The Catholic Culture Podcast: The Glorious English Carol

December 17, 2021

The popular episode released as episode 59 on December 21, 2019 will be rebroadcast with some improvements.

This is a love letter to the great British Christmas carols, from “There’s No Rose” to “The Boar’s Head.”

Did you know that not all Christmas songs are carols? Real carols, in all their rustic splendor, are a unique product of the Catholic Middle Ages. However, our ancestors did not limit carols to Christmas. They wrote carols for every season of the year covering the entire story of our salvation, not to mention sometimes worldly topics.

This episode explores the origins of carols in England, their cultural meaning, and how they were suppressed by the Puritans and revived in modern times. And of course, you’ll hear lots of great music, from historical performances to contemporary arrangements.

link

Eric Routley english carol https://www.amazon.com/English-Carol-Erik-Routley/dp/0837169895

Andrew Gant christmas carol

https://www.amazon.com/Carols-Christmas-Celebration-Surprising-Favorite/dp/0718031520

All music in this episode is used with permission of the recording artist and/or label.

Agincourt Carroll, Aramia https://www.amazon.com/Deo-Gracias-Anglia-Alamire/dp/B008L1GZUO

Come sing for all of us and some of us, Choir Cleveland. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/quirecleveland2

Gabriel From Heaven’s King, Choir Cleveland https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/quirecleveland2

The purest virgins, stairwell carolers https://www.stairwellcarollers.com/en/o-magnum-mysterium/

Coventry Carol, Harry Christophers and the Sixteen is available on the CORO record label. https://thesixteenshop.com/

Bedfordshire May Carroll, Shirley Collins
https://mainlynorfolk.info/shirley.collins/records/withinsound.html

Oh, don’t you forget the King’s Singers https://www.amazon.com/Remember-O-Thou-Man/dp/B073JZN754

Wassail (Gloucestershire Wassail, arranged by Vaughan Williams), Choir Cleveland https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/quirecleveland4

Green Grow the Holly, Early Music New York—Frederick Lenz, Director https://www.earlymusicny.org/a-renaissance-christmas

My Dancing Day Robert Shaw Chorale
https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Angels-Christmas-Hymns-Carols/dp/B000003D0G

Chase away the cold winter with Owain Fife and the New World Renaissance Band https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/nwrb

Choir Cleveland in the cold midwinter https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/quirecleveland2

Lullay My Liking (Horst), HSVPA Madrigal Singers (Houston, Texas)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw81DCQ3HhI

Hymn to Our Lady (Britten), VOCES8 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077GC4QVT/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp

No Roses, Choir Cleveland https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/quirecleveland2

Thanks to everyone, but especially to Ross W. Duffin, who was so generous with his Quire Cleveland back catalogue.

We also recommend:

Christmas with the Waverley Consort: From East Anglia to Appalachia

https://www.amazon.com/Waverly-Consort-Christmas-Anglia-Appalachia/dp/B000002SRK

Other less famous carols include: Seven Virgins (Leaves of Life). This night of Endris. Tempus adest floridum (Wenceslas the Good King). Kingsfold (I heard the voice of Jesus say this). Carol of the cherry tree. Master of this hall; Golden Carol. Snow on the street. New prince, new grandeur

This podcast is produced by CatholicCulture.org. If you like our show, please consider supporting us. http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio