ডাকবাংলা

Christmas carols are as synonymous with the Christmas season as are Christmas trees and mistletoes. The carol singing legacy has evolved from the ancient pagan tradition of singing songs celebrating the Winter Solstice.

The centuries-old carol-singing tradition, which were originally songs written in Latin to honour the events leading up to, and following the birth of Jesus Christ, has seeped into cultures all over the world. Having Christian friends and neighbours since childhood, the tradition of listening to carols during Christmas has been woven into my upbringing. The soft notes of a few of my favourite carols start ringing in my ears whenever winter arrives and the yuletide spirit hits. 

Interestingly, the first Christmas-themed carol to ever be recorded in history, was called the Angels’ Hymn. Since the carol dates back to 129 A.D., no one is believed to know its actual lyrics or tune. However, according to the holy Bible, the angels exclaimed “Glory to God in the highest” upon the birth of Jesus. This translates to “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” in Latin. This, to my pleasant surprise, also happens to be the essence of my most favourite carol, Angels We Have Heard on High. 

Being of such strong historical importance, this carol was arranged into French lyrics and published in 1843. The English version was later written by Anglo-Irish priest, James Chadwick, in 1862. This, however, was not an exact translation of the French arrangement, but more of an inspired composition.

Despite the first Christmas carol being sung back in 129 A.D., full-fledged collection of songs commemorating all aspects of the Nativity had only emerged by the 13^th century A.D. 

And thus began the tradition of Carol-singing, lifting the spirits of people of all walks, in every corner of the world.

Some Anecdotes 

During my early years of learning the classical guitar with stars in my eyes, I had learnt how to play the simple and calming tunes of some popular carols as part of the curriculum. Even now, more than two decades into the world of western classical music, I still play the tunes sometimes.

Silent Night has always had a special place in my heart. The 200-year-old carol is the most common and the most widely sung (doubling up as my children’s lullaby sometimes), and yet, is the most impactful, the most soul-stirring and the most fluid in my opinion.  So much has the piece touched my heart that it has even found its way into my repertoire and a few of my solo performances on the western classical guitar.

An even older and much-loved carol of the modern era, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, was brought to life with the melody composed by German pianist and composer Felix Mendelssohn. This song has caught the fancy of various new-age musicians. Incidentally, the rendition of this piece by popular band Boney M; named Mary’s Boy Child; has spread its reach to more ears in more parts of the world.

Another popular carol, We Three Kings of Orient Are, is also an interesting piece of music which I wish to transcribe into the classical guitar someday. Despite being quite popular, this was unknown to me till a few years ago when I heard the King’s College Choir’s rendition on YouTube. What caught my attention is the shifting nature of the melody, changing from a melancholy middle-eastern influenced tune (probably stemming from the fact that the three kings were Oriental) to a traditional Christian hymn so frequently and seamlessly.

I would also like to take a moment to appreciate one the most recently composed carols, The Little Drummer Boy, which has my heart solely for its lyrics and simple melody. The song has been composed by American composer Katherine Kennicott Davis, describing the happiness of a poor child upon seeing baby Jesus’ smile while he played his drum for Him. According to folklore, the boy was too poor to afford a gift for Him, and instead, played the drum the best he could to celebrate His birth.

The pure innocence of a child has been portrayed beautifully through the carol. The song has become widely popular for its uniqueness and for being a refreshing break from the solemn notes of traditional Christmas carols. Fun fact: most convent schools here appoint the cutest kid of the class to become the drummer boy in Christmas skits.

Reformer Martin Luther’s composition, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, needs special mention. It is not one of the regular carols that you expect to be singing in a Christmas mass or at your neighbourhood gathering. However, this hymn is one of the most loved among Protestant Christians, and is a widely sung Christmas hymn in the Lutherian tradition.

Notably, various distinguished artists have based compositions on Luther’s hymn. Johann Sebastian Bach composed the chorale cantata Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80, based on the tune of A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. Moreover, in 1830, Felix Mendelssohn based the fourth movement of his Symphony No. 5, Op. 107 on Luther’s composition. Again, French composer Claude Debussy used the theme to compose the suite for piano duet, En blanc et noir.

A relatively obscure but beautiful carol that I love is British composer Victor Hely-Hutchinson’s Carol Symphony – a four movement piece that is essentially an amalgamation of several popular Christmas carols. Bringing together the brilliance of O Come All Ye Faithful, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Coventry Carol and The First Noel, and stitching each of them seamlessly with threads of his own composition, was a unique idea.

Talking about relatively unknown carols, American composer William Henry Fry’s Santa Claus Symphony is another hidden gem. The piece is around 169 years old, and may be the first symphony orchestra to use the newly invented saxophone (invented just about a decade before Fry composed the piece).

Now if you are thinking why there is no mention of your most loved Jingle Bells, it is time to break a bubble. Jingle Bells is not a Christmas carol, despite being one of the staple songs sung during Christmas. If you hear carefully, there is no mention of Christmas, or any scenes from the Nativity, in the song. It is only a song describing the spirit of the season. However, it is one of the simplest and most loved songs of Christmas, which I also happen to teach my beginner students as part of their curriculum.

Footnote

Interestingly, just as it is considered to bring bad luck to keep Christmas decorations up beyond the 5^th of January, it is similarly considered inappropriate to sing Christmas carols anytime apart from December and the first week of January. 

Despite the superstitious beliefs, Christmas carols are sung all year round because of the uplifting, and even inspiring nature of the songs. I am also guilty of breaking the rule myself. With Christmas knocking at the door, let us heal our souls with the chimes of Christmas carols.

Featured image: The Christmas Tree by Albert Chevallier Tayler, 1911

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