Here’s an eight-handbell arrangement of this medieval Cornish carol. The words tell of how the cherry tree willingly gave of its fruit to the Christ Child. Joseph was an old man, / An old man was he; He married sweet Mary, / The queen of Galilee. As they want a-walking, / In the garden so …
Tag: Advent
Advent is the season preceding Christmas Day. It's begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, called "Advent 1", with the following Sundays being called "Advent 2", "Advent 3", and "Advent 4". If Christmas Day falls on Sunday, December 25th, then Advent 1 is four weeks prior, on November 27th.
Churches observing traditional liturgy use the four Advent Sundays to contemplate different aspects of Christ's coming. The traditional meanings of the candles on an Advent wreath are Prophecy/hope (advent 1), Bethlehem/faith (Advent 2), Shepherd/joy (Advent 3), and Angel/peace (Advent 4). In addition, many Advent wreaths have a Christ candle in the center that's lit for Christmas, symbolizing the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning His (first) coming.
The more liturgical your church is, the stronger the possibility that their services will be more focused on making sure that music during Advent refers specifically to this anticipatory time of the Church calendar (this has also prompted rumors of the existence of a force called the "Advent police"). Churches that are not as insistent on maintaining the distinction between Advent and Christmas tend to rejoice with Christmas music all the way from Thanksgiving to Epiphany.
The Friendly Beasts (ORIENTIS PARTIBUS)
The Friendly Beasts is sung to the medieval French melody ORIENTIS PARTIBUS. It’s a story about how the animals in Bethlehem were willing to sacrifice to make the beginning of Jesus’ life on earth easier. Jesus, our brother, strong and good, / was humbly born in a stable rude, and the friendly beasts around Him …
Pat-a-Pan
Pat-a-Pan‘s title is onomatapoeic (“sounding like”) in nature, mimicking the sound of a drum. Later on, the lyric “tu-re-lu-re-lu” imitates the sound of a flute. The story is a bit like that of Carol of the Drum, where percussion is part of the worship of the Christ-child. Guillaume, prends ton tambourin, Toi, prends ta flûte, …
Up on the Housetop
Benjamin Hanby wrote this famous Christmas song in 1864. It’s excited children every Christmas Eve since then! Up on the housetop reindeer pause, Out jumps Good Old Santa Claus Down through the chimney with lots of toys All for the little ones Christmas joys. Ho, ho ho! Who wouldn’t go? Ho, ho ho! Who wouldn’t …
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night (WINCHESTER)
The WINCHESTER tune sung with While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night comes from Est’s Whole Book of Psalmes from 1592. While shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground, The angel of the Lord came down, and glory shone around. “Fear not! said he, for mighty dread had seized their troubled …
The Seven Joys of Mary
Mary had, as Jesus’ mother, some very special memories. Jesus was more than a doctor; He healed the sick and raised the dead. He was more than a lawyer; He knew the Law better than the priests did. He wasn’t just a prophet; He was the central focus of Biblical prophecy and its overall purpose. …
Dec 05
Advent’s in Full Swing!
This coming Sunday will be “Advent 2” (imaginative, yes? 😀 ). It’s the second of the four Sundays before Christmas. It’s a season of preparation for the coming of the Christ Child, and many churches put a lot of effort into making it something to remember. If you participate in the music ministry at your …
Sing We Now of Christmas (NOEL NOUVELET)
This arrangement is dual-purpose – it can be played for Christmas or Easter! So… if you already have our eight-bell version of Now the Green Blade Riseth, you don’t need to buy it again! Sing we now of Christmas, Noel, sing we here! Hear our grateful praises to the babe so dear. Sing we Noel, …
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night (CHRISTMAS)
It’s always interesting to find that the lyrics for Christmas carols and hymns are sung to different melodies on each side of the ocean. This one, by Handel, is the version of While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night that’s sung in the USA. While shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the …
The First Nowell (THE FIRST NOWELL)
We hear that the tune for this carol was from W. Sandy’s Christmas Carols, published in 1833, and arranged by none other than John Stainer (who is well-known for his wonderful work “God So Loved the World”). The first Nowell the angel did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; In …
