in Central Australia, I've seen nights like that. Where if a choir of angels appeared in the sky you wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised. Thanks for posting

[BrightNobleWoman]

one of my favourites.

[LadyShaula]

Tears to my eyes for this beautiful singing and video clip of my great-uncle's carol. Must be something of him in me - I'm a composer too...

[tracytaulier]

@tracytaulier do you know what i only like it

[tracytaulier]

i llllllllooooooooovvvvvveeeeeee­eee iiiiiiiiiiittttttttttttt.

[tiatran]

@Choirguy2012 they're really good right?

[RevRogerQuick]

Despite having been a musician in the UK for twenty years I've never heard this before; it's beautiful!  Thanks so much for uploading it.