Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French origin.[1] Christmas carols may be regarded as a subset of the broader category of Christmas music.
History
The first known Christmas hymns may be traced to 4th-century Rome. Latin hymns such as
In the 9th and 10th centuries, the Christmas sequence (or prose) was introduced in
In the 13th century, in France, Germany, and particularly, Italy, under the influence of Francis of Assisi, a strong tradition of popular Christmas songs in regional native languages developed.[3] Christmas carols in English first appear in a 1426 work of John Awdlay, a Shropshire chaplain, who lists twenty five "caroles of Cristemas", probably sung by groups of 'wassailers', who went from house to house.[4] The songs now known specifically as carols were originally communal songs sung during celebrations like harvest tide as well as Christmas. It was only later that carols began to be sung in church, and to be specifically associated with Christmas.
Many carols which have gained popularity were printed in
Carols gained in popularity after the
The publication of Christmas
The singing of carols was further popularised in the 20th century when OUP published one of the most popular carol books in the English-speaking world, Carols for Choirs. First published in 1961 and edited by David Willcocks and Reginald Jacques, this bestselling series has since expanded to a five-volume set. Along with editor John Rutter, the compilers included many arrangements of carols derived from sources such as Piae Cantiones, as well as pieces by modern composers such as William Walton, Benjamin Britten, Richard Rodney Bennett, William Mathias and John Rutter.[11]
Today carols are regularly sung at Christian religious services. Some compositions have words that are clearly not of a religious theme, but are often still referred to as "carols". For example, the 16th-century song "A Bone, God Wot!" appears to be a
A modern form of the practice of caroling can be seen in "
Carols for dancing
It is not clear whether the word carol derives from the French "carole" or the Latin "carula" meaning a circular dance.
Music
Traditionally, carols have often been based on
Compositions continue to be written that become popular carols. For example, many of the carols written by Alfred Burt are sung regularly in both sacred and secular settings, and are among the better known modern Christmas carols.
Church and liturgical use
Almost all the well-known carols were not sung in church until the second half of the 19th century.[citation needed] Hymns Ancient and Modern 1861–1874 included several carols. Isaac Watts, the "father of English hymnody", composed "Joy to the World", which has become a popular Christmas carol even though it is widely believed that Watts did not write it to be sung only at Christmas.
"
Episodes described
Several different Christmas episodes, apart from the birth of Jesus itself, are described in Christmas carols, such as:
- The Annunciation, for example "Gabriel's Message"
- The Census of Augustus, a rare subject, but touched upon in "On a Day When Men Were Counted" by Daniel Thambyrajah Niles (1964)
- The While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks"
- The Adoration of the shepherds, for example the Czech carol "Nesem vám noviny" (translated into English as "Come, All Ye Shepherds")
- The Star of Bethlehem, for example, "Star of the East"
- The Visit of the Magi, for example "We Three Kings"
- The Massacre of the Innocents, for example the "Coventry Carol"
In addition, some carols describe Christmas-related events of a religious nature, but not directly related to the birth of Jesus. For example:
- "Feast of Stephen)
- "Ding Dong Merrily on High" and "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", reflecting on the practice of ringing church bells at Christmas
Early examples
Antiquarians in the 19th-century rediscovered early carols in museums. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica,[18] about 500 have been found. Some are wassailing songs, some are religious songs in English, some are in Latin, and some are "macaronic" — a mixture of English and Latin. Since most people did not understand Latin, the implication is that these songs were composed for church choristers, or perhaps for an educated audience at the Royal courts. The most famous survival of these early macaronic carols is "The Boar's Head". The tradition of singing carols outside of church services early in the 19th century is best illustrated by Thomas Hardy's novel Under the Greenwood Tree (1872). In England and other countries, such as Poland (kolęda), Romania (colindă) and Bulgaria (koledari), there is a tradition of Christmas caroling (earlier known as wassailing), in which groups of singers travel from house to house, singing carols at each, for which they are often rewarded with gifts, money, mince pies, or a glass of an appropriate beverage. Money collected in this way is now normally given to charity.
Singing carols in church was instituted on Christmas Eve 1880 in
In classical music
In the 1680s and 1690s, two French composers incorporated carols into their works. Louis-Claude Daquin wrote 12 noels for organ. Marc-Antoine Charpentier wrote a few instrumental versions of noels, plus one major choral work Messe de minuit pour Noël. Johann Sebastian Bach included Christmas carols in his cantatas for Christmastide, including his Christmas Oratorio. Peter Cornelius included carol melodies in the accompaniment of his song cycle Weihnachtslieder, Op. 8. Other examples include:
- Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols, 1912.
- Victor Hely-Hutchinson: Carol Symphony, 1927.
- Benjamin Britten: A Ceremony of Carols (for choir and harp), 1942
- Christina Rossetti's poem "In the Bleak Midwinter" has been set to music by Gustav Holst (1905), Harold Darke (1911) and others.
- Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki extensively quotes the Christmas carol "Silent Night" in his Symphony No. 2, nicknamed the Christmas Symphony.
Star singers
In Austria, Belgium and Germany, Epiphany, the last feast of the Christmas season, is marked by star singers, children dressing as the Three Kings, carrying a star on a pole. Going from house to house from New Year's Day to 6 January, the children sing religious songs and collect money for charity. They are often rewarded with extra sweets or money.[20]
By country
Australia, South Africa and New Zealand
In Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, where it is the middle of summer at Christmas, there is a tradition of Carols by Candlelight concerts held outdoors at night in cities and towns across the country, during the weeks leading up to Christmas. First held in Melbourne, "Carols by Candlelight" is held each Christmas Eve in capital cities and many smaller cities and towns around Australia. Performers at the concerts include opera singers, musical theatre performers and popular music singers. People in the audience hold lit candles and join in singing some of the carols in accompaniment with the celebrities. Similar events are now held all over Australia, usually arranged by churches, municipal councils, or other community groups. They are normally held on Christmas Eve or the Sunday or weekend before Christmas. A similar recent trend in South Africa and New Zealand are for smaller towns to host their own Carols by Candlelight concerts.
Christmas music composed by Australians
- 1852 Christmas Present Polka by John Howson[23]
- 1862 Hymn for Christmas-Day by James Johnson[24]
- 1862 All My Heart This Night Rejoices by Charles E Horsley[25]
- 1863 Australian Christmas Song by Ernesto Spagnoletti[26]
- 1864 Christmas in Australia by George Tolhurst[27]
- 1866 Victorian Christmas Waltz by Cesare Cutolo[28]
- 1870 Christmas Anthem by Paolo Giorza[29]
- 1883 Song of the Angels by Charles Sandys Packer[30]
- 1890 Oh, lovely voices of the sky by Alfred Plumpton[31]
- 1899 While all things were in quiet silence by Henry John King[32]
- 1900 In the Cathedral by George S De Chaneet[33]
- 1900 Yuletide Gavotte by John Albert Delaney[34]
- 1908 Australian Christmas Carol by Joseph Summers[35]
- 1910 My Little Christmas Belle by Joe Slater[36]
- 1910 Star of the East by August Juncker[37]
- 1929 The Night of Fear Is Over by Fritz Hart[38]
Canada
The "
Finland
In accordance with a
France
- In 1535, a 16th-century carol, "Ça, Bergers, assemblons nous", was sung aboard Jacques Cartier's ship on Christmas Day.
- In 1554, a collection of French carols, La Grande Bible des Noëls, was printed in Orléans.
- In 1703, another collection, Chants des Noëls Anciens et Modernes, was printed by Christophe Ballard (1641–1715), in Paris.
- Dating from the 18th century, "Les Anges dans nos Campagnes" (known as "Angels We Have Heard On High" in English) is another famous French carol.
- The 19th-century "Cantique de Noël" (also known as "Minuit, chrétiens", adapted as "O Holy Night" in English) is another classic.
"Dans cette étable" and "Venez Divin Messie" are also popular Christmas carols. Perhaps the best known traditional French carol, "Il est né, le divin Enfant", comes from the region of Provence.[41]
Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Some carols familiar in English are translations of German Christmas songs (Weihnachtslieder). Pastoral Weihnachtslieder are sometimes called Hirtenlieder ("shepherd songs"). Martin Luther wrote the carol "Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her", which can be acted as a play of the Christmas story. He also wrote "Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ" and "Christum wir sollen loben schon". The carol "Vom Himmel hoch, o Engel, kommt" was written by Friedrich Spee in 1622 to an older melody, a lullaby singing "of Jesus and Mary", and for peace.
Two well-known later examples are "
Other popular and widely sung Christmas carols are "Herbei, o ihr Gläub’gen", which is a German version of "Adeste fideles" (English: "O Come, All Ye Faithful"), Alle Jahre wieder ("Every year again"), Es ist ein Ros entsprungen (lit: "A rose has sprung up"), "Leise rieselt der Schnee" "(Silently the snow is falling)", "Tochter Zion, freue dich" (Daughter Zion, rejoice) and "Es ist für uns eine Zeit angekommen" ("Unto us a time has come").
"
Greece and Cyprus
Custom
Greek tradition calls for children to go out with
In older times, caroling children asked for and were given edible gifts such as dried fruit, eggs, nuts or sweets; during the 20th century this was gradually replaced with money gifts – ranging from small change in the case of strangers to considerable amounts in the case of close relatives. Caroling is also done by marching bands, choirs, school students seeking to raise funds for trips or charity, members of folk societies, or merely by groups of well-wishers. Many internationally known carols, e.g. "Silent Night" and "O Tannenbaum", are also sung in Greek translation.
Variants
Many carols are regional, being popular in specific regions but unknown in others, whereas some are popular throughout the two countries. Examples of the latter are the
, Turkey).Form
Most carols follow a more or less standard format: they begin by exalting the relevant religious feast, then proceed to offer praises for the lord and lady of the house, their children, the household and its personnel, and usually conclude with a polite request for a treat, and a promise to come back next year for more well-wishing. Almost all the various carols are in the common
Italy
The most popular Italian Christmas carol is "Tu scendi dalle stelle", written in 1732 by Saint Alphonsus Liguori.[42]
Philippines
Christmas carols in predominantly Catholic Philippines exhibit the influence of indigenous, Hispanic and American musical traditions, reflecting the country's complex history. Carollers (Tagalog: Namamaskô) begin wassailing in November, with mostly children and young adults participating in the custom.
Poland
Christmas carols are very popular in Poland, where they have a long history, the oldest dating to the 15th century or earlier.
Romania
During the
Spain and Portugal
The
Andorra and Catalan-speaking territories
The Nadala or Cançó de Nadal (in plural nadales) are a popular group of songs, usually requiring a chorus, that are song from
The Nadala origins are uncertain but usually cited to be related with the Montseny and Pedraforca mountains in Catalonia (by the counties of Osona and Girona). As quite a few have references to mythological events and powers, some authors claim that they contain part of the religion that was present in the territory before Christianity arrived as it was kept alive in these mountainous regions.
The nadala is usually paired with the caramella, being one for the
Ukraine
Ukrainian Christmas carols are named
The Ukrainian carol most known to the Western World is the "
United States
Christmas music performed in the United States ranges from popular songs, such as "Jingle Bells", to Christmas carols, such as "Away in a Manger", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", and numerous others of varying genres. Church and college choirs celebrate with special programs and online recordings.
See also
References
- ^ "2. A Christmas carol". Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- ISBN 0-486-23354-5, p. 32
- ^ Miles, pp. 31–37
- ^ Miles, pp. 47–48
- ISBN 9781785940941. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
- ^ "Article – Protestant music". Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
- ^ "When Christmas carols were banned". BBC. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ Sandys, William, ed. (1833). Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern. [London]: William Beckley.
- ISBN 9780789003980. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
- ISBN 9780193533158.
- ^ "Christopher Morris, musician – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- ^ "A Bone, God Wot!". www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com.
- S2CID 143629912.
- ^ "Dial-a-Carol: Student-run holiday jingle service open 24/7". USA TODAY College. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ISBN 978-0-281-04300-2.
- ^ "Religion – Christianity: Carols – Christmas carols". BBC.
- ^ Thomas Wright, Songs and Carols Now First Printed, From a Manuscript of the Fifteenth Century (London: Percy Society, 1847)
- ^ "Carol – music". Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ^ "Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols". BBC. 16 December 2005.
- ^ "Zum gemeinsamen Dienst berufen" (PDF). Die deutschen Bischöfe (in German). 62: 24. 8 January 1999.
- ^ "The Three Drovers", Christmas in Australia, Tom Wills
- ^ " The Carol of the Birds", ingeb.org
- ^ The Christmas present polka. Sydney : J. Howson. 1852.
- ^ Johnson, James; Degotardi, Johann Nepomuk (12 March 1862). The first hymn for Christmas-Day : Hich let us swell our tuneful notes. Sydney : W.J. Johnson & Co – via Trove.
- ^ Horsley, Charles Edward (12 March 1862). All my heart this night rejoices : Christmas hymn. Melbourne : C.E. Horsley – via Trove.
- ^ Spagnoletti, Ernesto (12 March 1863). Our Australian Christmas song. Sydney : Alonzo Grocott – via Trove.
- ^ Tolhurst, George; T, J. B. (12 March 1864). Christmas in Australia : prize song. Melbourne : Printed and published for the proprietors by Robert Stewart at the Herald Office – via Trove.
- ^ Cutolo, Cesare; Grosse, F (12 March 1866). The Victorian Christmas waltz. Melbourne : Ebenezer and David Syme – via Trove.
- ^ Giorza, Paulo (12 March 1888). Jesu, Redemptor omnium : Christmas anthem. New York : G. Schirmer – via Trove.
- ^ Packer, Charles Sandys; Röder, C. G (12 March 1883). The song of the angels. Hobart : J. Walch & Sons – via Trove.
- ^ Plumpton, Alfred; Hemans Mrs (12 March 1890). Oh, lovely voices of the sky : hymn for Christmas. [Melbourne : David Syme & Co.] – via Trove.
- ^ King, Henry John; Commission, Australian Broadcasting; Australia, Symphony (12 March 1899). While all things were in quiet silence : anthem for Christmas. [London] : Novello and Company – via Trove.
- ^ Chanéet, G. S. de; Voight, Louis (12 March 1898). In the cathedral : song. London : Cary & Co – via Trove.
- ^ Delany, J. A.; Commission, Australian Broadcasting; Australia, Symphony (12 March 2018). Yule-tide gavotte. [n.p. : Paling & Co – via Trove.
- ^ Summers, Joseph (12 March 2018). An Australian Christmas carol, for friends all over the globe. Perth : S. T. Upham – via Trove.
- ^ Slater, Joe; McAlister, Ward (12 March 2018). My little Christmas belle. Melbourne : published by A.M. Dinsdale by arrangement with Mr. Joe Slater – via Trove.
- ^ Juncker, Aug. W.; Rogers, W. R. Russell (12 March 1890). Star of the East. [North Sydney? : A.W. Juncker? – via Trove.
- ^ Hart, Fritz Bennicke; Aickin, George E (12 March 2018). The night of fear is over : Christmas carol. Melbourne : Allan & Co – via Trove.
- ISBN 0-393-95376-9. (Paperback).
- ^ "Joulurauha" (in Finnish). City of Porvoo. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- JSTOR 726261.
- ^ Giuseppe Cacciatore (1960). "Alfonso Maria de Liguori, santo". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani. Vol. 2. Treccani.
- ^ (in Polish) Roman Mazurkiewicz, Z dziejów polskiej kolędy
- ^ "More Scattered Fighting; 80,000 Reported Dead". AP NEWS. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ "Koliada". www.encyclopediaofukraine.com.
- ^ (in Ukrainian) Український пасічник [Ukrainian Beekeeper]. volume VII, no. 1, January 1934, p. С. 1.[full citation needed]
External links
- Works related to Category:Christmas carols at Wikisource
- Media related to Christmas carols at Wikimedia Commons