En tanto que los pastores

Gerónimo Romero de Avila's En tanto que los pastores is a sacred villancico for SATTB voices. The text, in Spanish, begins with an invitation to hear a story or joke to pass a cold night, a festive and engaging way to celebrate the Nativity. The subsequent verses recount the biblical narrative, starting with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and then delving into the story of the Fall of Man, emphasizing God's plan for redemption. The music likely reflects the joyful and narrative nature of the villancico tradition, a popular form of secular and sacred song in Spain and its colonies, often performed during Christmastide.