Maria Walks Amid the Thorn

This Advent hymn was translated from the first three (of seven - ref) verses in a traditional German Christmas carol Maria durch ein'n Dornwald ging. The original carol is from the 16th Century - or possibly earlier.

It was translated by American lawyer and musicologist, Henry S. Drinker (1880-1965). It appears that this translation was done during the 1950s, but no record of copyright registration has been found.

Books which it has been published in include:

Around the Year with the Trapp Family by Maria Augusta Trapp, Pantheon Books Inc., New York, New York, 1955.

Downloads

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Sheet music (scored for SATB)

PowerPoint slides

Various choral settings (SAA, SAB, SATB)

Examples

Solo singer, self-accompanied on piano:

Choir, unaccompanied, recorded during a church-service:

Choir with minimal piano accompaniment:

Accapella version of the original carol (German):

Instrumental - Shakuhachi & Organ

Instrumental - lute:

Lyrics

Maria walks amid the thorn,
Kyrie eleison.
Maria walks amid the thorn,
Which seven years no leaf has born.
Jesus and Maria.

What 'neath her heart doth Mary bear?
Kyrie eleison.
A little child doth Mary bear,
Beneath her heart He nestles there.
Jesus and Maria.

And as the two are passing near,
Kyrie eleison,
Lo! roses on the thorns appear,
Lo! roses on the thorns appear.
Jesus and Maria.