The First Mercy

A simple carol with mostly homophonic textures and some of Warlock’s characteristic harmonic twists, The First Mercy (1926) was originally a solo song and an early collaboration between Peter Warlock and Bruce Blunt, with whom he would soon after write perhaps his best-known choral work, Bethlehem Down.
Warlock arranged the carol for upper voices (SSA) & piano in 1927 (also available on sale) but it was not until 1964 that the carol was arranged by Geoffry Russell-Smith for mixed voices (no divisi) and piano. That arrangement is here restored to print in a newly-prepared edition.