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For the short novel by Charles Dickens, see A Christmas Carol. A Christmas Carol in Prose Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (commonly known as A Christmas Carol) is a Novella by Charles Dickens
A brass band playing Christmas carols.
A brass band playing Christmas carols. A brass band is a Musical group generally consisting entirely of Brass instruments, most often with a percussion section

A Christmas carol (also called a noël) is a carol (song or hymn) whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas, or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas. A song is a Musical composition. Songs contain vocal parts that are performed 'sung' and generally feature Words ( Lyrics) commonly followed A hymn is a type of Song, usually religious specifically written for the purpose of praise adoration or Prayer, and typically addressed to a deity/deities

Contents

History

The tradition of Christmas carols hails back as far as the thirteenth century, although 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.

Carols suffered a decline in popularity after the Reformation in the countries where Protestant churches gained prominence (although well-known Reformers like Martin Luther authored carols and encouraged their use in worship), but survived in rural communities until the revival of interest in carols in the 19th century. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The first appearance in print of "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen", "The First Noel", "I Saw Three Ships" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" was in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (1833) by William B. Sandys. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (or God rest you merry gentlemen) is a traditional Christmas carol. " The First Nowell " is a traditional English Christmas carol, most likely from the 16th or 17th century but possibly dating from as early as the 13th century I Saw Three Ships is a traditional and popular Christmas carol from England. " Hark! The Herald Angels Sing " is a Christmas Hymn or carol written by Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley. William B Sandys (1792 &ndash 18 February 1874) (pronounced "Sands" an English Solicitor, a member of the Percy Society and Fellow Composers like Arthur Sullivan helped to repopularize the carol, and it is this period that gave rise to such favorites as "Good King Wenceslas" and "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear", a New England carol written by Edmund H. Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan MVO (13 May 1842 &ndash 22 November 1900 was an English composer of Irish and Italian descent best known for his operatic " Good King Wenceslas " is a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give Alms to a poor Peasant on the Feast of Stephen " It Came Upon the Midnight Clear " is a poem and Christmas carol written by Edmund Sears, pastor of the Unitarian Church in Weston Sears and Richard S. Willis.

Today carols are regularly sung at Christian religious services . Some compositions have words which are clearly not of a religious theme, but are often still referred to as "carols". For example, the sixteenth century song "A Bone, God Wot!" appears to be a wassailing song (which is sung during drinking or while requesting ale), but is described in the British Museum's Cottonian Collection as a Christmas carol. Wassailing is the practice of people going door-to-door singing Christmas carols In modern times it is most commonly known through reference in various traditional Christmas The British Museum is a Museum of human history and culture in London. The Cotton or Cottonian library was the Library compiled by Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (1571 - 1631 an antiquarian and bibliophile [1]

It is often difficult to draw a distinction between a Christmas carol and a Christmas song. To be sung by a church choir or sung in the street by amateurs, a song would have to have a fairly rapid, regular beat, which would therefore exclude a meandering crooning song such as "White Christmas". " White Christmas " is an Irving Berlin song whose lyrics reminisce about White Christmases. A country music song such as "Blue Christmas" might qualify, but in this case it would have to be adopted by many choirs, over many years to be truly "vernacular", and so far it has failed to gain wide acceptance. " Blue Christmas " is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W The Concise Oxford Dictionary is more generous, as it defines a carol as a "religious song. Concise Oxford English Dictionary (until 2002 officially entitled The Concise Oxford Dictionary, and widely known by the abbreviation COD . . associated with Christmas".

Music

Traditionally, carols have often been based on medieval chord patterns, and it is this that gives them their uniquely characteristic musical sound. Some carols like "Personent hodie" and "Angels from the Realms of Glory" can be traced directly back to the Middle Ages, and are among the oldest musical compositions still regularly sung.

Though many Christmas carols were written prior to the 20th century, several modern compositions have been written in more recent times. Many of the carols written by Alfred Burt are sung regularly in both sacred and secular settings, and are among the more well-known modern Christmas carols. Alfred Shaddick Burt ( April 22, 1920 – February 6, 1954) was an American Jazz musician who is best known for composing

Church and liturgical use of Christmas carols

Almost all the well known carols were not sung in church until the second half of the 19th century. Hymns Ancient and Modern 1861 - 1874 included several carols. Isaac Watts, the "father of English hymnody" did not compose any carols. Isaac Watts ( July 17, 1674 – November 25, 1748) is recognised as the "Father of English Hymnody" as he was the first prolific and

Charles Wesley wrote texts for at least three Christmas carols, of which the best known was originally entitled Hark! How All the Welkin Rings, later edited to Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. Biography Charles Wesley was the son of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley. " Hark! The Herald Angels Sing " is a Christmas Hymn or carol written by Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley. [2] In 1840 Felix Mendelssohn wrote a tune in a cantata; William H. Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, born and generally known as Felix Mendelssohn (February 3 1809 &ndash November 4 1847 was a German Composer Cummings adapted this tune to fit Wesley's words and this combination first appeared in "Hymns Ancient and Modern" in 1861.

Silent Night comes from Austria; the first English translation was in 1871 where it was published in a Methodist hymnal. " Silent Night " (" Stille Nacht " is a popular Christmas carol. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations

Early Carols

Nineteenth century antiquarians rediscovered early carols in museums. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, [3] 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 "The Boar's Head". Allegedly, it has been sung at Christ Church Cambridge since 1607. The tradition of singing carols outside of church influence, early in the nineteenth century is best illustrated by Thomas Hardy's novel "Under the Greenwood Tree" (1872). Thomas Hardy OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928 was an English novelist Short story writer and poet of the naturalist movement though he saw Under the Greenwood Tree or The Mellstock Quire A Rural Painting of the Dutch School is a novel by Thomas Hardy, published anonymously in 1872. In England and other countries, such as Poland (kolędowanie), Romania (colinde) 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, for which they are often rewarded with gifts, money, mince pies, or a glass of an appropriate beverage. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Colindă (pl colinde; also colind, pl colinduri) are traditional Romanian Christmas carols. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Koledari ( Bulgarian and Macedonian: коледари from common Slavic Koleda, " Christmas " is the Bulgarian Wassailing is the practice of people going door-to-door singing Christmas carols In modern times it is most commonly known through reference in various traditional Christmas Money collected in this way is now normally given to charity.

The idea of singing carols in church was instituted in 1880 (see article on Nine Lessons and Carols). The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a format for a service of Christian Worship celebrating the birth of Jesus which is traditionally followed The songs that were chosen for singing in church omitted the wassailing carols, and the words "hymn" and "carol" were used almost interchangeably. Shortly before, in 1878, the Salvation Army, under Charles Fry, instituted the idea of playing carols at Christmas, using a brass band. The Salvation Army is a Christian charity and church that is internally organised like a military service. A brass band is a Musical group generally consisting entirely of Brass instruments, most often with a percussion section Carols can be sung by individual singers, but are also often sung by larger groups, including professionally trained choirs. Most churches have special services at which carols are sung, generally combined with readings from scripture about the birth of Christ, often this is based on the famous Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College, Cambridge. The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a format for a service of Christian Worship celebrating the birth of Jesus which is traditionally followed King's College Cambridge is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.

Carols for dancing

It is not clear whether the word carol derives from the French "carole" or the Latin "carula" meaning a circular dance. In any case the dancing seems to have been abandoned quite early, but some examples are very danceable. In the 1680s and 1690s two French composers incorporated carols into their works. Louis-Claude Daquin wrote 12 noels for organ. Louis-Claude Daquin (or d'Acquin (July 4 1694 &ndash June 15 1772 was a French Composer of Jewish birth writing in the Baroque and Galant Marc-Antoine Charpentier wrote a few instrumental versions of noels, plus one major choral work "Messe de minuit pour Noël". Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643 - February 24 1704 was a French composer of the Baroque era

Christmas Carols in classical music

Christmas carols in Australia

In Australia, where it is the middle of summer at Christmas, there is a tradition of Carols by Candlelight concerts which are held outdoors at night in cities and towns across the country, during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Carols by Candlelight is an Australian Christmas tradition that has spread around the world In Melbourne, "Carols by Candlelight" is held each Christmas Eve. Performers at the concerts include opera singers, musical theatre performers and popular music singers. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. Popular music is Music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and are disseminated by one or more People in the audience hold lit candles and join in singing some of the carols in accompaniment with the celebrities.

Star singers

In Austria, Belgium and Germany, Christmas is celebrated by some with children dressing as "The Three Kings", carrying a star on a pole. Going from house to house from New Year's day to January 6th, the children sing religious songs and are called "star singers". They are often rewarded with sweets or money, which is typically given to a local church or charity. "C. M. B" is written in chalk on houses they have visited. Although this is sometimes taken as a reference to the three kings - Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar - it may originally have represented the words "Christus mansionem benedicat" (Christ bless this house).

French Christmas Carols

A 16th century carol, "Ça, Bergers, assemblons nous", was sung aboard Jacques Cartier's ship on Christmas Day in 1535. Perhaps the best known traditional French carol, "Il est né, le divin Enfant!", comes from the region of Provence. In 1554, a collection of French carols, "La Grande Bible des Noels", was printed in Orleans. Another collection, "Chants de Noels anciens et nouveau", was printed by Christophe Ballard in Paris.

The Sheffield Carols

The mass singing in some of the pubs in North Sheffield and North Derbyshire, which takes place in the second half of November and all December, and which is often referred to as 'The Sheffield Carols', has been described as one of the most remarkable instances of popular traditional singing in the British Isles.

References

  1. ^ A Bone, God Wot!
  2. ^ Dudley-Smith, Timothy (1987). Timothy Dudley-Smith, OBE (born 26 December, 1926) is an English hymnwriter and clergyman of the Church of England. A Flame of Love. London: Triangle/SPCK. ISBN 0-281-04300-0.  
  3. ^ carol - Britannica Online Encyclopedia

Media

See also

External links

Dictionary

Christmas carol

-noun

  1. a carol (song or hymn) whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas, or the winter season in general
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