Part 1. London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., n.d., ca. 1923
See below for the Preface
Contents
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Carol No. |
Page |
Title |
Page Image (link opens in a new window) |
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1 |
1 |
The Burning Babe ("As I In Hoary Winter's Night") |
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2 |
2 |
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3 |
4 |
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4 |
6 |
A Child My Choice (Alternate Title: Let Folly Praise That Fancy Loves) |
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5 |
8 |
New Prince, New Pomp ("Behold A Silly Tender Babe") |
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6 |
9 |
At The Nativity (“Gloomy Night Embraced The Place”) |
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7 |
10 |
Jesus in the Stall (“Come Ye Shepherds, Hear The Call”) |
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8 |
11 |
Companions Sing Full Loudly (a close version of Companions All Sing Loudly) |
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9 |
12 |
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10 |
14 |
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11 |
15 |
The Seven Joys of Mary - RR Terry ("The First Good Joy That Mary Had") |
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12 |
16 |
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13 |
17 |
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14 |
18 |
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15 |
19 |
The Shepherds Went Their Hasty Way An adaptation of A Christmas Carol (Coleridge) |
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16 |
20 |
Novels (A Child This Day Is Born) |
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17 |
21 |
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18 |
22 |
Here Is Joy For Every Age ("Ecce Novum Gaudium") |
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19 |
23 |
The Moon Shines Bright - RR Terry, 1933 (“The Waits”) |
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20 |
24 |
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21 |
26 |
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22 |
28 |
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23 |
29 |
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24 |
30 |
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25 |
32 |
The Coventry Carol ("Lully, Lulla You Little Tiny Child") |
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26 |
33 |
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27 |
34 |
I Know A Flower It Springeth ("Flos de radice Jesse, or Es ist ein Ros entsprungen") |
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28 |
35 |
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29 |
36 |
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30 |
40 |
Hail Thou Star That Guidest (The Latin is the same as in this carol from RR Terry) Compare: Ave maris stella lucens miseris |
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31 |
42 |
God's Own Word Our Flesh Did Take (The Latin is the same as in this carol from RR Terry) Compare: Verbum caro factum est |
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32 |
44 |
To All Men A Child Is Come (The Latin is largely the same as in this carol from RR Terry, except for verse 5.) There seems to be an issue regarding the third verse where the first two lines of the verse appear to be missing. Compare: Puer nobis nascitur |
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33 |
45 |
Let The Earth Rejoice In Chorus (The Latin is the same as in this carol from RR Terry) Compare: Omnis mundus jocundetur |
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34 |
46 |
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35 |
48 |
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36 |
49 |
Ad cantum Læticiae |
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This book is a first installment of the carols which have proved to be the most popular during Christmastide at Westminster Cathedral. Except where otherwise stated, all the harmonies are by the Editor.
With the exception of No. 23 the carols are of the folk type, and can therefore be sung quite as effectively in unison as in harmony. For that reason they are specially suitable for congregational singing. In this connection the editor has had in mind the Continental custom of congregations assembling some little time before Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve to sing carols by themselves without any choir. He hopes this collection may do something to revive the custom in this country. He, however, does not recommend unison singing in carols 27 and 29, even though they are settings of folk melodies. The frequent crossing of Prætorius' parts makes his harmonies unsuitable for any other purpose than the one designed by him.
This being a book for popular use, the editor has allowed himself – in instances where several versions of it to exist – considerable latitude in the matter of selection. A case in point is that of No. 25, where – on the advice of several experts – he has retained the popular form, this in preference to the original three voices. It is also necessary to say that he prefers to describe tune 23 as “traditional,” since the only claim to its authorship, which has so far been advanced, rests on too slender a foundation.
In Parish Churches where a full choir is available it is recommended that they sing (in harmony) alternate verses with the congregation (in unison). Where the singing is done entirely by the choir it is apt to become monotonous if all verses are sung in the stereotyped four-part harmony. It is recommended that some verses be some as solos by suitable voices; by men or boys (not men and boys) in unison; or by a quartet (S. A. T. B.). To such carols as have a CHORUS, any of these methods can be applied up to the point where the chorus begins; the chorus will, of course, be sung by all the voices. In the case of solos, the organist (if capable) would do well to very the harmonies.
Long experience in teaching tunes by ear to country choirs has shown that harmonies in plain chords prove more difficult to learn than those where the parts move freely, and where “sticky” basses are avoided. In view of this fact the editor has (in his harmonizations) borne in mind those choirs where the parts have to be managed separately, and by ear.
For the Latin carols, the text is that of the Rev. G. R. Woodward's scholarly edition of Piæ Cantiones, reprinted for The Plainsong and Mediæval Music Society.
The editor's grateful thanks are due to the Rev. G. R. Woodward for permission to use the words and tune of No. 10 and the words of No. 27; to Dr. R. Vaughan Williams for permission to use the tune to No. 22; to the proprietors of The Daily Telegraph for permission to use the version of No. 7, which was originally published in their columns; to the Rev. J. O'Connor for permission to use the words of No. 29.
R. R. T.
Westminster Cathedral,
September, 1923.
Note:
The Carols mentioned in the Preface:
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7 – Jesus in the Stall, p. 10
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10 – In Bethlehem City, On Christmas-day Morn, p. 14
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22 – On Christmas Night All Christians Sing, p. 28
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23 – See, Amid The Winter's Snow - Caswall, p. 29
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25 – The Coventry Carol ("Lully, Lulla You Little Tiny Child"), p. 32
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27 – I Know A Flower It Springeth, p. 34
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29 – Great is Our Lord Jesu's Name (Magnum Nomen Domini), p. 36
See: The Christmas Songs in Woodward's Piæ Cantiones (1910)
Collections from Rev. Terry:
Twelve Christmas Carols; With music.
London: J. Curwen & Sons, Ltd., 1912Old Christmas Carols. Part One.
London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., n.d., ca. 1923; With music.Gilbert and Sandys' Christmas Carols
London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne, Ltd., 1931; With MusicA Medieval Carol Book
London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne, Ltd., 1932; With MusicTwo Hundred Folk Carols
London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933; With Music
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