We Three Kings
The three wise men, magi or kings have met the Christ child and bestowed their symbolic gifts. Christmas is officially over and the liturgical season of Epiphany has dawned upon us. … Continue readingWe Three Kings
Category: Carols
The Most Famous Reindeer Of All
Would it be rude to suggest that Rudolph was just a marketing gimmick? I suppose if that’s all you said about him that it would be rude to say that. There’s considerably more to be said about dear Rudolph. … Continue readingThe Most Famous Reindeer Of All
Let the music play
Let the music play One of the many special things about Christmas is the music. No other holiday or season is attended by a month of 24×7 radio stations dedicated to playing music specially dedicated to the season. This extended … Continue readingLet the music play
What Star Is This, With Beams So Bright
What Star Is This, With Beams So Bright The Gospel of Matthew 2:9-11 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it … Continue readingWhat Star Is This, With Beams So Bright
This Endris Night
This Endris Night The earliest manuscript containing this traditional carol is from 1475 in the period of the later reign of Henry VI and the beginning of the reign of Henry VII. “This endris night” is a term from the … Continue readingThis Endris Night
Wonder Tidings
Wonder Tidings A 15th Century poem describing the splendor of the Incarnation was set to music by composer Stephen Paulus and titled Wonder Tidings. What tidings bringest thou, messenger, Of Christ’s birth this jolly day? A babe is born of … Continue readingWonder Tidings
The Holly and the Ivy
The Holly and the Ivy Appearing in print in the early 19th Century, this traditional British carol uses foliage as symbols for Christ and the Virgin Mary. The holly resembles the Crown of Thorns that Jesus was forced to wear … Continue readingThe Holly and the Ivy
Gloucestershire Wassail
Gloucestershire Wassail In the English countryside, each village and region would have their own traditions regarding wassailing. This version is noted as early as 1813 in the Times Telescope. As described in the song, a band of wassailers would take … Continue readingGloucestershire Wassail
In The Bleak Midwinter
In The Bleak Midwinter In 1872, Scribner’s Monthly published a Christmas poem by Christina Rossetti placing the Nativity in a snowy landscape familiar to most American readers. The poem was set to the music of Gustav Holst in the 1906 … Continue readingIn The Bleak Midwinter
Gaudete
Gaudete The title of this song is from the Latin word for “rejoice”. It is thought to have been composed in the 16th Century. Gaudete, gaudete! Christus est natus Ex Maria virgine, gaudete! Tempus adest gratiæ Hoc quod optabamus, Carmina … Continue readingGaudete