Evening journal., 1921-12-15

Z
The poem was written by Joseph
Mohr, at the time assistant priest
in Oberndorf in South Germany; the
melody was composed by Franz
Gruber, school master on
Christmas eve OF that year It was
sung in the church at Oberndorf.
The poet, who had tenor voice,
sang the melody. the composer, a
bass. sang a second part, and
hastily recruited choir of young wo-
men the refrain. A guitar furnish
ed the accompaniment, the organ
being out OF order. Twenty years
or so later family OF strolling sing
ers from the Tyrol added It to their
repertoire and in 1910 II was print
ed in Leipsic. as a genuine Tyrol-
can" song. For many years (and
still in certain song books) the com
poser OF the song was given as
Joseph Haydn. probably meaning
the great Franz Joseph Haydn.
A touching description OF the ef-
feet OF this song is given in zona
Gales short story. "A Great Tree"
lCertalnly nothing can more quickly
manger birth than the singing Of
This beautiful simple song.
at Came Upon the Midnight Clear"
Year after year as the quiet. clear
nights OF the Christmas season ap-
lproach. the spirits OF thousands who
have a touch Of poetry or imagina-
ltion In them are stirred at the con-
temptation OF the New Testament
story Of the birth OF Jesus What
countless poems have been produced
, by writer's. great and small one Of
the finest expressions is by an Amer
lean, Edmund H. Sears. a Unitarian
minister and a poet, who lived in
r Massachusetts, from 1910 to 1875. In
December, 1s49, he published in a
T religious journal the poem begin
ming 1T came upon the midnight
clear" He sent II 10 a brotherscler-
gyman. who fitted II to an old hymn
! tune, TO which it Is still often sung
, at Wellesley College. The next year
however, an American composer
Richard S. willis. who had beer
struck with the unusual beauty OF
the poem, wrote an original setting
FOR IT, This met with such favor that
s is practically the only one now in
general use. II, moreover has, be-
cause Of its Christmas spirit appro-
priately been given the hymn-tune
name Carol" II is slngularly ef-
fective in rendering with the same
music for all the stanzas the four
varying moods-the first two depict
ing the angels lowering over the
earth and singing their joyous song.
the third bringing words OF comfort
{ 90 the weary, the fourth prophesy-
lalg the happy days when all the
8 world shall join in the angels song.
"The First Nowcll''
Many words contain complete
e stories in themselves. NOVEL;" as
% an English word. tells OF the Nor.
b man Conquest OF England 500 years
70 ago and the strong influence OF the
& French language which followed It
n A large part OF our English speecl
q comes directly from the French
Sometimes as with this word W.
n change the spelling when the orig
a inal spelling would not, with us, sug
A lgest the desired sound. The French
{ "Noel." which demands two sylla
p bles. might with most English.
speaking people be pronounced as
one syllable. To avoid this. a "w'
!, was inserted. and. to make the sec
\ ond syllable look more English. an
: q" was added This Noel" became
NOVEL;" So we find In one word
traces OF a language development
which has spread over many years
probably a century or two.
The French word Noel" more
over. has another story to tell II
comes from the Latin. "Natalis, '
meaning birth. The old Latin sentence
'Hodie Christus Natus Est" means
To-day Christ born is" SO Noel"
was birthday. BY frequent use. II
was made TO refer to the birthday OF
Jesus. and then to a song which
told about the birthday OF Jesus
Hence Noel" in French means. be
sides the birthday OF Jesus. both ;
$ Christmas carol and a Christina
n greeting. "Noel Noell" is thus tn
o French salutation and when coupled
n with "Joyeux," TO make "Joyeu.
; Neol" II means Joyous or Merr
q Christmas
y This particular Noel" or Christ
mas song frst appeared In print Il
Il 1898. hut it had been sung long be
5 fore that 10 is one Of the ancien
q medieval carols. and Is probabl
about 400 years old. The pottery
crude, merely a peasants attempt I
y present the New Testament story
f" rhyme-thus making II easy to r.
member ~ but thoroughly SINGER
j. and devout The music is likewis
simple-being practically one litt
y strain sung three times-but IL
a so vigorous. so joyous. so well adap
ed to full-lunged. hearty singing. II
% doors and out. that II, after AZ
~ years. Is fresh and virile. with n
prospect OF an indefinite life ahes
OF It.
H. 20 Little Town Of Bethlehem"
le One OF the finest Christmas caro-
- Of the less traditional group is '
Dl Little Town Of Bethlehem" by Phi
lips Brooks the beloved Boston d
vine (1ss5-1ssS) This was write
for sunday-schooi singing when Il
composer was bishop OF the Epi
y, copal Diocese OF Massachusetts,. !
~ ~ first sent II out anonymously but
the hymn gained favor the autho
), ship became known.
The words OF this carol we'll po
\. tray the spirit OF simplicity al
- tranquility OF Bethlehem and It's (
-, habitants. who so little expect
"a" fhaf a rrf,r ~u.. q thnf- v,.fdat