DID YOU KNOW: Christmas Carols

STUDENT´S WRITING

        The word `carol´comes from the old language from France, Old French, whose word `carole´means dance in a ring accompaied by singers. They were very popular from the 12th century to the 14th century and they were sung during festivals and special moments in sacred services. Some of them were written to accompany mystery plays, which were the earliest plays in Medieval Europe.

     During the Protestant Reformation, the calvinists wanted to erase all elements form Roman Catholicism that weren´t essential, including carols. Despite these calvinist thoughts, many composers wrote songs like motets, that they called carols, and in rural areas traditional carols were still sung. Suprisingly, some of the most popular carols were written in this period. On the 19th century, some carols were adapted by freat musicians and new ones were written.

     As examples, we can take some popular carols that we all already know:

- Good King Wenceslas (12th C.)
- Coventry Carol (16th C. Mystery Play)
- Silent Night (19th C. - 1816 Austria)
- Hark The Herald Angels Sing, Mendelsshon´s (19th C.)

And many other:

- We Wish You a Merry Christmas
- Let It Snow
- White Christmas
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town
- Christmas Tree
- Jingle Bells
- Rudolf was a raindeer
- ...


MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016 TO ALL!!


By Jorge Lorenz Sánchez