New-York tribune., 1907-12-22
Timely Musical Comment.
About Christmas Corols-Opera Concert News

Something About Christmas Go
Tn. rninstrels played their Christmas tune
Tonight beneath my cottage caves:
Keen the air, but could not 1ree1e
Sor check the music Of their strings.
So stout and hearty were the baro
That scraped the chords with strenuous hano"
And vino but listened? TIL paid
Respect TO every inmates claim.
The greeting given. the music played
In honor of each households name;
And merry Christmas wished to all.
How touching when at midnight sweep
Snow-rnufied winds and all is dark,
To hear-and sink again TO sleep!
Nv biaang IRE. the stil suspense
OF seif-cornpiacent innocence
The mutual nod,-the grave disguise
OF hearts with gladness bTimnlng oef'
For names once heard and heard more;
Tears frightened by the serenade
Hail ancient manners. sure defence,
Where they survive, of wholesome laws
The lines are from wordsworths poetic account
bf Christmas caroling il the North country IN ms
5av When they were written there was general
spo-eheusion in England, there still is, tnat
Some of fhe old customs associated with the merry
yla!etde were in danger Of pershing from the face
Of the earth. Especially was this feared touchlls
the singing OF carols on Christmas morn 1hefe
was and is ground for the apprehension of course;
the old order is continually changing ana giving
nece 10 The new In spite Of the recent futter In
The Board OF Education in this city and among
some of upholders of the Christian INSTITUTIONS
In America however there need be little fear that
the custom Of singing carols at least in the
churches and home circle viii be forgotten here
America with all its nexness and progressiveness,
Is a wonderful conservatcr of ancient things II
Is q singular observation OF the students OF folk-
lore on this side Of the Atlantic that customs
which seem be in danger of diving out IN their
original habitat are by some strange and mex
licahle dspensation springing into existence here
We shall have carnival season, though fo-h-
ing more foreign than the pranks OF the ItaIlan
carnival TO the thought and feelings of the Arner-
cans of few decades ago could wel De imagined IL
Is oniv few wears since the present writer called
attention TO the facr that singers Of Christmas
carols might be heard in the streets Of New YORK
IN early hours Of Christmas. just as once they
we're heard throughout England. Even now it
would take but little TO restore the custom in New
York which has died out in the metropolitan dis
tricts of Great Britain There will be more carol
ding the Sunday schools and churches on next
Wednesday than ever heard in this city before
Such things not to be put down by the enact
ments of schools boards or the commands of prin-
d cipals teachers. Only few days ago the
Tribunes music reviewer directed attention TO the
fact that Of THE piferari of italy was blowing
mis- zanpogna through the streets Of the West Side
In Rome. whittier the pipers used TO flock from the
Abruzzi and the Campagna for the month before
Christmas. they missed. modern notions
having succeeded in dscouraging them. But
things which closely interlocked with centuries
of thoughts and feelings are suppressed, and
them carried across the and restored
among a people whose appreciation of them means
nothing short resurrection Of emotions, a
vival of affections that had been forgotten.
In all the commotion caused by the hint that the
singing of Christmas carols might be prohibited in
public schools. far this writer knows
there only voice raised in behalf OF the
beautiful old custom grounds which Jew and
Gentle. Christian. Mussulman Zoroastrisn and
Atheist might meet II that of Professor Felix
Adler who pointed out that the festival antedated
Christianity, but had received beauty and sig
nihcance from being grated TO Christian wor-
sEip. While the ancient Saturnalia OF the Romans,
the yule feasts of the old Scandnavians and the
winter festivals the Druids ceiebrations of
5ovousness ard much to be desired, it was the
Christian Christmas, said Professor Adler "a
of the Hebrew race. that had advanced the ethical
idea OF universal peace and good will among men.
Professor Ader's the clear note which
invited concord and harmony among the dlsputants-
1t only the festival that is pre-Chrlstla so
are nearly all the of its celebration There
can be no doubt that the ioyeliest phase OF the
rnidwinter carolling is that which celebrates the
nativity OF Christ. but this is not its only phase.
nor is il the one that has always been the most
prissant II is to these Pagan precursors of
Christmas that must attribute the superior hold
which that festival has upon the public mhnd, no
less than certain very general customs such as
the decking OF houses and churcnes with ever
raj. therefore, that we should hnd' as we oo'
rea- deal of mere feasting. and reyelry mixed up
Wit. the special celebration of the incarnation ana
hence the mixed ami diverse character OF Ihiiso
mas carols Hence, ALSO il We wish TO ma H. we
-. .ssE for an excuse for those who have at
,en,pes or desired abolish the CHRISTMAS ies'i-
xaF .;toyetber But not 10 go more deeply into the
religious reasons for this cofnneinoration SO long
as liberty does not degenerate into license Time
of relaxation and hospitality is most appropriate
.his season which is necessarily one OF compare
five leisure 10 working folk in the country, If not
.e others ana the news which the angels brought
from heaven were glad tidings Of great Joy
ANY collection OF Old English Christmas Carois
will give the reader who wants them songs OF tae
good cheer Teasing and vassailsng which are at
least az ancient as songs of the Nativity WHICH
the popular mind associates with Christmas song
In selecting one for this page considerations OF
beauty poeticai and musical, and traditional an
siquity were alone consulted. There is song o'
the Holly and the Ivy" in enc OF the oldest manu-
script collections in the British Museum. William
Hone who refers it in his book on English
Mysteries" quotes its quaint beginning:
Nay my nay. hyt slaal not be wys
Let holy hafe the rnaystry, as the inaner Us:
Holy ssond in the hall. fayre to behold.
Ivy stond without the dore. she US full sore ecoid
Nay my nay. etc
Holy. hys merry men, they dswnsyn and they
Ivy and bur nlsysyns. they wepyn & they wryng
Nay, my nay, etc
The words of -'The Holly and TIE Ivy. ar, fra
aitionai; tic melody is French.
The holly and the ivy
NON both fun well grown.
" sn TIC Iees thst sre in the wood.