The Carol and Its Context in Twentieth-Century England Sean Vogt

The Carol and Its Context in Twentieth-century England Sean Vogt loria in excelsis deo, et in terra G pax hominibus (“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to all people”), Luke 2:14, was likely the fi rst carol ever heard, sung by the angels over the fi elds of Bethlehem. It would be more than a millennium before the next documented account of carol singing. In this case, it happened in Greccio, Italy, where St. Francis made the fi rst Christ- mas crèche (crib) in 1223, in response to the Manichaeism1 of the eleventh and twelfth centuries—recreating the stable, even obtaining an ox and ass. People from around the village began to gather around St. Francis’s biblical re-creation. As a result, the people “poured out their hearts in praises to God; and the friars sang new canticles…”2 The dawn of the Protestant Reforma- tion brought carol singing—amongst a myriad of other activities—to an abrupt halt. The Reformation during the six- teenth and seventeenth centuries re- sulted in a fragmented church. The Lu- therans viewed the feast of Christmas as a popish abuse. Since the Calvinist Gustav Holst (early 1920s) in front of movement was quite popular, Christmas Queen’s Hall (©Holst Birthplace Museum/ was consequently unpopular in England. Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum) Christmas Day was abolished by Parlia- ment from 1644–1660; The Book of Com- Christmas Carols New and Old (1871) mon Prayer had no seasonal hymns. It being just a few examples. was not until the Supplement to the New From the Piae Cantiones, which itself Version of the Psalms (1700) that interest contained medieval carols, to the Vic- in carols was rekindled. Only one Christ- torian carol books, twentieth-century mas hymn was included in the supple- composers could now build on the carol ment: “While shepherds watched.” tradition that dated back hundreds of years. John Mason Neale, in his preface A brief history of the carol to Carols for Christmas-tide, described Interestingly, Christmas thrived more the method that twentieth-century Eng- in secular society than it did in the lish composers would also follow: church during this time. One of the fi rst examples of music printing in England is It is impossible at one stretch to produce an anthology from c.1530 that contained, a quantity of new carols, of which words and among other things, carols by Ashwell, music shall alike be original. They must be Cowper, Gwynneth, and Richard Py- the gradual accumulation of centuries; the 3 offerings of different epochs, of different gott. Carols were primarily used in the countries, of different minds, to the same home and private chapel. It wasn’t until treasury of the Church.8 later that they became a part of the par- ish church. This is likely why carols from The notion of carol singing was plays (the ‘Coventry’ carol, being one heightened signifi cantly with the service example) and carols for domestic use ap- of Nine Lessons and Carols. Originat- pear to be in constant use. Two domestic ing at Truro Cathedral, Cornwall, on A Babe Is Born (Four Old English Carols), Gustav Holst carols from Poor Robin’s Almanac (1700) Christmas Eve (1880), the service retells are as follows: in scripture and song the Redemption One way of preserving several items to carol settings and collecting them, story of Christ—moving from the mys- of importance is to collect them. Choir it was his Four Old English Carols Now that the time has come wherein tery and wonder of Advent to the miracle partbooks and the multiple compilations (1907), for mixed voices and piano, Our Saviour Christ was born, and joy of Christ’s birth. The service was of carol books have accomplished the that embraced the “tender austerity”10 The larder’s full of beef and pork, modifi ed and introduced by Eric Mil- art of preservation. Holst did something inherent in the songs of the English The garner’s fi lled with corn.4 ner-White, the newly appointed Dean similar, but on a smaller scale, when he countryside. Although inspired by folk- of King’s College, Cambridge, in 1918. wrote Christmas Day, a choral fantasy song, these tunes were of Holst’s own And we do hope before we part It is this modifi ed service that has been on old carols with accompaniment for creation. A Babe Is Born, Now Let Us To taste some of your beer, adopted by scores of parishes in England orchestra or organ. Sing, Jesu, Thou the Virgin-Born, and Your beer, your beer, your Christmas and abroad. Since its initial broadcast in Dedicated to the music students of The Saviour of the World Is Born make beer, 1928, the service of Nine Lessons and Morley College, the work is a compi- up this mini-collection. That seems to be so strong; Carols has been heard by millions of lation of four well-known Christmas The medieval text Jesu, Thou the Vir- And we do wish that Christmas-tide people all over the world. An order for carols: “Good Christian Men Rejoice,” gin-Born, the third carol from Four Old Was twenty times as long!5 the service can be found in the back of “God Rest You Merry Gentlemen,” English Carols, was infused with plain- Oxford’s 100 Carols for Choirs. A look “Come, Ye Lofty, Come, Ye Lowly,” and song and simple polyphony (largely ho- For England, the eighteenth century at this book also reveals a multitude of “The First Noel.” With the exception of morhythmic). The use of both plainsong was the “Golden Age of Hymnody” un- English composers who have made carol two simultaneous carols occurring at the and polyphony in this particular work is der Isaac Watts and the Wesleys. Hymns arrangements. Among the more well same time, the rest of the work is homo- not surprising, given the fact that Holst gained popularity over metrical psalms. known are Holst, Britten, and Rutter. rhythmic throughout. had been spending time copying Vic- The reason for the hymn’s popularity was Much like Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia toria and di Lasso motets for St. Paul’s that the congregation could fi nally have a Gustav Holst on Christmas Carols, this work by Holst Girls’ School. participating role in the worship service. It was the simplest of compositions opens with a soloist who sets the ambi- As evidenced above, Holst seemed Carols became increasingly hymn-like to by Gustav Holst (1874–1934) that ance as if about to tell a story around a drawn to set multiple carols within one fi t the current trend. would become one of his best-known: fi re. The carols provide the form of the work. This mini-collection of carols By the nineteenth century, thanks to In the Bleak Midwinter (1905). Holst composition. Ascribing numbers to the is equally true in his Three Carols for the efforts of the Methodists a century arranged the text by Christina Rosetti carols—1) Good Christian Men Rejoice, unison chorus and ‘ad lib.’ orchestra. earlier, carols began fi nding their way (1830–1894) while staying at a cottage9 2) God Rest You Merry Gentlemen, 3) Holst was clearly thinking of the sym- into many ecumenical books like Hymns in the Cotswold village of Cranham; it is Come, Ye Lofty, Come, Ye Lowly, 4) The biotic relationship between music and Ancient and Modern (1861), the fi rst also the reason why the tune is entitled First Noel—the form is 1, 2, 1, 3 and 4, people with this work. There are scarce universally accepted hymn book of the Cranham. Just one year later, having 1, 2 and 4, and 1. True to rondo form, examples of a signifi cant choral work Anglican Church.6 A renewed interest gained signifi cant popularity, his carol “Good Christian Men Rejoice” always with orchestra that includes a unison in the past, coupled with the Oxford arrangement appeared in the English appears in the tonic key, E-fl at major. chorus and an orchestra that can be Movement,7 provided the opportunity Hymnal (1906). The simultaneous occurrence of two car- made up of as many or few instruments for John Mason Neale, an Anglo-Catho- In the Bleak Midwinter is simplistic ols also provides unique contrast to the as available (‘ad lib.’) and still be a vi- lic cleric, to promote the ancient texts in that it is set like a standard four-part homorhythmic sections. The orchestral able work of art. “Holst was a conduc- and music found in the Piae Cantiones hymn: regular meter (4/4), homorhyth- accompaniment is equally accessible, tor who allowed all genuine amateurs (1582). The Victorian revival of the mic, and functionally tonal harmonic mo- having many of the same attributes of to play in his orchestra ‘if humanly pos- carol produced numerous new books, tion. The choice of F major links Holst the chorus parts, making it appropriate sible’.”11 The three carols include the some devoted solely to the carol: Some with the past, since F major was a com- for amateur ensembles. following: Christmas Song: On This Ancient Christmas Carols (1822), Car- mon key in the Renaissance and Baroque Like many English composers, Holst Day, I Saw Three Ships, and Masters ols for Christmas-tide (1853–54), and eras for themes of a pastoral nature. was infl uenced by folksong. In regard in This Hall. 24 THE DIAPASON Dec 2010 pp. 24-26.indd 24 11/11/10 10:31:35 AM Benjamin Britten, skiing holiday, early John Rutter (© Oxford University Press) 1960s (© Britten-Pears Foundation) John Rutter It is this latter trait that has brought Perhaps the most frequently per- Rutter fame and fortune.

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