Christmas Carols

I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar Carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good will to men  — HENRY WADSWORTH L ONGFELLOW

Presented with the compliments o

What sweeter musick can we bring Than a Caroll for to sing, The birth of this our Heaenly !ing"  —

HERR!"#

EA"H $e%r the "hristm%s se%son is &shered in '$ the sin(in( o "hristm%s c%rols %nd h$mns) %nd we he%r %(%in the %mili%r %nd e*er 'e%&ti&l son(s o "hristm%s which h%*e 'een h%nded down thro&(h the cent&ries) s&n( in e*er$ ton(&e %nd '$ e*er$ n%tion+ An %ncient %nd lo*el$ c&stom is this sin(in( o "hristm%s c%rols) in the streets o o&r towns %nd cities) in o&r homes %nd ch&rches %nd schools+ !t h%r,ens '%c, to the d%$s o old) when c%rols were s&n( in the streets '$ w%its %nd minstrels) when the Y&le lo( '&rned on the he%rth) holl$ %nd mistletoe (le%med %mon( the "hristm%s c%ndles) the 'o%r-s he%d w%s- p%r%ded in (r%nd procession) %nd w%ss%il son(s m%de (l%d the esti*e %nd .o$&l "hristm%stide+ S&r*i*in( with %ll o these pict&res/&e tr%ditions o "hristm%s %re the c%rols themsel*es) with their /&%int words %nd deli(ht&l melodies+ Preser*ed to &s %re these ori(in%l "hristm%s c%rols) composed in %lmost e*er$ ton(&e)0L%tin) En(lish) French) An(lo S%1on) Germ%n) !t%li%n) Sp%nish) %nd m%n$ others 0 simple ol, son(s) ch%rmin( in their /&%intness %nd n%i*et2) with % re*erent (%iet$ which onl$ s&((ests the reli(io&s+ For % c%rol) in its tr&e

me%nin() is % son( in which % reli(io&s theme is tre%ted in % %mili%r %nd esti*e m%nner+ A h$mn is essenti%ll$ de*otion%l+ So it is th%t m%n$ o o&r more %mili%r "hristm%s son(s) s&ch %s 3O Little Town o 4ethlehem)3 3!t "%me &pon the 5idni(ht "le%r)3 %nd others which we commonl$ desi(n%te %s c%rols) %re not in the tr&e sense "hristm%s c%rols) '&t r%ther "hristm%s h$mns+ We li,e to thin, th%t the irst c%rol e*er s&n( w%s '$ the %n(el chor&s on th%t irst "hristm%s e*e) ne%rl$ two tho&s%nd $e%rs %(o) when 3Glor$ 'e to God on hi(h) %nd on e%rth pe%ce) (ood will to men3 w%s c%roled o*er the ields o 4ethlehem+ 4&t it is not &ntil the thirteenth cent&r$ th%t we ind the 'e(innin( o the tr&e "hristm%s c%rol) %nd !t%l$ is its 'irthpl%ce+ Here the ri%rs) (%thered %ro&nd St+ Fr%ncis o Assisi) tried to h&m%ni6e the stor$ o the (ospel %nd composed son(s %'o&t the 'irth o "hrist) which the$ s%n( %ro&nd % cr7che or t%'le%&) depictin( the s&rro&ndin(s o the hol$ m%n(er+ A Fr%ncisc%n+ n%med 8%copone d% Todi) w%s the irst writer o c%rols+ From !t%l$ the c%rol spre%d to Sp%in) Fr%nce) En(l%nd) %nd Germ%n$) where it ret%ined its ol,0son( /&%lities o le(end%r$ lore %nd childli,e simplicit$) with % str%n(e min(lin( o re*erence %nd (eni%l mirth&lness+ The French Noel 'e(%n to %ppe%r in the iteenth cent&r$ %s did the "hristm%s c%rols in En(l%nd) where the$ r%n(ed rom ch%rmin( l&ll%'ies to rioto&s drin,in( son(s+ D&rin( the Reorm%tion) the tr&e c%rols with their spont%neit$ %nd esti*e element dis%ppe%red) to 'e repl%ced l%ter '$ the more sed%te %nd de*otion%l h$mns+  The 'e(innin( o the ei(hteenth cent&r$ m%r,s the tr%nsition rom the tr&e c%rol to the more di(niied %nd solemn "hristm%s h$mn+ 3While Shepherds W%tched Their Floc,s '$ Ni(ht)3 3H%r,) the Her%ld An(els Sin()3 %nd 3Adeste Fideles3 'elon( to this period+ 3Adeste Fideles)3 or 3O "ome All Ye F%ith&l)3 w%s composed pro'%'l$ in Fr%nce %'o&t 9:;; %nd is perh%ps 'est 'elo*ed o the

"hristm%s h$mns+ The nineteenth cent&r$ 'ro&(ht the 'e%&ti&l 3Stille N%cht) Heili(e N%cht)3 %lso 3O Little Town o 4ethlehem)3 written '$ o&r Phillips 4roo,s %nd inspired '$ % "hristm%s e*e spent '$ him in 4ethlehem+  Th&s the "hristm%s c%rols h%*e li*ed thro&(h the cent&ries+ And so) on "hristm%s e*e) %s the c%ndles '&rn in o&r windows) in remem'r%nce o the St%r o 4ethlehem) %nd we he%r $o&th&l *oices c%rolin( these old %mili%r son(s) let &s re.oice th%t we %re preser*in( ide%ls %nd tr%ditions which will 'e ore*er the herit%(e o e*er$ "hristi%n n%tion+

"AROLS

† S!LENT  N!GHT  † THE FIRST NOËL † GOD REST YOU MERRY GENTLEMEN † THE CHERRY TREE CAROL † THE WASSAIL SONG †AWAY IN A MANGER † IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR † HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING † WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED THEIR FLOCKS † O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL † O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM

For more great low priced Kindle Books, click here.