About the Music Music plays an essential part in the plays. John Tams and the band ‘Home Service’ produced a stunning score from sources ranging from Shaker hymns and dance tunes to Bob Dylan. Rooted in the folk tradition, their music weaves a thread through the narrative, a perfect match for the story telling tradition which produced and preserved the Mystery Plays themselves. Like the plays, the music is presented in a distinctive, contemporary style. The Turvey productions use a large live band, allowing orchestration similar to the Home Service original. The arrangements for Turvey have been created by Tim Brewster using lead sheets supplied by Graeme Taylor (original Home Service member and Musical Director of the National Theatre's revival production in 1999) and published recordings. Here are some links to samples from the score of The Nativity. These samples are only tasters, 'played' by computer diectly from Sibelius 3 score writing software - of course, the actual productions use only live music! The God Music (1.0Mb mp3) God's first appearance, raised high above His creation on a fork-lift truck... "Ego sum alpha et omega, Vita, via, veritas Primus et novissimus" Composed by Peter Bullock Serpent Dance (1.1Mb mp3) Satan, at the head of a writhing serpent formed by the Company, tempts Eve to eat the apple Composed by the Home Service Journey to Bethlehem / Lay Me Low (3.8Mb mp3) Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem and Jesus is born Journey to Bethlehem composed by Peter Bullock. Lay Me Low from a Shaker hymn, arranged for the original National Theatre production by John Tams.