The Washington times., 1928-12-22
TALES TOLD
IN TINES
BOOK

Inspired BY the poetic beauty Of
the story of the first Christmas,
musicians and poets have given to
tine world some OF its most beautiful
songs III the carols which are 10
be- sung in the countrywide Wash
ington Times and other Hearst
newspapers carol concert.
Examination OF the history Ok
various carols reveals many inter-
esting stories. It Is found that sThe
First Nowelr' was created through
the attempt Of = young French
peasant to present the New Testa-
ment story in rhyme. This rhyme
was written more than 400 years
ago in stanzas that are crude, but
simple and devout.
The music Of the carol is the
same strain, repeated over and over
again, as the song was sung by
the village peasants SO long ago.
Through this homely carol there
comes to us some of the strength
L ~
i villagers Of four centuries ago.
Two by Americans
20 Little Town Of BethIehem's
was written by Phillips Brooks ana
sung anonymously in his Sunday
i school, Trinity Church Boston, for
many years before the identity or
the composer became known. The
tranquility Of the life Of the famous
clergyman is reflected, it is often
said, in the words and music OF
the carol.
1T Came Upon the Midnight
Clear Is another carol written III
Massachusetts,. The words were
written by Edmund III. Sears,
Unitarian minister and poet. It
was published in religious journal
and then set to music by Richard
j. Willis, an American composer.
No one has been able to trace
the origin Of the carol, "God Rest
You, Merry Gentlemen" but it II
known that 1t was sung in Eng.
land as early as the seventeenth
century. Even now its quaint
verses are of the most popular In
England.
Franz Gruber, a schoolnaster OF
1 Oberndorf, Germany, wrote the
| cited as the most beautiful Of all
| Christmas songs, silent Night"
| The words were written by the as
! sistant parish priest, whose name is
not recorded. The song was written
many generations ago and was first
sung by the priest together with the
composer of the music and a band
of young women The only musical
accompaniment was a guitar.
Spread by Minstrels
Vagabond Tyrolean minstrels,
passing through the village, heard
the beautiful anthem and added it
to their repertoire, thus causing It
to become known and loved every
where they travelled. Today it Is
one of the most popular spiritual
songs in the world.
''Hark the Herald Angels Sing"
was written by Charles Wesley,
younger brother of John, founder
of the Methodist denomination.
Mendelssohn, the distinguished Jew
ish musician, composed the music.
"Oh, Come All Ye Faithful was
the late President Roosevelt's IA
vorite carol. Some persons declare
it was written by Portuguese
chapel master. others say it was
first sung in a Portuguese chapel in
London, but was written by an
English organist. Others declare
that the carol is like folksong and
is probably the combined efforts OF
several composers.
From many lands and from many
ages these, songs have come to us
to be echoed this Christmas Eve in
the most beautiful and inspiring
song observance in history.
All i'm Hearst Booklet
To carry this concert throughout
America the Hearst newspapers
have engaged the transcontinental
network of the National Broadcast
ing Company.
Under the leadership of DIR. S.
Parkes Cadman, radio minister and
former president of the Federal
Council of Churches OF Christ IN
America, the people of America will
unite in singing, with radio accom-
paniment, at IL p. M, eastern stand
ard time. on Monday. The broad
cast artists heard in this carol pro-
gram will be the Paulist Choristers,
Father Finn, director. and the
Mediaevalists, two of New York's
most famous vocal organizations.
The concert will continue until mid.
night.
Christmas carol booklets, contain
ing words and music for the songs
to be sung in unison, and the conn
plete program, win be part of The
Washington Times on Monday.
In Washington and vicinity tune
in on station WRC on Christmas
Eve and, on that day, ret your
Christmas carol hook with The