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Two Hundred Folk Carols

Richard Runciman Terry

London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933

Note: There is no evidence of a copyright claim in this volume, which is true of all of his books.

Editor's Note: Groups wishing to expand their repertoire may wish to consider some of the carols found on this page, many of which are completely new to most of us. While a few carols have very bizarre "translations," — as though literally translating idiomatic phrases — others show good potential for contemporary lyricists, composers, arrangers, instrumental musicians, and vocalists.

Contents of Two Hundred Folk Carols.

This remarkable collection of 200 carols is composed of eleven parts.

Part I. English Traditional Carols. (1-39)

Part II. French Traditional Carols (40-57)

Part III. Besançon Noëls (58-67)

Part IV. Bearnaise and Burgundian Noëls (68-78)

Part V. Provençal Carols (79-91)

Part VI. Basque Carols (92-109)

Part VII. Dutch and Flemish Carols (110-128)

Part VIII. Italian Carols (129-138)

Part IX. German, Alsatian and Polish Carols (139-159)

Part X. European Medieval Carols (160-171)

Part XI. English Medieval Carols (172-200)

Preface & Acknowledgements

 

Part I. English Traditional Carols. (1-39)

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
1	The Lord At First Did Adam Make	Gilbert's Christmas Carols, 1822	2
2	The Lord At First Had Adam Made	Sandys' Christmas Carols, 1833	4
3	A Virgin Most Pure (I)	Gilbert's Christmas Carols	6
4	A Virgin Most Pure (II)	Sandys' Christmas Carols	8
5	When Righteous Joseph Wedded Was (I)	Gilbert's Christmas Carols	10
6	When Righteous Joseph Wedded Was (II)	Sandys' Christmas Carols	12
7	God's Dear Son Without Beginning	Gilbert's Christmas Carols	14
8	Let All That Are To Mirth Inclined	Gilbert's Christmas Carols	16
9	The First Nowel - Terry	Traditional	18
10	Fyfe's Noel	Fyfe's Christmas Carols, 1860	20
11	God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen (I)	Sandys' Christmas Carols	22
12	God rest you merry (II)	Traditional	24
13	This New Christmas Carol	Sandys' Christmas Carols	26
14	Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day	Sandys' Christmas Carols	28
15	I Saw Three Ships	Traditional	30
16	Joseph was an old man Part 1 of The Cherry Tree Carol	Sandys' Christmas Carols	31
17	Joseph and the Angel (As Joseph Was A-Walking) Part 2 of The Cherry Tree Carol	Fyfe's Christmas Carols, 1860	32
18	Mary's question Part 3 of The Cherry Tree Carol	Traditional	33
19	When Jesus Christ Was Twelve Years Old	Sandys' Christmas Carols	34
20	In Those Twelve Days	Sandys' Christmas Carols	36
21	Saint Stephen Was An Holy Man	Sandys' Christmas Carols	38
22	Oh, Who Would Be A Shepherd Boy	Melody entitled “Lord Thomas” from Sandys' Christmas Carols	40
23	Novels First line: A Child This Day Is Born	Sandys' Christmas Carols	41
24	In Bethlehem City, On Christmas-day Morn	Traditional (Worcestershire)	42
25	The Seven Joys of Mary - RR Terry	Traditional	44
26	The Seven Rejoices Of Mary	Traditional	46
27	The Babe in Bethlehem's Manger	Traditional (Kent)	48
28	On Christmas Night	Traditional (Sussex)	49
29	A child my choice Let Folly Praise That Fancy Love	Traditional	50
30	The Moon Shines Bright - RR Terry, 1933 (“The Wait's Carol)	Traditional	52
31	While Shepherds Watched - RR Terry (1933)	Traditional	54
32	See, Amid The Winter's Snow - Caswall	Traditional	56
33	Dives and Lazarus	Traditional	58
34	Glory to God in Heights of Heaven	Traditional (Wiltshire)	60
35	The Joyful Sounds of Salvation	Traditional	62
37	The Black Decree	Traditional	66
38	Our Blessed Lady's Lullaby	English (“Sellinger's Round”) 16th century	68
39	Sweet Was The Song The Virgin Sung	William Ballet's Lute Book (17th century)	70

 

Part II. French Traditional Carols (40-57)

Note: Add French titles, if possible.

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
40	O Hinds, Tune Up Your Pipes	“Dictionnaire de Noës et Cantiques”	2
41	He Is Born, The Holy One	“Dictionnaire de Noës et Cantiques”	4
42	Be Silent Heaven! Be Silent Earth!	“Dictionnaire de Noës et Cantiques”	6
43	Saviour Sweet, O Babe of Love	“Dictionnaire de Noës et Cantiques”	8
44	O Lovely Infant, Born For Me	“Dictionnaire de Noës et Cantiques”	10
45	Fair Is My Lot	“Dictionnaire de Noës et Cantiques”	12
46	Come All Ye Of Tender Years	“Dictionnaire de Noës et Cantiques”	14
47	Come And See The Holy One	“Dictionnaire de Noës et Cantiques”	16
48	Shepherds From The Mountains	Traditional (Chartres)	18
49	With hearts afire Come With Hearts Afire	Traditional	20
50	I The Angel Am Of God	(“Les Noëls Bressans”)	22
51	What Is This Fragrance?	Traditional (Lorraine)	24
52	Morning Hush	From Denisot, 1553	26
53	I Know, O Blessed Mary	Traditional	28
54	Glad tidings	Traditional	30
55	Angels, We Have Heard Your Voices	Traditional	32
54	Bethlehem	Traditional	34
57	O Night, Restful And Deep	Traditional (Basse-Normandie)	36

 

Part III. Besançon Noëls (58-67)

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
58	Leave, Shepherds, Leave Your Peaceful Flocks	Traditional	2
59	With Happy Hearts United	Traditional	4
60	Hail! Shepherds, Hail!	Traditional	6
61	If You Shepherds Watched The Lambing	Traditional	8
62	Up And Shake Thee, Peterkin	Traditional	10
63	We've Been Told A Joyful Thing	Traditional	12
64	Shepherds, Lead On To Bethlehem	Traditional	14
65	I'm Leaving Home Seeking My Fortune	Traditional	16
66	Put By Your Business Worry	Traditional	18
67	Upon A Wisp of Litter	Traditional	20

 

Part IV. Bearnaise and Burgundian Noëls (68-78)

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
68	Up, Up, Pierre	Traditional (Bearnaise)	2
69	Mary's Magnificat	Traditional (Bearnaise)	4
70	Cheer Up Old Woman	Traditional (Burgundian)	6
71	Every Year As Round Comes Christmas	Traditional (Burgundian)	8
72	Brothers, 'Tis The Holy Season	Traditional (Burgundian)	10
73	I Hear Upon The Highway	Traditional (Burgundian)	12
74	The Trumpet Carol	Traditional (Burgundian)	14
75	Patapan	Traditional (Burgundian)	16
76	Eloquent Bells In Every Steeple	Traditional (Burgundian)	18
77	Now Let Us Sing I Pray Thee	Traditional (Burgundian)	20
78	Neighbour Mine	Traditional (Burgundian)	22

 

Part V. Provençal Carols (79-91)

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
79	You That Make A Toil Of Pleasure	Traditional	2
80	The Gouty Carol (First Line: There's many folk | Agait o' pilgrim errand)	Traditional	4
81	The Bagpipe Carol (First Line: This is a tedious road we're in)	Traditional	6
82	The Laundry Carol (First Line: Why not be for ever gay, Bregado?)	Traditional	8
83	The Gossoon And The Gaffer (First Line: God save you kindly gaffer)	Traditional	10
84	The Weather Carol (First Line: Shepherd of the mountain, | Lo! The God-head true)	Traditional	12
85	Steady Neighbours First lines: Steady neighbours Give up their labours	Traditional	14
86	Noel! A New Noel!	Traditional	16
87	The Peasant's Pilgrimage (First Line: Tu-re-lu-re-lu! The cock doth crow)	Traditional	18
88	Nicholas The Shepherd	Traditional	22
89	Adam And His Helpmate	Traditional	24
90	Shepherds, Be Joyful	Traditional	26
91	I Woke, From My Couch Uprising	Traditional	28

 

Part VI. Basque Carols (92-109)

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
92	O Bethlehem!	Traditional	2
93	When David's Daughter	Traditional	4
94	Stars And Hills So Hoary	Traditional	6
95	Great Gentlefolk Hold And Bethink You	Traditional	8
96	In Middle Winter They Set Out	Traditional	10
97	Gods Of The Heathen	Traditional	12
98	Praise Jesus Christ Who Came This Night	Traditional	14
99	We Sing Of David's Daughter	Traditional	16
100	There Came A Shy Intruder	Traditional	18
101	A Maiden Was Adoring God The Lord	Traditional	20
102	Sing The Universal Glory	Traditional	22
103	How The Banner'd Angels	Traditional	24
104	Christian Men, Look Up On High	Traditional	26
105	Why Should We Go Grieving?	Traditional	28
106	Who Were The Shepherds, Mary?	Traditional	30
107	Lovely Baby, Mary Bore	Traditional	32
108	Lead Me To Thy Peaceful Manger	Traditional	34
109	Bethlehem's Stall	Traditional	36

 

Part VII. Dutch and Flemish Carols (110-128)

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
110	There Was A Maid So Lovely	Traditional	2
111	With Heart And Spirit Reconciled	Traditional	4
112	Children Sing A Carol Splendid	Traditional	6
113	When Judah's Loyal Soul	Traditional	8
114	To Us A Little Child Is Born	Traditional	9
115	A Year Begins Of Joy And Grace	Traditional	10
116	Our Lady on Christmas Day	Traditional	12
117	Welcome, Son of Mary	Traditional	14
118	Whenas the Rose of Jericho	Traditional	16
119	There Was A Maiden	Traditional	17
120	All Heaven On A Maiden	Traditional	18
121	Shepherds, What Joyful Tidings	Traditional	20
122	O Mary, Well of Purity	Traditional	22
123	O Jesus, True and Fervent Friend	Traditional	23
124	I Must Go Gather Comfort	Traditional	24
125	Our Master Hath A Garden	Traditional	26
126	The World Has Waited Long	Traditional	28
127	A Little Child Came Yester Morning	Traditional	30
128	Jesus in the Stall	Traditional	32

 

Part VIII. Italian Carols (129-138)

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
129	Ninna, Nanna (Sleep My Darling)	Library of S. Maria Sopra Minerva	2
130	Three Kings Came Riding	'Laude Spirituali,' 1674	4
131	Shepherds Why Do Ye Tarry?	'Laude Spirituali,' 1674	6
132	Sleep No More, The Glad Heavens Are Blazing	'Laude Spirituali,' 1674	8
133	Now Many A King I Dreaming	'Laude Spirituali,' 1674	10
134	Shepherds, The Day Is Breaking	'Laude Spirituali,' 1674	12
135	Dark Is The Even	'Laude Spirituali,' 1674	14
136	O Shepherds Sing Together	'Laude Spirituali,' 1674	16
137	O Joyful Shepherds Make Haste	'Laude Spirituali,' 1674	18
138	To Weary Shepherds Sleeping	'Laude Spirituali,' 1674	20

 

Part IX. German, Alsatian and Polish Carols (139-159)

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
139	Great is Our Lord Jesu's Name Magnum Nomen Domini	M. Praetorius. “Musae Sionae,” 1609	2
140	Christo incarnato First Lines: Behold the Godhead's Triune Blaze En Trinitatis speculum	M. Praetorius. “Musae Sionae,” 1609	6
141	Now My Soul To Bethlehem Eia mea anima	M. Praetorius. “Musae Sionae,” 1609	8
142	This Happy Morn Nobis est natus	M. Praetorius. “Musae Sionae,” 1609	10
143	To Us A Little Child Is Born Parvulus nobis nascitur	M. Praetorius. “Musae Sionae,” 1609	12
144	To All Men A Child Is Come Puer nobis nascitur	M. Praetorius. “Musae Sionae,” 1609	14
145	Voice Your Joy Together Now Universi populi	M. Praetorius. “Musae Sionae,” 1609	16
146	This Day Is Born Emmanuel En natus est Emanuel	M. Praetorius. “Musae Sionae,” 1609	18
147	I Know A Flower Flos de radice Jesse, or Es ist ein Ros entsprugen	M. Praetorius. “Musae Sionae,” 1609	20
148	Sing Out A Song Of Victory Pangamus melos gloriae	Dreves, “Analecta Hymnica”	22
149	A Boy Is Born In Bethlehem Puer Natus in Bethlehem	Dreves, “Analecta Hymnica”	24
150	All The Skies To-night Sing O'er Us	J. G. Ebeling, Harmonized J. S. Bach	26
151	Cradle Song of the Infant Jesus First Line: Soft To The Manger Stealing	Traditional Melody	28
152	Susani, Susani	Traditional	30
153	The World's Desire First Line: The Christ-Child Lay On Mary's Lap	Traditional	31
154	In dulci jubilo	Traditional. Trans. And Harmonized by R. L. de Pearsall	32
155	Joy To The World	Melody by N. Hermann, 1560	34
156	A Babe Is Born All Of A Maid	Traditional (Nuremberg, 1676)	35
157	The Shepherds Went Their Hasty Way	Traditional (Alsatian)	36
158	At the Nativity First Line: Gloomy Night Embraced The Place	Traditional (Alsatian)	38
159	Tell, O Shepherds!	Traditional (Polish)	40

 

MICHAEL PRAETORIUS was born at Kreuzberg in Thuringia, on Feb. 15, 1571 ; he began his artistic career, in the character of capellmeister, at Liineburg; in 1604 he entered the service of the Duke of Brunswick, first as organist, and then as capellmeister and secretary; he was appointed Prior of the Monastery of Ringelheim, near Gozlar, without necessity of residence ; and died at Wolfenbiittel, on his fiftieth birthday, Feb. 15, 1621.

The compositions of Michael Praetorius are very voluminous. He himself has left us, at the end of his Syntagma llfusicum, a catalogue, the most important items of which are, fifteen volumes of ‘Polyhymnia,’ adapted partly to Latin, and partly to German words; sixteen volumes of “Musae Sionae,” of which the first five are in Latin, and the remainder in German ; nine volumes of a secular work, called ‘Musa Aonia,’ of which the several books are entitled ‘Terpsichore’ (2 vols.), ‘Calliope’ (2 vols.), ‘Thalia’ (2 vols.), ‘Erato’ (1 vol.), ‘Diana Teutonica ’ (1 vol.), and Regensburgische Echo (1 vol.); and a long list of other works, ‘ partly printed, and partly, through God’s mercy, to be printed.’ The first of these is the Syntagma Musieum (Musical Treatise) itself—a book the excessive rarity and great historical value of which entitle it to a special notice.

Source: Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Volume 3 (Macmillan Company, 1907).

Editor's Note: Some, but not all of these works have now been scanned and posted on the World Wide Web. The balance are expected to be posted at some point in the future.

 

Part X. European Medieval Carols (160-171)

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
160	Good King Wenceslas Music: Tempus adest floridum	Piae Cantiones (1582)	2
161	Good Christian Men Rejoice Music: In Dulci Jubilo.	Piae Cantiones	4
162	Congaudeat turba fidelium Come Ye Faithful, Sing We Right Merrily	Piae Cantiones	6
163	Ecce, nouvum gaudium Here Is Joy For Every One	Piae Cantiones	8
164	Ave maris stella lucens Hail Thou Star That Guidest	Piae Cantiones	10
165	Resonet In Laudibus Now With Gladness Carol We	Piae Cantiones	12
166	Verbum caro factum est God's Own Word Our Flesh Did Take	Piae Cantiones	14
167	Omnis mundus jocundetur Let The Earth Rejoice In Chorus	Piae Cantiones	16
168	Dies est lætitiæ Christian Folk, Day Of Joy	Piae Cantiones	18
169	Angelus Emittitur Gabriel From Heaven Has Flown	Piae Cantiones	20
170	Quem pastores laudavere Shepherds Tell Your Beauteous Story	Hohenfurt MS. (fifteenth century)	22
171	Personent hodie Lift Your Voices And Sing	Piae Cantiones	24

 

Note: A single copy of Finnish-Swedish collection, Piae Cantiones — very rare even at that time — found its way into the hands of Rev. John Mason Neale and Rev. Thomas Helmore in 1853, and from this exceptionally rare volume a good deal of music was saved from oblivion. For more information, see Piae Cantiones: A Medieval Song Treasury, and Rev. John Mason Neale and Rev. Thomas Helmore, Carols for Christmas-tide.

 

Part XI. English Medieval Carols (172-200)

No.	Title	Source of Tune	Page	Sheet Music
172	Now Well May We (Our) Merthis Make	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	2
173	An heavenly song (This Day)	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	4
174	As I Lay Upon A Night (#174)	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	6
175	What Tidings Bringest Thou Messenger?	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	8
176	Of a Rose sing we (This Rose Is Railed On A Ryse)	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	10
177	From the Royal Shepherd's Line David ex progenie Part I. Part II is "See the Word Our Flesh Become” (“Verbum caro factum est”)	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	12
178	Cast Away The Olden Psallimus cantantes	Bodleian Library (MS. Eng. Poet)	14
179	Alleluya. The Joy of Virgin Mary Alleluya pro Virgine Maria	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	16
180	Though They Cannot Palter Ecce quod natura	Bodleian Library (MS. Ashmole 1393)	18
181	Sing We To This Merry Company	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	20
182	Worshipt Be The Birth Of Thee Ave Domina Celi Regina	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	22
183	Make We Joy Now In This Fest	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	24
184	Nowel, This Is The Salutation	Bodleian Library (MS. Eng. Poet)	26
185	Nowel Sing we both all and some (Exortum Est in Love and Lysse)	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	28
186	Nowel. Out of your sleep arise (Out Of Your Sleep Arise)	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	30
187	Nowel. To Us Is Born Our God Emmanuel	Bodleian Library (Selden MS.)	32
188	Hail Mary Full of Grace	Trinity College Library. Cambridge	34
189	As I Lay Upon a Night (#189) Alma redemptoris mater	Trinity College Library. Cambridge	36
190	Now May We Singen As It Is	Trinity College Library. Cambridge	38
191	Be Merry, Be Merry	Trinity College Library. Cambridge	40
192	Eya martyr Stephane	Trinity College Library. Cambridge	41
193	Now Make We Merthe	Trinity College Library. Cambridge	42
194	Pray For Us The Prince of Peace	Trinity College Library. Cambridge	44
195	There Is No Rose Of Such Virtue	Trinity College Library. Cambridge	45
196	Sir Christmas	British Museum Addl. MSS. 5665	46
197	This Enders Night	British Museum Roy. App.	49
198	He By Whom The Heavens Were Made | Qui creavit coelum	The Chester Mysteries	52
199	The Coventry Carol	The Coventry Mysteries	54
200	Gabriel To Mary Went Angelus Ad Virginem	British Museum (Cotton MS.)	55

Note: The Selden Manuscript was the source for A Medieval Carol Book by Rev. Terry, as well as other collections. Much of the subjects of these carols are on-line at the Bodleian Library; see Selden MS B26 (opens in a new window at an exterior site).

Preface

Pages vii-ix.

This collection has been primarily compiled for the use of choirs, but it cannot be too strongly emphasized that all of the carols – save the definitely polyphonic ones (e.g., those of Praetorius) – can be effectively sung as solos, or by voices in unison, with or without accompaniment. The bulk of them are folk-melodies, and should be treated as such. Even the carols of Praetorius are simple harmonizations of popular melodies.

The custom of carol-singing in churches is a modern development, although the practice can be traced back to Saboly in the 17^th century. Originally the carol was a folk-song with the Incarnation as its theme. The treatment of the subject varied through the ages from the crude patois of the peasant to the polished periods of later poets, but naȉveté and homeliness were the predominant characteristics. Modes of expression more frequently crude and details were sometimes stressed with what present-day ars would seem coarseness. But behind all this there was the dominating idea of joyfulness in the Feast of Our Lord's Nativity. All Europe celebrated the Nativity at Christmastide, not as the memory of a long past event but as something which was actually happening. Neighbor called to neighbor to join the pilgrimage to Bethlehem that they might find the new-born Babe and worship Him. Every mother's heart yearned over Him in His helplessness. Every mother's heart ached in sympathy with Our Lady in her pains. Let us take food (said the good folk to one another) to the Holy Family in their hunger; let us take clothing for the little Babe in His nakedness. The phrase “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem” was not to them mere chronicled speech of some Shepherds of olden time; it was a direct personal appeal from neighbor to neighbor to hasten to the Crib in company with the Shepherds who were making their journey hic et nunc.

That was the old idea of Christmas – a united Christendom celebrating this Christian Feast in which everyone was a partaker. It is this aspect of Christmas which the Editor has aimed at presenting rather than the popular modern one of holly and ivy, robins and snowflakes, roast beef and beer, yule-logs, punch bowls, plum pudding and the rest of the wassailing apparatus which genial old Charles Dickens invented for his generation.

Carol-singing in England had almost disappeared as a national pastime by the early 19^th century, and the antiquaries who endeavored to rescue its fragmentary remains from oblivion all spoke of carols as an interesting survival of a practice which had passed away forever. Carol-singing has now achieved a popular vogue, but that vogue dates back no further than the 'seventies of the last century.

On the continent of Europe there has been no such break with tradition. Continental nations continue to sing carols as they have been wont to do since the earliest times. They are inheritors of a wealth of carol-music and carol-literature of which England has only in recent years (seemingly) become aware, with the result that there is now an increasing demand for a wider repertoire than has hitherto been available; each English-edited carol book contains more foreign carols than its predecessors. It is hoped that the present collection (containing a large number of both English and foreign carols hitherto unpublished in this country) will do something to supply this increasing demand.

The compilers “editorial methods” in respect of English carols have been sufficiently explained elsewhere (Footnote 1) and need not be repeated here.

Footnote

1. Twelve Christmas Carols [1912], Old Christmas Carols [49 pages, 1923], A Medieval Carol Book [66 pages, 1932], and The Carols of Gilbert and Sandys [1931] (all published by Messrs Burns Oates & Washbourne Ltd.).

Regarding foreign carols, the originals have been consulted where available. Failing that, the editor has taken his material from recognized collectors (e.g., Saboly in the past and Father Donostia in the present).

Note: Nicolas Saboly (1614-1675), was Choir Master of the St-Pierre church in Avignon. See: Un flambeau, Jeanette Isabella (at the Choral Public Domain Library). He wrote a number of noels. A scanned copy of one collection is at Google Books, Recueils de Noëls provençaux.

Concerning Fr. Donostia, I have only been able to discover that he was a collector of Basque carols.

As regards the translations of the Latin, French, and German carols his librettists have gone direct to the original texts. In the case of old Dutch, old Italian, Provençal, Basque, Burgundian, and patois carols the editor has been fortunate enough to obtain the help of experts who have furnished him with literal translations. From these the librettists have composed their verses. Readers may therefore be assured that in this collection they will find no ”faked” English texts. The widest latitude must necessarily be allowed to librettists and their methods of expression, but whether the verses in this collection are literal translations or free paraphrases, there will at least be found in them nothing contrary to the originals.

And here, perhaps, it is well to say a few plain words:

Continental carols (German as well as French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch) teem with references to the Holy Family – Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph.

It is a common thing to find English” translations” in which these references to St. Joseph – but more especially Our Lady – are eliminated and the doctrinal terminology watered down until its meaning is lost.

It is open to any editor of the foreign carol to say: “We do not accept the theology of which this carol is the expression; we have therefore provided the tune with fresh words.” Such a proceeding would be quite honest. The same can hardly be said when the singer is left under the impression that the English “translation” conveys the sense of the original, when in reality it does nothing of the sort. To reject a verbal text in toto is legitimate (provided the fact be stated); to tamper with a verbal text (so that it conveys a different meaning from the original) is not only disingenuous but unscholarly.

This tampering seems to be peculiar to England. It does not obtain in Protestant Germany. German editors are as conscientiously Protestant as English ones, but they have not found it necessary to eliminate references to the Virgin Mother or otherwise distort the meaning of an original text.

It is in such matters as this that we are so sore a puzzle to the intelligent foreigner. He hears rapturous encores of Schubert's of Ave Maria; he listens to hearty applause of Gounod's setting (on Bach's First Prelude) which concludes with an appeal to the Blessed Virgin to “pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death”; he hears the doctrine of Purgatory enunciated in Elgar's Gerontius by choral societies made up from every religious denomination. He naturally concludes that if such theological terminology is accepted as a matter of course on the concert platform it is rather childish (or at best illogical) to boggle at it in a carol.

What the intelligent for nor does not know is that the ordinary Englishman of today is much too enlightened to do anything of the sort; that the quotation mark boggling” is confined to cautious editors catering for an imaginary public, or “sectarian” editors introducing their particular “doxy” by way of the back stairs.

The popularity of the carols edited by the Rev. Dr. Woodward and the late Dr. Charles Wood, with their fidelity to original texts, goes to confirm what I say, and I have humbly endeavored to follow in the footsteps of these two Masters. Whatever may be urged against the translations in the present collection, at least it cannot be said that any original text has been tampered with for theological reasons. It ought perhaps to be added back (saving the nine Prætorius carols) all the harmonies in this book are by the editor and are therefore copyright.

Oxford 1932.

R. R. T.

 

Acknowledgments

For literal translations from obsolete languages I owe deep thanks to Dr. G. C. Wheeler, from fifteenth-century Dutch originals; Mr. F. Whitehead (Jesus College, Oxford) from old Italian, Provencal, medieval and patois originals; Mr. Rodney Gallop (author of A Book of The Basques) from Basque originals. Also to Miss M. G. Segar, M.A., B.Litt. (Oxford) for valuable assistance in modernising English medieval texts.

For verse translations from the Latin I thank the Rev. John O'Connor and the Rev. Ronald Knox; from the French, Canon John Gray and Mrs. K. W. Simpson; for original verses Mr. W. H. Shewring (Corpus Christi College, Oxford), and to Mr. G. K. Chesterton for permission to reprint his poem “The Christ Child lay on Mary's lap.” To the Rev. Dr. G. R. Woodward for permission to use the words and melody of “In Bethlehem City” and the words of “I Know a Flower”. To Dr. R. Vaughan-Williams for permission to use the melody of “On Christmas Night.”

To the authorities of the Bodleian Library I am indebted not only for permission to print carols from their various M.S. Collections, but also for much courtesy and kindly assistance in the course of my work. To the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge, for permission to photograph and score the contents of the parchment roll from which eight of the carols in this book are taken. To Miss Hilda Andrews, Mus.Bac., for copying the examples from the British Museum. To the Abbott of Downside for the loan of Laude Spirituali from which most of the Italian carols have been taken. To the Rev. F. Donostia for permission to use the Basque melodies collected by him. To Professor J. F. Larcher for photographs of “Sweet was the song the Virgin sang” (from Wm Ballet's Lute Book), and to the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin, for kindly allowing me to make use of the same. Lastly, I am very deeply indebted to Mr. Henry Wardale, Mus. D., F.R.C.O., for undertaking the laborious task of proof-correcting.

Editor's Note:

Collections from Rev. Terry:

Twelve Christmas Carols
London: J. Curwen & Sons, Ltd., 1912; With music.

Old Christmas Carols
London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., n.d., ca. 1923; With music.

Gilbert and Sandys' Christmas Carols
London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne, Ltd., 1931; With Music

A Medieval Carol Book
London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne, Ltd., 1932; With Music

Two Hundred Folk Carols
London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933; With Music

Rev. Terry has a page at the Choral Public Domain Library (Richard R. Terry), which contains the arrangements of two of his compositions:

• Joseph and the Angel (First Line: "As Joseph was a-walking He heard an angel sing")

• The King's Birthday (First Line: "Awake! glad heart, get up and sing")

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