Nativity: Sholem Asch's Story of the Birth of Jesus

Sholem Asch (1880–1957), a prominent Yiddish author and the father of Folkways founder Moses (Moe) Asch, wrote a long novel, The Nazarene, about the life of Jesus, in Yiddish, in 1939. A few years later, at Moe’s urging, Asch wrote a shorter work on the Nativity in English that would be of appropriate length for a phonograph record. The story remained unpublished and unrecorded until this Folkways release in 1963.

Moe Asch was of the belief that the story should be recorded by “someone with an affinity for art and the folk idiom, and with a deep sense of social understanding as well.” He decided on Pete Seeger (1919–2014), the legendary folksinger and activist.

The recording also includes Seeger singing six Christmas songs. The liner notes provide background about the recording and Sholem Asch, and the text of the story.

Track Listing

101	The Journey to Bethlehem	Pete Seeger	06:58
102	The Magistrate	Pete Seeger	01:56
103	The Wealthy Man	Pete Seeger	03:00
104	The Benefactor	Pete Seeger	02:36
105	The Teacher	Pete Seeger	03:01
201	The Shepherds	Pete Seeger	05:22
202	The Manger	Pete Seeger	09:03
301	The Three Wise Men	Pete Seeger	07:29
302	Peace on Earth	Pete Seeger	10:34
401	The First Noel	Pete Seeger	05:39
402	Mary Had a Baby	Pete Seeger	02:43
403	Glory to the New Born King	Pete Seeger	02:34
404	What Child is This?	Pete Seeger	02:18
405	Rise Up, Shepherd, and Follow	Pete Seeger	01:38
406	Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming	Pete Seeger	01:55