Evening star., 1947-12-25
Origins of Carols
By Eunice WeIch Foster

There is nothing more a part OF
Christmas than music, in the church
and at home. AS long ago as the
18th century music, as well as mys-
terry and morality plays, were all
used as part of church services in
celebration of the Nativity. Most
of the famous Latin Christmas
hymns were written as dance tunes,
and while actors were preparing
their scenes for the plays, singers
strolled back and forth across the
stage, led by a man with small
organ slung across his shoulders.
If the wait was long one this
musician, like some Pied Piper,
would wander out into the street,
followed by the entire audience.
who Joined in the singing. Later
dancing was forbidden at church
festivals, then rivalry between play
ers and singers grew SO strong
that carols (the words meaning
hymns of religious joy) were intro
duced as a real part OF the plays
AS years passed much of the gay
dance music passed with them from
the Christmas services, first held at
days dawning, then later at mid
night on Christmas eve. Solemnly
beautiful Gregorian chants, many
of them attributed to the first Gre
cory. after whom came many people
of that name, were used, and Tor
awhile the lifting dance tunes were
seldom heard.
Some of the oldest carols, tradl-
tional ones, were brought to England
by the French-Norman conquerers
Noel being such one. Legend
says that the origin OF this was
unknown, but it was told that lowly
shepherds while watching their
focks sang the verses, angels in the
sky taking up the joyous refrain
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born Is the
King of Israel Much of this very
old music of the traditional carols
was crude, but today they are smooth
and polished with a plaintive strain
running through them all.
Most of our Christmas music,
indeed many of our customs, have
been born under moving, unusual
circumstances. One old story tells
how on a bitterly cold winter morn
st. Francis set out with few OF the
Little Brown Brothers from his
monastery in Italy to walk TO a
small town, Graecia, many miles
distant. Pickering torches cast a
feeble dancing light, as with cas-
socks held tightly about them they
struggled against bitter wind to
reach their destination in time to
celebrate the birthday of the Christ
Child. Day dawned over the Roman
highway, but st. Francis heart was
saddened by the indifference Of the
people whom they passed and the
murmured complaints of his COM
panionS. Turning, he called, sing
brothers. to tighten our way!" and
tall Brother Johns rich, deep voice
rang out in a Latin Christmas
hymn, the others gradually joining
in as the little band pressed forward
along the quiet countryside to the
little church at Graecia. st. Francis
himself made a tiny creche which
= fret
one ever made AS the bells rang
out villagers came to worship and
adore beside that simple creche
1900 years ago, and once more
Brother John and the Little Brown
Brothers sang their Christmas
hymn, the people stealing silently
away afterward to their homes with
its refrain making music in their
hearts. All night long, the story
goes, st. Francis alone watched,
prayed and kept his vigil beside the
cradle of the Christ Child, though
lights grew dim in the little village
and the stars alone shone forth.
It was so long ago that the words
for that loveliest Of all carols,
"Adeste Fidelis," were written that
no one knows their author, but the
music is that of an old, old Latin
hymn. 1t has been sung by more
voices than any other Christmas
hymn, for it has been translated
into 120 languages. The great Duke
of Leeds, hearing it sung in Por-
tuguese chapel in London, had it
played at ancient concerts under
the title Portuguese hymn. Vincent
Novello, organist at these concerts,
gives the date as 1880, though that
has never been authenticated.
Another world famous carol was
born in the hamlet of Oberndorf in
the Tyrol, while storms shook the
windows and snow almost hid the
little church in that town. The
organist thinking to practice the
music for the midnight service
found that mice had once again
gotten into the instrument. and he
could not use It, Frantically he
rushed to a small room at the back
of the church, where priest knelt
praying, crying. My organ is gone
no music for Christmas, it is un-
thinkable!' Gently the prizes
quieted him and seating himself
wrote the words of Holy Night
Silent Night" saying as he handed
them to him, You, my son. mus
compose the music" That is JUS
what Joseph Mohr did, for he wa!
music teacher as we'll as organist
Rushing to the cobbler in the vii.
lage who could strum on his guitar
as he sang the words over anc
over to him. he returned to his
church and that night, with simple
chords as accompaniment the whole
town learned the now famous carol
The words and music were on the
organ when the repair man came
and he learned them, too, to teach
to a. band of Tyrolean singers who
brought them to our land, when
they appeared in a concert here.
The beloved Phillips Brooks, one
of our own preachers, was in the
Holy Land one year at Christmas
and the next one wrote the words
and music for 20. Little Town OF
Bethlehem" whose sweet tender
ness dims the eye and brings a
lump into our throats as we sing 1t