A carol is a festive song sung by groups of people. Most of the time it is religious but not necessarily connected with church worship. In some countries carols are accompanied by a dance.
Christmas carols are generally Christmas songs. They are sung in a joyful manner and are performed in public places or singers go from house to house. Christmas carols with a French origin is called Noel.
One of the earliest Christmas carols ever to be recorded was the Angels Hymn in 129 AD. It is said that Christianity-themed hymns were popular than pagan songs sung by Romans. Pagans celebrated the Winter Solstice.
Initially carols were inherited from generation to generation as an oral tradition. One of the oldest printed carols is the Boar’s Head Carol, in 1521. Still it is sung in the Queens College, Oxford annually during the Christmas Season.
Carols we hear during the Christmas Season are developed from Medieval Carols. They are called ‘Coventry Carols’.
Another Middle Ages carol is God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen and also While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night. The God Rest Ye we sing today is a Victorian setting. Carols and their words continued to be disseminated.
People get together in towns to sing carols. Hearing carols in the locality reminded people to start their celebrations. In the 16th century Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans tried to ban the singing of carols considering that people should work hard rather than singing for many days.
Carols were being collected and printed widely by the 19th century. And in 1880, it’s believed the Christmas carol service was started in Truro by Edward White Benson, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. They started becoming melodious during the 19th century.
It is believed that Silent Night is one of the most beloved carols in the world.
Silent Night, Holy Night
All is Calm, all is Bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother
and Child
Holy Infant so Tender and Mild
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
This was composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics written by Joseph Mohr in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, this carol is so popular that in 2011 UNESCO declared it an intangible cultural heritage. A version recorded by Bing Crosby was one of the third best-selling singles of all time.
The very first performance of Silent Night or Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht as it is in its original form, was on Christmas Eve in 1818. It was in a tiny village that was part of the Austrian Empire. In modern days it is Austria.
The English version of Silent Night was translated in 1859 by Episcopal priest John Freeman Young. He belongs to the Trinity Church of New York City.
Silent Night has been translated into more than 140 languages in the world. Silent Night was sung simultaneously by English and German army troops during the World War 1 in 1914.
Pahanma Liyanage
Grade 6-A
Lyceum International School
Nugegoda