While Shepherds Watched
This Christmas original is sub-titled While Shepherd Watched Their Flocks by Night and is from the collection "Eight Carols for Christmas." for SATB choir with piano or organ and/or handbells. This performance note is given concerning the bells: In the event that handbells are used with the organ, the choral director is encouraged to "orchestrate" the use of the bells by omitting them at selected places. In other words the bells play right off the organ part and the director must choose when and where they play. The piece is meant to be sung with spirit and uses syncopation and dotted rhythms in shifting simple meter.