A look at some of the less-familiar traditions of Advent and Christmas, as seen through folksong and art. Co-presented with Jenny Callison. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Oxford, OH, December 2009. PDF format of a Kwynote original.

1. Christmas Art
and Music
Holy Trinity Adult Forum
December 13, 2009

2. Christmas
Carols
• Oxford Concise Dictionary:
a “religious song . . . associated
with Christmas”
• Fr. carole -- ring dance with
stanzas and ‘ringmaster’
• Grew up alongside
composed, literary works
• Magnificat -- 1st century
• Old words often set
to new music to new music

3. The Carol
Tradition#
• Christmas Carols Ancient
and Modern, 1833
• Hymns Ancient and
Modern 1861-1874 has several
• Truro Cathedral, Cornwall
1880: 9 Lesson and Carols
• Oxford Book of Carols,
1928
• “Sheffield Carols”

4. Coventry
Carol
• Hymnal 247 assigns to Holy
Innocents
• Often associated with Christmas
• Old combination of English
words & music
• Words & music 1591 John Roberts and
• Based on medieval Mystery Tony Barrand
Plays -- Pageant of the
Shearmen and Tailors

5. Visions of the Annunciation
Dante G.
Simone Martini
Rossetti

6. Baptismal
Anthem
• Setting of a Biblical text
• Composer is B.F. White, co-
author of The Sacred Harp

7. Visions of the
Annunciation
Jan
Van
Eyck
Flemish

8. The
Midnight Cry
• NOT Bach, but ‘Wachet auf ’
tells the same story of the wise
and foolish virgins
• American version, 18th
century

9. Visions of the
Annunciation
Bartholome
Esteban
Murillo

10. The Holly
and the Ivy
• ‘Least Christianized’ of
common carols
• References to holly and ivy in
15th century

11. Madonna and
Child
Lucas van Leyden

12. The Bitter
Withy
• Collected in 19th Century, but
much older
• Apocryphal Gospel of Pseudo-
Matthew and others
• Myth-making: explanation of
natural phenomena

13. Madonna and
Child
Luis de Morales

14. The Joys of
Mary
• Didactic intent
• Many versions of joys in
medieval legend

15. Madonna
and Child
Sandro Botticelli

16. While Shepherds
Watched
• Poem text by by Nahum Tate,
1700
• Only non-psalm authorized for
Christmas use before 1700
• Many different settings
• Hymnal # 94, 95
• English and American settings

17. Adoration
of the
Magi
Gentile da
Fabriano

18. Green Grow
the Rushes, O
• Widespread folk song in the
English-speaking world
• Unusual mixture of Christian
and other (pagan?) elements
• Several verses obscure
• Cumulative song

19. Adoration of
the Magi
Unknown Flemish
Master

20. The Boar’s
Head Carol
• Ancient (probably pagan)
elements -- sacrifice of boar
• Macaronic verse --
combination of English and
Latin
• Still celebrated at several
colleges and churches in
England (and elsewhere)

21. Adoration of
the Magi
Andrea
Mantegna

22. The King
(The Cutty Wren)
• Wren hunting tradition
• Similar to wassailing
• December 26th (St. Stephen’s
Day, Boxing Day)

23. Dives and
Lazarus
• Parable in Luke’s Gospel
• Not Lazarus of the 4 days
• First written record in 1557
• Collected by Francis Child --
Ballads (19th cent.)

24. Awake, and
Join
• Anonymous 4
• West Gallery style, 18th-19th centuries
Awake, and join the cheerful choir
Upon this joyful morn
And glad hosannah loudly sing
For joy a Saviour born.