The Kings of the Orient ("We three Kings of Orient are")

Today, January 6th is the Feast of the Epiphany. It is the day when the Church celebrates the revelation of Jesus as God Incarnate.

Charles Raymond Cronham (14 June 1896 — 23 January 1969) was born in Jersey City, New Jersey (MY home town!), and was a life-long advocate for the organ. He served as a municipal organist in Portland, Maine; he taught, wrote, and arranged many pieces through his life.

I think he may have attended Darmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, but I'm not sure.

His greatest position was as Municipal Organist for the city of Portland, Maine, where he played the famous Kotzschmar Organ, which has recently been completely restored.

You still occasionally see the name of Cronham today, but at one time he was probably most well-known for his many arrangements that included registrations and directions for Hammond organs.

If you've run out of Epiphany pieces, or are just "looking for something different," than THIS is one for you!

"The Kings of the Orient" was published by The Boston Music Co. in 1946, and it is certainly one of the most original and appealing settings of the famous American carol, originally composed by John Henry Hopkins, Jr. (1820-1891) in 1857, while he was Rector of Christ Church, Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Cronham's setting is so strikingly unique that it really needs no explanations or definitions, as the appeal is immediate.

If you chose to play it, you will need to be creative (and quick!) with your registrations and colors. I followed his indications fairly closely, although the Salisbury version will certainly sound quite different from the way it would have sounded on a large American organ.

I'm very pleased to have found this one, and happy to share recording and score with members and listeners here on the Concert Hall.

The score is attached below, as well as two photos of Charles R. Cronham, a tapestry by Edward Burn-Jones, and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo's (1617-1682) "The Adoration of the Magi".