Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-16
By SAMUEL L. LACIAR

TT THE plans formulated BY the
Philadelphia Music League 90
through, the city will sec this year a
city-wide attempt to place the Christ
mas carol in the position where 1t be-
longs. The custom Of sinsins Christmas
carols has never obtained to any extent
IN this country. although for centuries
il has been done, although in different
styles, in England, Germany. Italy and
France.
Each Of these countries has its own
Christmas songs. Of which the French
and the British may be properly said
to be carols in the sense in which we
recognise the word. While the German
Christmas songs are not o whit less
beautiful nor less filled with religious
sentiment than the carols OF the two
other nations mentioned, they are more
in the line Of part songs, although
"Holy Night" perhaps the most lovely
Of all the Christmas carols and Ger
tainiy one Of the oldest, IL uudeniably
German in origin.
Just how the citizens Of Philadelphia
will take to this caroling-that Is. 20
wbat extent they will actively partlci-
rnte in twill be interesting to Lote.
The carol is essentially part song,
and most Of the finest Of them are con.
trnpuntal in composition: a form or
vocalism in which the Welsn ana tne
Germans excel. but which mas never
American mass singing. where, pretty
nearly every one sings the melody wlth
a few ambitious souls "yamping on
the tenor and bass pnrte.
TINE known history OF the Christmas
i carol dates back TO the thirteenth
century and the name came from the
French (where the carol is supposed 10
have originated) and originally sig
nified n dance as we'll as a song, exact
ly as did the word ballad: In the
case of the carok the word meant a
certain kind of a dance in ring ana
the dance gave the name TO the song
by which It was accompanied.
Originally there were carols for var.
ions seasons. but the Christmas carol
ia the only one which has survived. and
in modern usage it may be defined as
song commemorating the Christmas
season in reference 10 one or more OF
the aspects of Yulctide. Certain oil
the early carols regard the season as
time Of feasting and lnirth while others.
some of the best. are sung IN commem
Grafton Of the Nativity. In great
many Of the carols of widely separated
dates. some one or more OF the main
circumstances of thc season appear as
the main subject OF the verses. Thus
the subject matter Of God Rest Ie
Merry. Gentlemen jthe comma is in
the right place. "fIoly Night and
..The First Noel selecting one from
each of the best known OF the British,
German and French carols, is widely
different.
The oldest known carol exists in the
Norman French language Ill manu-
script of the thirteenth century. but
the Christmas carol did not develop
from sources purely religious; in
northern Europe especially. the Gel
cbration of the birth OF Christ was
grated upon great holiday time which
had some religious significance in the
days Of paganism, and this lett dls-
tinct impression upon all Ihrlstmas
customs Of later centuries. including the
carol,
| HNIlE pagan iu!e gave mUch OF its
l. color 10 the Christian Christmas
and 20 this is due the p..r"ly festive
character Of many Of the traditional
and best known carols. In other words.
! these carols represent the feelings Of the
. people to whom the actual festivities
, of Yulctidc were Of more interest than
! the event which they were intended 20
! celebrate.
! other carols equally we'll known,
! however, dea! entirely with the event
and the circumstances OF the Nativity.
They src not hymns. differing from
these in the freer style OF the words
and greater lightness Of melody. an
many OF them deal with apocryphai
incidents connected with the birth and
the early life of the Saviour. This np-
plies to many uf the Russian carols.
such as The Gray Lamb 'Chris
When n Ehild' and others which, al