One of
our favorite, traditional English Christmas carols is The First Noel. (Noel is an
Early Modern English synonym for Christmas.)
There are many, many excellent recordings, but perhaps our favorite is
that of Bing Crosby (1903-1977),
which can be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLaHb9raSfU. (Oddly enough, this wonderfully evocative
Christmas recording was cut on May 11th in that long-ago year of
1949.)
The carol
tells of the Annunciation to the Shepherds and their adoration of the Christ
child. Oddly enough, the Star of Bethlehem
does not appear in the Biblical books that also mention the adoration of the shepherds.
The
carol is Cornish in origin, and was first published in Carols Ancient and Modern (1823) and Gilbert and Sandys Carols (1833), edited by William Sandys. The version
you hear today is usually the four-part hymn arrangement by the English composer
John Stainer (1840-1901), published
in Carols, New and Old, which
appeared in 1871.
The
First Noel has a fairly unusual melody in that it consists of one musical
phrase repeated twice, followed by a refrain which is a variation of that
phrase. All three phrases end on the
third of the scale.
The first Nowell the angels did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay, keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter's night that was so deep:
Refrain
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
Born is the King of Israel.
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay, keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter's night that was so deep:
Refrain
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
Born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star,
Shining in the east, beyond them far:
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night:
Shining in the east, beyond them far:
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night:
And by the light of that same star,
Three Wise Men came from country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star whersoever it went:
Three Wise Men came from country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star whersoever it went:
This star drew nigh to the
north-west;
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest;
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay:
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest;
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay:
Then entered in those Wise Men three,
Full reverently upon their knee,
And offered there in his presence,
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense:
Full reverently upon their knee,
And offered there in his presence,
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense:
Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
And with his blood mankind hath bought.
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
And with his blood mankind hath bought.
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