Brad's Music Room

Noel [noh-el] –
noun – a Christmas song or carol

We are all very familiar with The First Noel but have you ever wondered what came after that? The first specifically Christmas hymns that we know of appear in fourth century Rome.   Like all Christian music of the medieval period, these were Latin hymns used specifically for liturgical purposes. Instruments were never used; all songs were performed a cappella. Christmas music was not sung outside of churches. One example of this type of hymn is Veni Redemptor Gentium.

While today Christmas is considered one of the primary holidays of the Christian faith, it was not always this way. During the time of the Renaissance, Christmas was a much more solemn affair than it is today. It was a day of prayer and reflection, and was observed primarily with a special mass – the “Cristes Maesee”, or the “Mass of Christ.”

The biggest celebration of the season during the Renaissance was Twelfth Night, the night before Epiphany. It was held that the Epiphany marked the date, twelve days following Christmas, when the Magi found the newborn Christ child and presented him with gifts. The modern custom of exchanging gifts at Christmas is generally believed to be a continuance of the tradition started by the three Wise Men.

The so-called “Twelve Days of Christmas” begins at sundown on December 24th and lasted until Epiphany, on January 6th. During the Renaissance, Twelfth Night marked the ‘official’ end of the Christmas (or winter) holiday season and was the traditional day for taking down Christmas decorations.

From Twelfth Night During the Renaissance

During the Renaissance music was taken outside the walls of the church and into the streets. Christian music was translated from Latin to the language of the common people. One of the earliest and best-known carols of the Renaissance era is In dulci jubilo.

In dulci jubilo (“In sweet rejoicing”) is a traditional Christmas carol. In its original setting, the carol is a macaronic (mixed language) text of German and Latin dating from the Middle Ages. Subsequent translations into English, such as J.M. Neale’s arrangement “Good Christian Men, Rejoice” have increased its popularity, and Robert Pearsall’s 1837 macaronic translation is a mainstay of the Christmas Nine Lessons and Carols repertoire. J.S. Bach’s chorale prelude based on the tune (BWV 729) is also a traditional postlude for Christmas services. (Wikipedia)

Here is an instrumental version I thought you might enjoy.

Next time: Wassup With Wassailing?

Today is the first Sunday of Advent.  It is the official start of the Christmas season. What would the Christmas season be without music?  For the next 26 days I’ll be exploring some of the Christmas music we all enjoy.

Did you know that some of our Christmas traditions actually started before the birth of Christ?  Centuries before Christ was born, ancient Norwegians greeted winter with a festival they called “Jul”.  On the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, they ventured into the woods, cut down an evergreen tree and brought it inside.  This served as a reminder that some things survive even the harshest of winners and they could too.  They also brought home the largest log they could find and set it on fire.  Each spark represented a pig or calf that would be born in the spring. For as long as the “jullog” burned the festival continued, traditionally 12 days.

To celebrate the hardy Norwegian spirit I selected a song that celebrates triumph over the bleakness of the dark winter.   “In the Bleak Midwinter” was voted top Christmas Carol in 2008 by BBC Music magazine.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/7752029.stm

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk,
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air –
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man
I would do my part;
Yet what I can, I give Him –
I will give my heart.

Next time:  Holly Holly Holly

I can’t think of a better day to debut my new blog than Thanksgiving.  Think about it.  This blog is a miracle of gifts that we often take for granted. First, there is the music. Can you imagine life without it? Second, there’s the technology. You have tools like the Internet, webpage developing/hosting services, and social media like Facebook that facilitate communication. And finally, and most importantly family and friends with which to share everything.

A little bit of thanksgiving trivia:

• Mashed potatoes, pumpkin pies, popcorn, milk, corn on the cob, and cranberries were not foods present on the first Thanksgiving’s feast table.
• Lobster, rabbit, chicken, fish, squashes, beans, chestnuts, hickory nuts, onions, leeks, dried fruits, maple syrup and honey, radishes, cabbage, carrots, eggs, and goat cheese are thought to have made up the first Thanksgiving feast.
• Sarah Josepha Hale, an American magazine editor, persuaded Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. She is also the author of the popular nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
• Turkeys have heart attacks. The United States Air Force was doing test runs and breaking the sound barrier. Nearby turkeys dropped dead with heart attacks.

One thing I am very thankful for is my relationship with Jesus. That’s why I selected for today’s music a song by Big Daddy Weave called Friend Like You. I think he sounds a little bit like the Dave Matthews Band. Please comment to let me know your thoughts.

I woke up this morning
And looked out my window
I could see the sun shining down on me
It reminded me of You
And of all that You do
And of all the love that You’ve shown to me

Your mercy oh Lord is new every morning
Your wisdom is waiting for me to ask
Though I might stumble
Though I lose my step now
Your grace is gonna cover what I lack

Thank You Lord
Oh thank You Lord
I am so thankful for a friend like You

Jesus Your love is better than life to me
Your goodness is always by my side
And why you love me is hard for me to see
But I love you Lord cause You’ve been so good to me

Though I may never be a scholar with a fancy degree
One thing I know for sure is that I love You
And You love me Lord

Up next:  Before there was Christmas