• Composition: 1970
• First Performance: Unknown
• Duration: Under 2 minutes
• Text: Anonymous, sixteenth century
• Tempo: Gioioso [99 m.]
• Craggs Catalogue Number: C84
• Performing Forces: Mixed chorus (SATB)
• Manuscript: William Walton Museum, Forio d’Ischia. Autograph score in pencil.
• Publication:
Oxford University Press. Vocal score, 1970, 019 3430029, Oxford Choral Songs # X201 (discontinued). Also included in the volume Carols for Choirs 2, 1970, 019 3535654.
[Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: Carols for Choirs 2]
Oxford University Press. Edited by Timothy Brown. William Walton Edition, Volume 6, “Shorter Choral Works without Orchestra”, 1999, 019 3594323. Vocal score, 019 3594374. [Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: Vocal score]
[Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: William Walton Edition, Volume 6]
• Recordings:
| Chorus | Conductor | Year | Compact Disc | Timing |
| Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford | Stephen Darlington | 1987 | Nimbus NI 7021 | 1’53” |
| Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge | Richard Marlow | 1988 | Conifer CDCF 164 | 1’49” |
| The Bach Choir | Sir David Willcocks | 1991 | Chandos CHAN 8998 | 1’45” |
| The Finzi Singers | Paul Spicer | 1992 | Chandos CHAN 9222 | 1’37” |
| Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford | Stephen Darlington | 1992 | Nimbus NI 5364 | 1’47” |
| Polyphony | Stephen Layton | 2002 | Hyperion CDA67330 | 1’38” |
• Text:
All this time this song is best:
‘Verbum caro factum est.’ [‘the Word is made flesh.’]
This night there is a child y-born
That sprang out of Jesse’s thorn;
We must sing and say thereforn,
All this time this song is best:
‘Verbum caro factum est.’
Jesus is the childes name,
And Mary mild is his dame;
All our sorrow shall turn to game:
All this time this song is best:
‘Verbum caro factum est.’
It fell upon high midnight:
The starres shone both fair and bright;
The angels sang with all their might,
All this time this song is best:
‘Verbum caro factum est.’
Now kneel we down on our knee,
And pray we to the Trinity
Our help, our succour for to be;
All this time this song is best:
‘Verbum caro factum est.’
— Anonymous, sixteenth century