Osgood, Clive - What child is this?

'What child is this?' is a Christmas carol set to the melody of the 16th-century folk song 'Greensleeves', a ballad originally associated with themes of romantic longing. In 1865, William Chatterton Dix provided sacred lyrics that celebrate the nativity of Christ, focusing on the mystery of his birth and salvation. This union of Greensleeves’ haunting melody with reverent imagery has made the carol a timeless favourite during the Christmas season. This arrangement, for eight-part a cappella choir, gives the tune to the altos and basses with the other parts providing a tapestry of interweaving suspensions. A modulation is provided into the final verse.