A Christmas Celebration - Essay Example

CHRISTMAS CAROLS Introduction Christmas is a tradition practiced all over the world annually by Christians on 25 December of every year. A Christmas celebration is not complete without playing and singing of Christmas carols, in fact, Christmas carols hold a special place in the Christmas celebrations, as they announce the onset of the Christmas celebration, the Christmas Eve and the real Christmas day. Thus, people start playing Christmas carols as early as 20-10 days before the Christmas day. On Christmas day, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ whom they believe is their savior. The word carol means dancing to something in a circular manner, and it originated from the Latin word ‘carula’ and French ‘carole’. Thus, carols are songs of joy and praise during sang celebrations such as the Christmas season. Christmas carols are important part of the Christmas celebration because they not only put people in the Christmas mood, but also tell the joyous stories surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Christmas carols center on Christmas theme, or may not refer to Christmas specifically, but are associated with the holiday season, as they are sang during the period that immediately surrounds the Christmas holiday. This research paper explores Christmas carols from the origin, meaning, kinds, difference between past and present carols, and their impact on unity and identity of the people that practice the Christmas tradition. History and Origin The first carols sung in Europe were surprisingly pagan songs instead of Christmas songs. The pagans sang the carols during the celebrations of the Winter Solstice while dancing round stone circles. Though the original carols involved both singing and dancing, only the singing part survived, as dancing is not common in the Christmas tradition of singing carols. However, early Christians took the solstice celebrations from the pagans and turned it into Christmas, and consequently, introduced Christian songs for people to sing during this period instead of the pagan songs. The first Christmas hymns appeared in Rome around 129AD when a Bishop introduced the ‘Angels Hymn’ to be sung at a Christmas service.1 Similarly, Comas of Jerusalem wrote another early Christmas Hymn for the Greek Orthodox Church in 760AD. Other pioneer Christmas hymns include Veni redemptor gentium and Corde natus ex Parentis, among others that focused on statements of incarnation regarding the theological doctrine. Thus, followed a period in Europe when many composers wrote several popular Christmas carols. However, most of these carols were in Latin both in written and verbal form, and since many people did not understand the language, the carols quickly became unpopular, as people lost interest. Fortunately, in 12th century, St. Francis of Assisi came to the rescue of the diminishing Christmas carols, which people considered boring by introducing Nativity Plays. In the plays started in Italy, the songs sang during the plays told stories, and though some of the choruses were in Latin, most of them were in languages that people could understand, and thus, joined in chorus during the plays. The new twist in Christmas carols soon spread to Spain, France, Germany, among other European countries. An example of such carols written in the 14th century was one that talked about Jesus and Mary meeting several people in Bethlehem. During this period, Christmas carols gained popularity with their themes revolving around the Virgin Mary, Christ, and saints. However, the main aim of the carols were for entertainment rather than religious purposes, and thus, most were based on untrue stories or loosely based on Christmas stories. Furthermore, the singing of the carols was not in churches, but homes. Nevertheless, traveling Minstrels sang these carols while changing words from place to place so that the local people could understand, for example, ‘I Saw Three Ships’ undergone such a change. In the 15th century, carols became so popular to the extent that they were considered an art music, and thus, they made an essential contribution to the music of the medieval English. By the end of 15th century, the Fayrfax Manuscript was written featuring carols with the dominant theme being on the Passion of Christ. However, the popularity of Christmas carols took a negative turn in the 16th century with the arrival of the Puritans and Oliver Cromwell, which stopped singing of carols and Christmas celebrations altogether.2 The only reason that the carols survived was that people still sang them in secret. This went on until the Victorian times, which saw the revival of Christmas carols thanks to the efforts made by two men, Davis Gilbert and William Sandys, who went around the villages of England and collected a number of old Christmas music. Following this revival, many Christmas carols that exist today were written during this period. Initially, official Christmas carols groups sang the carols as opposed to the public. These people were in the form of bands called ‘Waits’ led by key local people. The name Waits came from the fact that they sang only on Christmas Eve during the ‘watchnight’ or ‘waitnight’ when the angels appeared as the shepherds were looking after their sheep. In addition, during this period, there was increased popularity of choirs and orchestras in cities of England, and thus, they needed songs to sing such as Christmas songs thereby enhancing the popularity of Christmas carols. This also led to emergence of new carols such as ‘Good King Wenceslas’ during the Victorian period. Similarly, new carols services emerged such as Carols by Candlelight services, as well as the tradition of singing carols in the streets, and these still exists today. In the Candlelight service, candles are light all over the church to make Christians have a Christmas feel. Other famous carol services practiced to date include Nine Lessons and Carols first performed in 1981 after the end of WWI. This service entails a single choir consisting of just one boy singing the first verse of the song Once in Royal Davids City’, followed by nine lessons or readings with one or more carols between each reading sessions.3 These readings tell the stories surrounding Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ. Meanings of Christmas carols People play and sing along to the same Christmas carols each year, and never grow weary of them. However, very few people know the actual meanings or stories behind their favorite Christmas carols. Most carols are soaked in the medieval chants’ mystery as will be evident in the following discussion. Carols began in different ways some as meditations, prayers, or church sermons. Nevertheless, they have been composed and sung by varied individuals in the musical scene including classical artists, simple pastors, pop lyrists, and even Broadway theatre producers. Therefore, the rich Christmas carols that have transcended for centuries are a mixture of talent and faith. This research discusses the meanings of some of the most popular and favorite Christmas carols. First, Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus by Jewel Evans is a Christmas carol, which declares Jesus as the Messiah longed for by the Israelites.4 This song is a reminder of the prophecies and proof that Jesus fulfilled them. In addition, the song act as a reminder to the Christians that Jesus is the source of joy and hope for everyone. Additionally, the song is a reminder that Jesus is not only the Messianic, but also the savior of the world. Second, O Come, O Emmanuel by Erin Straza is another popular Christmas carol that talks about the coming of Emmanuel. This carol aims at encouraging people to rejoice during the birth of the Savior, as it marks the coming of Emmanuel to free the people from the tyranny of Satan, and thus, grant victory over hell, as well as death. The coming of Emmanuel in this carol signifies the coming of Christmas at last to save and take the believers to heaven. Third, The Friendly Beasts by Jason Morehead exposes the perspectives of various animals that were present at the stable where Jesus Christ was born.5 The carol is a magnificent reminder of the reality of incarnation. For instance, each of the beast carries a gift to Jesus, which addresses the needs of the unborn baby and ensures his comfort once born. The cow gives a manger as the bed, sheep gives wool to act as blanket for the baby, and the dove cooed Jesus to sleep and prevent Him from crying. The hidden meaning behind this carol is to show Christians that Jesus entered this world ordinarily just like any normal child. He needed help with requirements from others, which he got through the gifts brought by the beasts. Moreover, Jesus as a baby needed help going to sleep and was cooed by the dove. Thus, from the start, Jesus was frail, weak, and ordinary like any other normal child/human being. Fourth, Joy to the World the Lord Has Come is another famous Christmas carol sang by Christians all over the world. The song announces the arrival of Jesus Christ and calls upon people to rejoice as their savior has arrived to deliver them from the claws of Satan. It means that the arrival of baby Jesus was an important event for the Christians that deserve a celebration, and even the angels are singing with joy because of his arrival. Similarly, Silent Night, a widely sang Christmas carol speaks about the birth night of Jesus Christ. First sang in 1818 on Christmas Eve at St Nicholas parish in Oberndorf, the carol draws inspiration from stillness of the night of the Christmas Eve.6 Thus, the carol brings out the night that the angels came to announce the birth of the long awaited savior, a bright, peaceful, calm, and silent night. Kinds of Christmas carols, music and lyrics Christmas carols can be divided into two categories, those that have religious theme, and those that focus on themes other than religion such as Santa clause, snowman among other entertaining and season related themes. Nevertheless, at the end of the day all the carols have several things in common, they have Christmas themes, are played and sang during the Christmas season, and after the season is over, forgotten until the next Christmas season begins. Religious carols tell stories about the bible mostly touching on the coming of the Messiah, the birth of baby Jesus, and the Virgin Mary. Examples of religious songs are Joy to the World, O come All Ye faithful, Mary’s Boy Child, O Holy Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Go Tell it on the Mountains, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing among many more. Examples of non-religious themed Christmas carols include I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Here Comes Santa Claus, White Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Winter Wonderland, Frosty The Snowman, and Let it Snow among others. Just as the Christmas carols are varied, they have varied lyrics from different composers and different regions. For instance, Silent Night, written by Father Joseph Mohr in 1818 was inspired by his walk through the silent and calm night. The lyrics came from a poem he had written earlier also with the same title, Silent Night. Joy to the World is another carol that has enchanted generations, and its lyrics came from George Frideric Handel who drew the words from Psalms of David. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’s composer Felix Mendelssohn dedicated the music to a cantata for Johannes Guternberg.7 In addition, the music also encompasses lyrics by a Methodist poet named Charles Wesley. O Little Town of Bethlehem lyrics come from Minister Philips Brooks’ experience after traveling to Bethlehem, which gave birth to the Christmas classic. Away in a Manger, a soothing lullaby is believed to have been composed by James R. Murray and Martin Luther, but the true composer remains a mystery. Go Tell it on the Mountain is based on the promise of liberation that Jesus made to everyone, which is brought out by the upbeat tempo.8 This music became popular after a performance in 1879 by the Jubilee Singers of Fish University. We Wish You A Merry Christmas is another popular Christmas classic, originally sang by the ‘Waits’ or the caroling groups in England in hopes of attaining sweet treat from other individuals.9 While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks is an interpretation of a native story and replicates the description of the night of the birth of Jesus as provided in the Bible. Finally, The Twelve Days of Christmas was meant to honor the popular custom of giving one gift each day up to twelve to relatives. The gift giving days took place from Christmas to Epiphany, and gave people an opportunity especially those who could barely afford luxuries to hold on to the promise of gifts to come during the Christmas season of giving. Thus, the music written in the 16th century has lyrics focused on heartfelt giving. The difference between past and present carols In the past, Christmas carols were majorly for entertainment purposes as opposed to the present times whereby Christmas carols are majorly sang for religious purposes. Consequently, in the past people sang and performed carols in homes and streets rather than church, but presently carols are majorly performed in church. In addition, presently, Christmas carols are accompanied by church service and Christmas themed plays that celebrate and announce the arrival of the Messiah, for example, Carols by Candlelight. Moreover, with the advancements in the present world, Christmas carols and the accompanying Christmas themed stories are performed using costumes among other regalia to match the characters of the performers. For instance, for the carol The Friendly Beasts, children performing it would dress in attires that symbolize the animals that they represent such as cow, sheep and so on. This is unlike carol performance in the old days that did not focus much on the right costume for the right character. Further, Christmas has developed into an important tradition unlike any other traditions in among Christians, and so the carols too have become more important than in the older days.10 Another difference is that in the past, most carols could only be played and sang in Latin, but currently, all the popular carols have been translated into several languages including native languages, and thus, people all over the world sing along to the same tunes during the Christmas season. Finally, in the past, carols were performed and sang by special groups of people who went around the towns of England performing, but currently, they are sang and performed by church people from children to adults. Effects of Christmas Carols on Identity and Unity Christmas carols are not just a part of celebration, but they serve a very important role in the community. Christmas carols serve as a tool of identity and unity in communities all over the world. For instance, most Christmas carols focus on the theme of togetherness by summoning Christians all over the world to come together, rejoice, and celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ. In addition, the origins of lyrics in many Christmas carols are a source of identity for the communities that they originate from. Take for example, Silent Night, Father Joseph Mohr came up with the music while in the village Oberndorf, Austria.11 Since, the song was first played in the church in this village, the people from the Oberndorf region claims identity to this song. In addition, Christmas carols serve a tool of unity by bringing the community together. In Irish Christmas mumming, for example, draws the community together by exposing the dangers and expressing hope even during bitter situations.12 Thus, mummers and Christmas carol performers and groups play a critical role in bringing the community closer and encouraging unity through expressions of the social and cultural elements of the community. Similarly, Christians from different lifestyles unite and celebrate the Christmas season through Christmas carols. Moreover, since the Christmas carols are similar all over the world, but sang in several languages having been translated into hundreds of languages, they are a symbol of identity for Christians worldwide who sing along to the carols. Christmas is an amazing time, although the preparations and all that come with it normally leave people tired, it still pass as the best celebration of the year. What makes the Christmas celebrations even more amazing are the Christmas carols that dominate the Christmas celebrations. Christmas carols originated from pagan carols sung during the Winter Solstice celebrations, which Christians turned into celebrating the Christmas season. At the beginning, the Christmas carols were sung in Latin and this made people disinterested, but thanks to St. Francis of Assisi who introduced the Nativity plays that performed Christmas carols in native languages so that people could sing along. Christmas carols are in two categories depending on whether the theme is religious or biblical, or non-religious. Christmas carols also play an imperative role in the community as a tool of identity and unity. This occurs through mummers and other carol performers expressing hope, as well as exposing dangers in a given community. Additionally, the carols unite Christians worldwide and create a sense of togetherness in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Bibliography Clement Miles, Christmas customs and traditions (Courier Dover Publications, 1976), 32 Dudley-Smith Timothy, A Flame of Love. (London: Triangle/SPCK, 1987) Henry Glassie, All Silver And No Brass: An Irish Christmas Mumming (Indiana University Press, 1983) McGreevy Patrick. "Place in the American Christmas," Geographical Review 80 (1990): 32–42. Ronald M. Clancy and William E Studwell, Best-Loved Christmas Carols (Christmas Classics Ltd, 2000) Stanley Weintraub, Silent Night: The Remarkable Christmas Truce of 1914 (New York: Free Press, 2001) Sammons Peter, The Birth of Christ (Glory to Glory Publications, 2006) Thomas Wright, Songs and Carols Now First Printed, From a Manuscript of the Fifteenth Century (London: The Percy Society, 1847) Read More