A Christmas Carol

At the beginning of the festive season, I had the idea of posting a new carol for each day of Christmas with shout outs of the various feast days throughout the season. But alas I was in the hinterlands of NJ where a glacially slow dial up connection allowed for the thorough wrapping of presents during the lag time, but didn't inspire much posting.

So halfway though the season I present all the catch up section most of which will have to go without explanation except for the 25th.

December 24th, also know as Adam and Eve's Day. It can't be helped. The carol is the impossible to sing, but deeply meaningful, "Adam Lay Ybounden", which neatly lays out what Milton called "the Paradox of the Happy Fall"

Adam Lay Ybounden

Adam lay ybounden, bounden in a bond,
Four thousand winter thoughte he not too long;
And al was for an apple, and apple that he took,
As clerkes finden writen, writen in hire book.
Ne hadde the apple taken been, the apple taken been,
Ne hadde nevere Oure Lady ybeen hevene Queen.
Blessed be the time that apple taken was:
Therfore we mown singen Deo Gratias.


December 25th, Christmas Day. A carol, which really should go on the 24th as well, "Tomorrow Shall Be my Dancing Day". This carol was first published in 1833 but is far older than that. Scholars believe it dates back to the medieval Cornish mystery plays presented during the Christmas season. The tune is lovely but it's the imagery of man as the true and eternally wooed love of Christ that makes this carol.


TOMORROW SHALL BE MY DANCING DAY


Tomorrow shall be my dancing day;
I would my true love did so chance
To see the legend of my play,
To call my true love to my dance;

Chorus
Sing, oh! my love, oh! my love, my love, my love,
This have I done for my true love

Then was I born of a virgin pure,
Of her I took fleshly substance
Thus was I knit to man's nature
To call my true love to my dance. Chorus

In a manger laid, and wrapped I was
So very poor, this was my chance
Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass
To call my true love to my dance. Chorus

Then afterwards baptized I was;
The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
My Father’s voice heard from above,
To call my true love to my dance. Chorus

Into the desert I was led,
Where I fasted without substance;
The Devil bade me make stones my bread,
To have me break my true love's dance. Chorus

The Jews on me they made great suit,
And with me made great variance,
Because they loved darkness rather than light,
To call my true love to my dance. Chorus

For thirty pence Judas me sold,
His covetousness for to advance:
Mark whom I kiss, the same do hold!
The same is he shall lead the dance. Chorus

Before Pilate the Jews me brought,
Where Barabbas had deliverance;
They scourged me and set me at nought,
Judged me to die to lead the dance. Chorus

Then on the cross hanged I was,
Where a spear my heart did glance;
There issued forth both water and blood,
To call my true love to my dance. Chorus

Then down to hell I took my way
For my true love's deliverance,
And rose again on the third day,
Up to my true love and the dance. Chorus

Then up to heaven I did ascend,
Where now I dwell in sure substance
On the right hand of God, that man
May come unto the general dance. Chorus

December 26th, the Feast of St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr. You would think the first martyr would have some songs to himself, and so he does in the eponymous named "St Stephen." Two carols however do mention his day peripherally, the well known "Good King Wenceslas" and the lesser known "The Wren Song". In Poland however, Stephen is properly honored with a pastry, Podkovy, which are baked in the shape of horseshoes, because for some reason Stephen has long been viewed as the Patron of horses. (I have to say in all honesty that when I made Podkovy they were a bit disappointing, but I attribute that to the flaws of the baker rather than the recipe. Those interested in the recipe should consult the internet or the Bible of the liturgical baker, Evelyn Birge Vitz's A Continual Feast .

December 27th, the Feast of St. John. To honor the author of the hauntingly beautiful Gospel of Incarnation not a carol for him, but one about his Beloved "Of the Father's Love Begotten" . Many classify this an Advent hymn, but The Lutheran Hymnal places it as a Christmas hymn and who am I to argue with the TLH? Perhaps as you sing this you could accompany it with some St. John's wine. Good for loosening the pipes.

December 28th, The Feast of the Holy Innocents. A reminder that the perfect Christ was born into a fallen world, "Coventry Carol" .

December 29th, the 5th Day of Christmas. As Mary comes to grips with motherhood, the sprightly German carol, "Josef Lieber, Josef Mein." Sing it in English by all means, I do, but it really does sound better auf Deutsch.

December 30th, the 6th Day of Christmas. The delightful “Wexford Carol”, which sounds particularly good when rendered by a bass, but then I am partial to basses.

December 31st, the 7th day of Christmas, St. Sylvester’s Day, and the secular New Year's Eve. Oh what the heck, break out the Welshies, with their impossible language and great musical tradition, and the secular "Nos Galan." We know "Nos Galan" as "Deck the Halls," ("inexplicably still popular” sneers the Oxford Book of Carols), but for the Brythonic Celts among you here are the actual words and a closer translation for the English speakers. (By the way, the fa la la la la bits were supposed to have been played by the harpists answering back to the singers, but as harpists are in short supply these days beyond the "daft and happy hills" of Wales, the nonsense syllables were added to approximate the sound.)

Oer yw'r gwr sy'n methu caru,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Hen fynyddoedd annwyl Cymru,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Iddo ef a'u câr gynhesaf
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Gwyia llawen flwyddyn nesaf,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

I'r helbulus oer yw'r biliau,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Sydd yn dyfod yn y gwyliau,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Gwrando bregeth mewn un pennill,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Byth na waria fwy na'th ennill,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Oer yw'r eira ar Eryri,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Er fod gwrthban gwlanen arni,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Oer yw'r bobol na ofalan',
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Gwrdd â'i gilydd ar Nos Galan,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Soon the hoar old year must leave us,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
But the parting must not grieve us
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
When the new year comes tomorrow
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Let him find no trace of sorrow
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

He our pleasures may redouble,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
He may bring us store of trouble,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Hope the best and gaily meet him,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
With a jovial chorus greet him,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.

At his birth, he brings us gladness,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Ponder not on future sadness,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Anxious care is now but folly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Fill the mead-cup, hand the holly,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
A Happy and Healthy 2005 to you all!