The Dozen unavoidable Christmas carols
In a response under a thread at Conjubilant With Song dealing with "Lo! Christ comes, with clouds descending", C.W.S. made reference to the fact that at Christmas Day worship "it's hard to supplant the dozen or so Christnmas carols that have to be sung". I wrote back,
I should also note that the frequency lists are for text-tune pairings, not just texts, and in three cases that may be a factor in interpreting my list. The three cases in question are 1) Away in a manger: the list refers to the tune Mueller, but Cradle Song is a common alternative; 2) While shepherds watched: the list refers to the tune Christmas, but Winchester Old is a common alternative; and 3) Come, thou long-expected Jesus: the list refers to the tune Hyfrydol, but Stuttgart is a common alternative.
Among the 24 hymnals I have catalogued so far, these are the 12 most frequent Christmas/Advent/Epiphany carols/hymns (ranging from 19 to 23 occurrences):and invited (and invite) replies here. The 24 hymnals I have catalogued are heavily weighted towards the baptistic, or at least the evangelical, end of things. Although I think most of the 16 most frequent items in my list above are undoubtedly part of the common Christmas baggage of most if not all American Christians, it may be that there are items that Catholics or Lutherans, say, would consider of equal unavoidability with these. I'm interested in finding out. Let me know.
Angels from the realms of glory
Angels we have heard on high
Away in a manger
Hark the herald angels sing
It came upon the midnight clear
Joy to the world
O come, all ye faithful
O come, O come, Emmanuel
O little town of Bethlehem
Silent night, holy night
The first Noel
What child is this
The next four (15 or 16 hits) are:
While shepherds watched
Go tell it on the mountain
Come thou long-expected Jesus
We three kings of orient are
I'd be very curious to know what ones that are not among these 16 you (or others) think are "must haves". I know people who would argue for:
O hearken ye
Some children see him
There's a song in the air
I heard the bells
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Good Christian men, rejoice
and perhaps one or two others.
I should also note that the frequency lists are for text-tune pairings, not just texts, and in three cases that may be a factor in interpreting my list. The three cases in question are 1) Away in a manger: the list refers to the tune Mueller, but Cradle Song is a common alternative; 2) While shepherds watched: the list refers to the tune Christmas, but Winchester Old is a common alternative; and 3) Come, thou long-expected Jesus: the list refers to the tune Hyfrydol, but Stuttgart is a common alternative.
posted by Leland Bryant Ross at 1:15 AM
2 Comments:
So far at BaptistLife.com there have been several votes for "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem" and one for "I heard the bells", and at least honorable mentions of "O Holy Night" and "Gentle Mary laid her child".
I'd replace "O come, O come, Emmanuel" (which I consider an Advent hymn) with "O holy night," but otherwise I think that's the right dozen (actually, the dozen was just a number that I pulled out of the air but it happens to work -- even cross-denominationally, I think).
The second tier depends much more on denomination and individualistic things you might have grown up with. I'd put in the second tier (from a Presbyterian / Episcopalian direction):
Once in royal David's city
Lo, how a rose e'er blooming
In the bleak midwinter
We three kings we save for Epiphany.
Lutherans would probably include From heaven above to earth I come.
Surely, the Presbyterians I grew up with would also require Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella -- the individualistic thing I mentioned, always programmed by the pastor -- everyone has one of these.
I have some particular favorite Christmas hymns (as opposed to carols) that I hope to get to when the time is right (a few weeks hence).
Post a Comment
<< Home