Thomas Carl Whitmer (1873 — 1959) was an American organist, teacher, and composer. He was born in Altoona, Pa., June 24,1873; d. Poughkeepsie, N.Y., May 30, 1959. He studied piano with C. Jarvis, organ with S.P. Warren, and composition with W.W. Gilchrist. He was director of the School of Music, Stephens Coll., Columbia, Mo. (1899-1909); director of music at the Pa. Coll. for Women in Pittsburgh (1909-16); organist and choirmaster of the Sixth Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh (1916-32).
He arranged these two Lithuanian Christmas Folk Songs, which were published by the H. W. Gray Co. in 1933 as No. 603 in their large "St. Cecilia Series" of organ music.
The first, "Christ is Born Today", begins lightly as a dance-like scherzo. The texture and dynamics rapidly increase, and the tempo gets faster and faster before slowing up for a grand finish.
The second, "Fall on your knees, all ye Christians" is a sweet lullaby, alternating tonality and colors between darkness and light.
The timings of the two carols are:
"Christ is Born Today"
0:00
"Fall on your knees, ye Christians" -
0:59
The score is attached below.
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