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Past Three O’clock

Past Three O’clock was written by George Ratcliffe Woodward (1848-1934) to a traditional tune, London Waits.

It is full of charming detail which mixes the ancient Christmas story with down- to- earth country life. The refrain reflects Woodward’s love of ancient rural traditions and the poetry they gave rise to.

This carol is about excitement and anticipation: deep in the English countryside, at three in the morning, the night watchman crunches through the snow with his lantern, calling the hour and rousing the village to join him in his tramp from house to house as they bring in Christmas.

This version mixes this tradition with our own experience; it is the voice of an impatient child awake in the early hours of Christmas morning that leads the song, while as the carol progresses the deep-voiced men of the village join her.

The joyful energy of the orchestration is infectious as they race on, bringing window after window alive.