The Gloucester Wassail – Sheet Music

A perfect addition to a Male Voice programme or if you simply want to give the Sops and Altos a rest during a full SATB concert!

Wassail is a punch made from cider and wassailing is a ceremony which basically wards off the evil spirits from the trees to help them grow each year.  Details of the ceremony differ wildly across the country but they all include processing on 12th night from orchard to orchard singing, drinking Wassail and carousing, in the hope of a good harvest.

John Battley has cleverly arranged this so that the middle verses are led by the 2nd Tenors and Baritones in F – this naturally boosts the melody which now sits in the middle of the texture and provides a nice contrast. Sing the Refrain (Verse 1) between each verse, but make sure you are familiar with the key change as it reverts back to Bb.

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