The New York herald., 1922-03-12

monk named J0nu or FornSete
about the year 1926. 1t is round"
for four equal voices, with a drone
bass in two parts underneath, and is
the earliest example extant of what
may be called musical composition.
It runs:
Sumer Is i-cumin IN; loude-sing cuckoo
Groweth seed and bloweth mead and
springeth seed anew;
Sing cuckoo;
Eve now bleateth after lamb,
After calfe. COO (cow);
Bullock starteth. buckle verteth
Merry sing cuckoo.
Cuckoo, cuckoo,
Well singest thou cuckoo, and cease
thou never moo (now).
There is a long chapter on "Lulla-
bies and Cradle Songs" which are
inherently carols related to the fes-
tival of the Nativity. Among the
| curiosities in the British Museum is
an old manuscript, of course of
monkish origin, containing many
traditional stories of the life of
Christ, and among them Is the legend
Of the Holy Well. This story, like
the story Of the "Carnal (crow) and
the Crane" has come down In the
shape Of a carol and details many
incidents In the childhood Of Christ.
One English translation of this man
uscript was published in this country
| about twenty years ago. The boy
Jesus went out to play and the rich
children taunted him with being a
carpenters son. He was distressed
and told his troubles to His mother.
Mary was indignant and asked the
boy to exercise his great powers to
punish the children, but the child's
gentle answer was:
Nay, nay, sweet Jesus gently said,
Nay. nay, that must not be.
For there are many sinful souls
Crying out for help from me-
DR.. Phillips gives the texts and
music of many carols about Angels
and Shepherds" the Epiphany, and
the Welcome and Farewell to
Christmas" which readers of his
book will treasure. As to "The Mu-
sic OF the Carols" he has this to say:
I'm considering the music of the
carols it is well to keep in mind that
many of the oldest tunes were writ
ten In the old Modal scales, which by
their peculiar tonality and the alb
sense of chromatic intervals give a
distinctly refreshing sense of strange
ness, which is fascinating to our
modern ears" Technical details,
with tables, are given at length. Most
of the old tunes were of the folk
song order; popular melodies of the
times, the instinctively natural mu-
sical expression Of the people them
selves, and they were used indis-
criminate1y for both religious and
secular words, as in the old angel
Gabriel" Very often old dance
tunes were adapted to the words OF
carols, and in fact this was done in
all countries where carols were pop
ular. It win be gathered that
carols, generally speaking, did not
possess proper tunes. but were sung
to any well known melody that fitted
them"
Besides the fine illustration re-
ferred to above this fascinating book
has ten more beautiful woodcuts
illustrating other carols, Of which,
Florence Rudland's design, for "Sal-
vator Mundi Natus Est" is the most
elaborate. A book of singular charm,
it must be sure of instant welcome.
In this volume called Music" ap-
pears all of the poetry written by
Mr.. John Freeman since his Poems
Old and New" The authors invita-
ton to his muse, In the first piece
in the book, is whoIe-hearted
enough. surely, to win her favor. In
so limited space as q newspaper
column Mr.. Freeman's> quality may
perhaps be enjoyed best in q more
condensed piece such as this sonnet:
AN THAT CREATURE.
am that creature ana creator who
Loosens and veins the waters OF the
sea,
, Forming the rocky marge anon anew.