Category Archives: Christmas

Baroque Christmas Music

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Brad

While Handel’s Messiah rightly holds its place as this country’s classical musical soundtrack for the holiday season (quibble if you will about its Easter message;  there’s nothing wrong with talking about Easter at Christmas – just ask Bach!), it’s J.S. … Continue reading →

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Wassup With Wassailing?

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Brad

As traditional and familiar as most any English Christmas carol, the song is among the season’s more anachronistic, an evocation of a holiday custom that pretty much puzzles modern celebrants: wassailing. Wassailing? What’s wassailing? The text of the carol employs … Continue reading →

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When Celebrating Christmas Was Illegal

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Brad

  When Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans came to power in England in 1647, the celebration of Christmas and singing carols was stopped. However, the carols survived as people still sang them in secret. Carols remained mainly unsung until Victorian … Continue reading →

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