[Musicians] Christmas Carols

[Todd Marsh via Musicians]

At LPT, the first thing everyone wanted to perform together was 
Christmas Carols for the Yule Revels. These are a few I have located so 
far. If you have a favorite that is not on this list, please post about 
it. Especially if you know where to find the music. Also, if you don't 
like one of these, or have found a better arrangement, let us know.

Also, I've started posting my arrangements at http://www.twmarsh.net/music/

Llywelyn

*A Carol Bringing In the Boar's Heed*
Lyrics by: Wynkyn de Worde. Unfortunately, only the last page of Jan van 
Wynken's "Christmas Carolles", printed in 1521, survives, but it 
includes portions of this carol, which appears in many different forms 
in later publications. This song is traditionally sung during the 
Christmas Feast at Oxford

http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/Hendricks/Christmas/boarshed.pdf


*Lo How a Rose*

Es Ist Ein Ros, 15th Century German carol, Translator Unknown; Arr. by 
Michael Praetorius, 1609

http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/Hendricks/Christmas/lo_how.pdf

http://www.twmarsh.net/music/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Lo-How-a-Rose-duet.pdf 



*The Holly & the Ivy*
This popular melody and text were recorded in Mowbray's Christmas Carols 
in 1861, but he claimed that it appeared in "an old broadside, printed a 
century and a half since" (roughly 1710). It is apparently much older 
even than that; the phrase "the merry organ" appears in Chaucer's "Nonne 
Preestes Tale", and holly and ivy are common motifs in pagan 
celebrations which predate the Christian influence in Europe.

http://www.twmarsh.net/music/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Holly-and-the-Ivy-Duet.pdf 



*In Dulci Jubilo*
Words: Nun singet und seid froh, attributed to Heinrich Suso (ca. 
1295-1366). Folklore has it that Suso, hearing angels sing these words, 
joined them in a dance of worship. Translation from The Oxford Book of 
Carols, 1928; Music: "In Dulci Jubilo," 14th Century German melody

http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/Hendricks/Christmas/in_dulci.pdf


*Covertry Carol, Luly, lulay*
One of the most haunting of the carols written in the minor key, 
Coventry Carol was sung in the pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors, a 
mystery play put on by local guilds in Coventry, in the 15th century. 
The most familiar text is that of Robert Croo (which we sing), written 
in 1534. The Coventry Plays are recorded as having been witnessed by 
Margaret, Queen of Henry VI, as early as 1456, by Richard III in 1484, 
and by Henry VII in 1492.

http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/Hendricks/Christmas/coventry.pdf


*Tommorow Shall Be My Dancing Day*
The New Oxford Book of Carols suggests that the song was originally part 
of a medieval Mystery Play. (It is also cited by some sources to be of 
the 19th century.) This carol appears in Christmas Carols Ancient and 
Modern by William Sandys in 1833, and in many broadsides of that period. 
However, most historians date the text from before the 17th century.

http://sca.uwaterloo.ca/Hendricks/Christmas/tomorrow.pdf


*O Come, O Come Emmanuel*
"Veni Emmanuel," 15th Century French Plain Song melody; Some sources 
give a Gregorian, 8th Century origin

http://www.twmarsh.net/music/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Veni-veni.pdf


*God Rest You Merry Gentlemen*
This melody appears to spring from the Cornwall countryside in England, 
and the lyrics appear as early as 1770 in the Roxburgh Ballads, but it 
is apparent from references in earlier texts that the melody (of which 
there are actually two, though only one is familiar in America) dates 
from a considerably earlier period. It is commonly considered the "most 
popular" Christmas Carol in England.

http://www.twmarsh.net/music/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/god-rest-you-merry-melody-and-bass.pdf 





-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ansteorra.org/pipermail/musicians-ansteorra.org/attachments/20140920/fc872cef/attachment.htm>