A melancholic mood pervades throughout the setting, which is melodically rich, with subtle chromatic alterations colouring Paul Williamson's beautifully poetic text that evokes the genealogy of Christ, springing like a tree from the root of Jesse, King David's father. Long, legato lines are an integral part of this carol, emphasising the peaks and troughs of harmonic change and the dynamics underpin the twisting narrative of the text.