History of Christmas Carols

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Monica Skinner History of Christmas Carols 12/2/12 A Christmas carol is also known as a noel. A carol is a song that lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or winter season. Traditionally, a Christmas carol is sung in the period before Christmas. The word carol is a medieval word of French and Anglo-Norman origin, believed to mean a dance song or a circle dance accompanied by singing. Broadly defined, carols express religious joy and are often associated to the Christmas season. Carols are also used to describe late medieval English songs on various subjects with a verse and refrain. It is unclear when the first carol was written but it is believed that circa 1350 to 1550 is the golden age of English carols. During the 14th century carols became a popular religious song form. The theme often revolved around a saint, the Christ child or the Virgin Mary, at times blending two languages such as English and Latin. By the 15th century the carol was also considered as art music. During this time, complicated arrangements were made and carols were considered an important contribution to English medieval music. The Fairfax document, a court songbook featuring carols, was written by the end of the 15th century. The songs were written for 3 or 4 voices and themes were mostly on the Passion of Christ. By the 16th century though, the popularity of carols drifted, almost disappearing entirely if not for the revival that happened by the middle of the 18th century. Most of the carols we know today were written during this period. There are hundreds of Christmas carols, from religious to material, and culture to culture. You can find books with German Christmas Carols, Swedish Christmas Carols, and Russian Christmas Carols. In the United States, both religious and non-religious music books are available. You can sing about Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph,

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