The other day, North Stoke was asking readers to share their favourite carol. As I told her, I have a few. 'In the Bleak Midwinter' by Gustav Holst is one of them. Another is 'Good King Wenceslas', although the words to this are quite ridiculous. Where does one start? Who takes logs to a man who lives in a forest? I could go on, but I won't. It's not the words that capture my imagination but the tune. It's quite haunting, I think.
You may know all this already, and my apologies if you do, but it was originally titled 'Tempus Adest Floridum' and it dates back to the 13th century. Sung in Latin, it's a Spring, rather than a Christmas carol. It came down to us through a Finnish collection of songs, published in 1582. A slightly less sacred but more carnal version appears in Carmina Burana.
The words were translated for the Oxford Book of Carols, in 1928. I love the way old Latin texts bring the past alive and so often reach out to the present when you translate them:
Spring has now unwrapped the flowers,
Day is fast reviving.
Life in all her growing powers,
Towards the light is striving.
Gone the iron touch of cold,
Winter time and frost time,
Seedlings working through the mould,
Now make up for lost time.
Herb and plant that, winter long,
Slumbered at their leisure,
Now bestirring, green and strong,
Find in growth their pleasure:
All the world with beauty fills,
Gold the green enhancing;
Flowers make glee among the hills
And set the meadows dancing.
Earth puts on her dress of glee;
Flowers and grasses hide her;
We go forth in charity–
Brothers all beside her;
For as man this glory sees
In the awakening season,
Reason learns the heart’s decrees,
And hearts are led by reason.
Through each wonder of fair days
God herself expresses
Beauty follows all her ways
As the world she blesses;
So as she renews the earth,
Artist without rival,
In the grace of glad new birth
We must seek revival.
Whatever we believe as individuals, I think there's something in there for everyone.
Happy Christmas!
Those words are quite uplifting aren't they?
ReplyDeleteJust what we need.
Happy Christmas to you!
They certainly are. Happy Christmas!
DeleteIt sounds like a very jolly rendition, uplifting as JayCee says. In the Bleak Mid Winter is also my favourite carol with Once in Royal David's City a close second. I have often featured In the Bleak Mid Winter on my blog at Christmas time. Happy Christmas to you again Carruthers. It seems to ring a bell that I may have also said this yesterday. Still, you can never say it too many times can you!
ReplyDeleteIt is - there was a lot of jolly stuff back then. Sumer is icumen in springs to mind.
DeleteHappy Christmas again!
But a peasant in the forest would only be allowed to get wood "by hook or by crook" so if it was very snowy he wouldn't be able to get any!
ReplyDeleteThank you sharing that old version of words to the music. We should still have carols all year round I think
You're probably right about the peasant. I was reading about this in an old book about Epping Forest recently.
DeleteCulturally significant songs all the year round would be great. Teaching children to play instruments, I find that all the intermediate players really come on over Christmas - there's loads of tunes to read and people actually want them to play them. It's the only time of year when amateur music making is considered important.
I never knew that carol was so old.
ReplyDeleteIn Dulci Jubilo and Personent Hodie were in the old Finnish songbook (Piae Cantiones) too.
DeleteI love that arrangement.. A very Happy and Blessed Christmas and I pray that 2021 will be more like it used to be. Stay Safe.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that -and the same to you!
DeleteIn the Bleak Midwinter my favourite too. Fascinating about some origins.
ReplyDeleteIt is. Amazing to think GKW's nearly 800 years old. The past lurking in the present!
DeleteSo many beautiful Christmas carols! I enjoyed the one you have shared. I hope your Christmas Eve is going well and not too busy to enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteIt was great thank you. Pleasantly busy!
DeleteThe poor man in Good King Wenceslas does not live in the forest but "right against the forest fence" - and who would put a fence around a forest but the King himself. The poor man, who is probably a religious hermit to be living "by St Ages Fountain", is therefore obliged to wander farther afield to gather his "winter fuel". The description of him living "underneath the mountain" might even mean he lives in a cave. The King from the comfort of his castle, having celebrated the "Feast Of Stephen", feels guilty about this and therefore summons his page, who is understandably less than keen about tramping through the snow, carrying meat, wine and pine logs! The lines about following in the King's footsteps makes good sense to me - it's always much warmer walking with purpose than dragging ones feet in snowy weather. All this detailed storytelling is merely a build up to the delicious last verse, which reveals the purpose of the whole song to be nothing less than an elaborate way of begging for alms. Well, that's how I interpret it - and it's got such a great tune which is fun to sing.
ReplyDeleteHere endeth today's lesson!
Yes. You make a good case for it. I vaguely remember reading a very funny imagined account of the poor man's irate response to the king - it must be on the internet somewhere but I can't find it!
DeleteI do love the tune - the way you can take it for granted as being modern but, when the penny drops, it has the shape and feel of a 13th century tune (like, say, sumer is icumen in). Part of the distant past lurking in the present. The fact that it has persisted says a lot for it.
Of course it was Christina Rossetti's poem In the Bleak Mid Winter that Holst set to music but I am sure you are aware of this. Did you watch the Sacred Christmas Music on BBC 4 last night? You might like it if you didn't see it. It is on Iplayer.
ReplyDeleteI didn't watch Sacred Christmas Music but thanks for the tip. To be honest, I don't listen to a lot of it. I'm more likely to cook the Christmas dinner to Cecil Taylor!
DeleteHave a healthy and happy and peaceful one xxxx
ReplyDeleteAnd the same to you! I will do my best. :)
DeleteHappy Christmas to you both, I always come in late because I love to read the comments as well. Loved the carol and the accompanying words. And today the 'cold iron' has definitely moved into Yorkshire!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about reading comments. I've blogged on and off for a long time and I often find myself writing comments almost as long as my own posts.
DeleteIt's certainly cold. Had to stop the car out on the road last night. When I stepped out I realised how slippery it was!
For some reason, the posts on your new blog aren't showing up on my reading list even though I added your new blog to that list. Thank you for that version of "Good King Wenceslas." Along with "Good King Wenceslas," I'm fond of "O come, O come Emmanuel."
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZggySBrroc
Thanks for letting me know - I'll check my settings.
ReplyDeleteI like OCOCE too - I remember being intrigued by it when I was about 12. These things stay with you.