A Brief History of Holiday Music – Part 2

A Brief History of Holiday Music: The 1800s and the Re-Invention of Christmas

Christmas music re-imagined and re-popularized

Published on December 6, 2011 by Kimberly Sena Moore in Your Musical

This is the second article in a 3-part series titled “A Brief History of Holiday Music.”

When Prince Albert married the English Queen Victoria in 1840, the face of Christmas was changed forever. For centuries, several religiousdenominations and movements, such as the Protestant Reformation and Puritanism, had condemned and sometimes even abolished Christmas celebrations as pagan traditions.

But when Prince Albert married Queen Victoria, he brought with him German customs. One such custom was the celebration of Yule, or Yuletide, a winter festival that emerged from an ancient German pagan religious festival. The customs and pageantry of Yuletide were mixed with the English celebration of Christmas. Christmas was now re-invented and included elements such as the evergreen tree, greenery, exchanging gifts, caroling, and Christmas cards.

This re-popularization of Christmas was also reflected in the music.

New Christmas Hymns

The middle 30 years of the 1800s, from about 1838-1868, brought us our first surge of new Christmas tunes, including:

• “Silent Night” (1818-63)
• “Joy to the World” (1839)
• “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (1840)
• “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” (1846-50)
• “O Holy Night” (1847-55)
• “Good Kind Wenceslas” (1853)
• “Angels We Have Heard in High” (1855)
• “We Three Kings of Orient Are” (1857)
• “Jingle Bells” (1850-59)
• “Up on the Housetop” (circa 1860)
• “What Child is This?” (1865-71)
• “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (1868)
• “Away in a Manger: (1885-87)
• “Jolly Old St. Nicholas” (late 1800s)

Although some tunes written during this time remain in obscurity (such as “Gather Around the Christmas Tree,” composed by the same person who gave us “We Three Kings of Orient Are”), many are commonly known and sung to this day.

Re-imagined Christmas hymns

The mid- to late-1800s were a time not only when new Christmas hymns were written, but when hymns were translated into English (such as “Adeste Fideles” in 1841) and lyrics were added to older tunes (such as the 2nd and 3rd stanzas of “O Christmas Tree” in 1824).

In 1871 alone, three tunes that were hundreds of centuries old were re-arranged for and re-introducted to the public: “The First Noel” (13th century), “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” (16th century), and “Here We Come A-caroling” (17th century).

Why so many in a single year? 1871 was the year that Sir John Stainer published the collection “Christmas Carols New & Old,” which included many of his own arrangements.

Fun Facts and Interesting Tidbits

Here are some interesting facts about some of your favorite Christmas songs:

Did you know…that “Jingle Bells,” one of the few songs in the list above written by an American composer, was originally intended as a Thanksgiving song?

Did you know…that the well-known classical composer G.F. Handel is often credited for composing “Joy to the World,” but credit should be given to the founder of music educationin America, Lowell Mason? The confusion lies in that Mason wrote “From George Frederick Handel” in the score because he used some phrases from Handel’s “Messiah” in the music.

Did you know…that, along with “Angels We Have Heard On High,” “O Holy Night” is one of the most well-known French Christmas songs? To this day, it is one of the most popular and beloved songs for singing as a solo during the holiday season.

Did you know…that the music to “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” was composed by the famous romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn?

Did you know…that Father Joseph Mohr was inspired to write the words to “Stille Nacht” in 1816 after being called to travel through the snow to bless the newly born baby of a poor parishioner? Two year later, the words were set to music by Franz Xaver Gruber. The English translation to what we now call “Silent Night”” was done in 1863.

Coming Up

Next week we will move away from the more traditional, religious Christmas hymns and move towards the second surge of newly-composed holiday music. Stay tuned…

References

Nobbman, D.V. (2000). Christmas Music Companion Fact Book. Anaheim Hills, CA: Centerstream Publishing.

Follow me on Twitter @KimberlySMoorefor daily updates on the latest research and articles related to music, music therapy, and music and the brain. I invite you also to check out my website, www.MusicTherapyMaven.com, for additional information, resources, and strategies.

This blog is written and published by DLF Music Transfer, LLC  dba Christmas LPs to CD.  For more information on Christmas music or to purchase CDs of classic Christmas records on CD, please visit our website www.christmaslpstocd.com , call us 888-384-6970, or e-mail us david@dlfmusic.com.

A Brief History of Holiday Music: A 3-part Series by Kimberly Sena Moore

A Brief History of Holiday Music: A 3-Part Series

How well do you know your holiday music?

Published on November 29, 2011 by Kimberly Sena Moore in Your Musical Self

There are certain ubiquitous elements that surround us this time of year. Christmas lights, egg nog, Christmas trees, Santas,…and let’s not forget the music.

There’s no escaping it. Whether you realize it or not, the music you hear plays a powerful role is shaping your holiday experience. Can you think of going to a church Christmas service and not singing “Silent Night”? Or going to the mall and not hearing “Jingle Bells”? Or stringing lights on the Christmas tree and not hearing “Deck the Hall” playing through your satellite’s radio channel?

Probably not.

Music is an integral part of our holiday experience. And it has been around longer than you think.

This article kicks off a three-part series on the history of holiday music. It starts with and overview of the earliest Christmas songs and hymns. Later weeks will cover the “hey day” of Christmas songs, as well as “fun facts” about your favorite holiday music.

The Earliest Christmas Songs

The earliest Christmas songs are thought to originate in the Middle Ages. The 12th century brought us the traditional hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”…although the music and words we are most familiar with were adapted and translated, respectively, in the mid-1800s. Another early favorite is “The First Noel,” which dates back to the 13th century.

The 16th century brought us 3 other traditional songs: “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and “O Christmas Tree.” Next to “Silent Night,” “O Christmas Tree” is the second most popular holiday song to originate from Germany.

Another fun fact? The title “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” may not mean what you think. The Old English word “merry” best translates in modern English to “pleasant” or “agreeable,” not happy. And “rest” in Old English best translates to “keep.” Thus “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” most accurately means “God Keep You, Pleasant Gentlemen.”

Christmas in the 1600s

Several carols and hymns we hear and sing today had their origins in the streets and churches of England in the 1600s. A few of note include “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and “Here We Come A Caroling.” Very little is known about the origins of both. We do know that “Here We Come A Caroling,” otherwise known as “The Wassail Song,” was a song meant to wish a person good health and good cheer in the New Year.

Music was also being brought to the American colonies from England. The Pilgrims brought with them a certain traditional tune that we now call “What Child Is This?” (those words were added in the 1800s). The name of the tune? “Greensleeves.”

Christmas in the 1700s

During the 1700s, Christmas hymns and carols gained popularity, partly due to the publication of song collections. The famous classical comper Handel published several holiday songs that still maintain their popularity including “While Shephards Watched Their Flocks By Night” and (we think) “Joy to the World.”

Other traditional Christmas songs that originated from the 1700s include “O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis),” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “Holly and the Ivy,” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.” Englandcontinued to reign as the main producer of Christmas hymns as all but the last hymn mentioned above were composed by an Englishman.

Coming Up

Next week we will cover Christmas songs from the 1800s and 1900s. Stay tuned…

References

Nobbman, D.V. (2000). Christmas Music Companion Fact Book. Anaheim Hills, CA: Centerstream Publishing.

Follow me on Twitter @KimberlySMoorefor daily updates on the latest research and articles related to music, music therapy, and music and the brain. I invite you also to check out my website, www.MusicTherapyMaven.com, for additional information, resources, and strategies.

This blog is written and published by DLF Music Transfer, LLC  dba Christmas LPs to CD.  For more information on Christmas music or to purchase CDs of classic Christmas records on CD, please visit our website www.christmaslpstocd.com , call us 888-384-6970, or e-mail us david@dlfmusic.com.

Celtic Christmas Origins

In observance of St. Patrick’s Day, I thought we’d take a look at Celtic Christmas origins.  Search for the roots of today’s Christmas traditions and you will find your way back to the ancient Celtic festival of Alban Arthuan held during the Winter Solstice on December 21.  One of the principle reasons for the rapid propagation of Christianity throughout Europe during the first millennium was the willingness of Christian leaders to incorporate rituals, beliefs and customs of other religions.  Few of the ancient displaced religions were more assimilated than the Druids, the Wiccans, and the Pagans.      Alban Arthuan is one of the ancient Druidic fire festivals. Taking place on December 21st through 22nd (due to the method the Druids used to measure one day), Alban Arthuan coincides with the Winter Solstice. Translated, it means “The Light of Arthur,” in reference to the Arthurian legend that states King Arthur was born on the Winter Solstice.      Alban Arthuan is also known as Yule, derived from the Anglo-Saxon “Yula,” or “Wheel of the Year” and marked the celebration of both the shortest day of the year and the re-birth of the sun.

     Alban Arthuan was also believed to be a time of increased fertility, as were many of the other Fire Festivals, such as Sam Hain and Beltane. Early Celtic calendars measured the months according to the moon’s revolution of the earth. This differed from the somewhat arbitrary Julian Calendar which relied more upon the whims of Popes than nature’s lunar and solar cycles.

     The custom of burning the Yule Log, the Yule-associated tradition that is most familiar to people today, was performed to honor the Great Mother Goddess. The log would be lit on the eve of the solstice, using the remains of the log from the previous year, and would be burned for twelve hours for good luck.

     Decorating the Yule tree was also originally a Pagan custom; brightly colored decorations would be hung on the tree, usually a pine, to symbolize the various stellar objects which were of significance to the Pagans – the sun, moon, and stars – and also to represent the souls of those who had died in the previous year. The modern practice of gift giving evolved from the Pagan tradition of hanging gifts on the Yule tree as offerings to the various Pagan Gods and Goddesses.

     Some of the current traditions surrounding “Father Christmas” or Santa Claus can also be traced back to Celtic roots. His “elves” are the modernization of the “Nature folk” of the Pagan religions, and his reindeer are associated with the “Horned God” (one of the Pagan deities).

     Although Christmas is a major holiday in Ireland, it is not widely celebrated in Scotland. Some historians have suggested that the reason Christmas is downplayed in Scotland is because of the influence of the Presbyterian Church or Kirk, which viewed Christmas as a “Papist”, or Catholic event. As a result, Christmas in Scotlandtends to be a somber event, in direct contrast to the next Celtic festival, Hogmany, held on January 1. Hogmany is generally considered to be the much more significant celebration and it is a tradition that is beginning to spread outside of Scotland’s borders.

This blog is written and published by DLF Music Transfer, LLC  dba Christmas LPs to CD.  For more information on Christmas music or to purchase CDs of classic Christmas records on CD, please visit our website www.christmaslpstocd.com , call us 888-384-6970, or e-mail us david@dlfmusic.com.

Wish your neighbor "Merry Christmas" – Pay a fine

Rev. Increase Mather

     Christmas has always been celebrated by Christians in America, right?  Wrong.  For 22 years, Bostonians who wished a fellow colonist so much as a “Merry Christmas” would have to shell out five shillings for flaunting their Yuletide spirit. On May 11, 1659, Puritanical theocrats brought the hammer down on Christmas celebrations enacting a political ban on the holiday charging fines to Christmas celebrants. The records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s general court shed some light on just how the Puritans managed to shutter holiday celebrations:

“…It is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon any such account as aforesaid, every such person so offending shall pay for every such offence five shilling as a fine to the county.”

     Rev. Increase Mather, a New Englander and father of Salem Witch Trials figurehead Cotton Mather, denounced the holiday season and described the celebrations of Christmas as being  “consumed in Compotations, in Interludes, in playing at Cards, in Revellings, in excess of Wine, in Mad Mirth”. In an effort to squash such debauchery, Mather lobbied for the ban of Christmas celebrations in 1659, and that ban would stand through 1681.

     Christmas customs prior to the ban were a little more unruly than hanging wreaths and caroling. One popular tradition, wassailing,  was similar to today’s caroling, but with a twist – colonists often of the lower social classes went door to door singing Christmas carols and demanding food and drink from citizens of wealthier stature in exchange for toasting their good health. If denied, proceedings could become violent.

     Though Christmas wasn’t officially banned until 1659, journals from the Puritans’ first Christmas in the colony illustrate that the number of settlers who celebrated Christmas was split. By the second Christmas, after a sickness-plagued year, the holiday was already unofficially prohibited.

     Puritan rule, which banned seasonal delicacies like mince pies and pudding, decreed working on Christmas as mandatory and dispatched town criers on Christmas Eve to shout “No Christmas, No Christmas” through the streets of Boston. The outlawing of Christmas was also a regional, purely Puritanian restriction. Farther south, Jamestown settler John Smith reported that Christmas was “enjoyed by all and passed without incident.”

     Christmas returned to the Massachussets Colony in 1681—sort of. When newly appointed royal governor Sir Edmund Andros (who also turned back a Puritan ban on Saturday night activities) sponsored and attended Christmas services in 1686, he was heavily guarded by a regiment of British redcoats. 

     Bostonian judge Samuel Sewall kept a chronicle of how Christmas was celebrated in his native colony, noting that celebrations remained sparse. Wrote Sewall in a 1685 diary entry: “Carts come to Town and Shops open as is usual.” Working was no longer a necessity on Christmas Day, but had become a staple after a 22 year lack of Yuletide traditions. 

     Celebrating Christmas in Boston stayed out of vogue through the mid-1800s; public school students caught skipping class on Christmas Day in 1869, the year before Ulysses S. Grant named Christmas a national holiday, still risked expulsion. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow put a poetic spin on Boston’s Christmas cold spell in 1858, acknowledging the Puritanical footprint left on New England’s holiday spirit when he penned his poem, “Christmas Bells” known today as the carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”

This blog is written and published by DLF Music Transfer, LLC  dba Christmas LPs to CD.  For more information on Christmas music or to purchase CDs of classic Christmas records on CD, please visit our website www.christmaslpstocd.com , call us 888-384-6970, or e-mail us david@dlfmusic.com.