Christmas Carol Collection 2015

This year's selection includes traditional favourites and lesser-known Christmas carols in English and French. (Summary by Ruth Golding)


Bergers, qui êtes ici bas, author unknown; music by Ezwa.

A Christmas Lullaby, words by John Addington Symonds (1840 - 1893); music by BookAngel7.

Go Tell it on the Mountain, words by John Wesley Work, Jr.(1873-1925); music African-American spiritual.

Notre divin Maître, author unknown, music by Ezwa.

Saw You Never, In the Twilight? words by Cecil F. Alexander (1818 - 1895); music Chartres, 15th century French melody.

This Endris Night, 15th century English carol; author and composer unknown; music from the 1905 English Hymnal.

Quittez, pasteurs, author unknown; music by Ezwa.

Yule Returns, words by Rev. R. Watham; music by Vernon Bryan Crowther-Beynon (1866 - 1941).

Christmas Carol No. 3, words by Christina Rossetti; music by Susan Hawthorne.

Cradle Hymn: Hush, My Dear, Lie Still and Slumber, words by Isaac Watts (1674-1748); music traditional Welsh, arranged by Robert Bryan (1858-1920).

Bergers, allons voir dans l'étable, author unknown, music by Ezwa.

What Child is This?, words by William Chatterton Dix (1837 - 1898); Music: Greensleeves 16th century English traditional, setting from The Sunday School Hymnal and Service Book, 1871.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, words translated from the Latin by John Mason Neale (1818 - 1866); music 15th century French.

A Christmas Carol: Dry Your Tears, Ye Silent Mourners, words by Lady Catherine Petre (1831 - 1882); music by Robert Lucas Pearsall (1795 - 1856).

The Twelve Days of Christmas, words and music traditional altered and arranged by Frederic Austin (1872 - 1952).

Noël sur la circoncision, author unknown, music by Ezwa.

Unto Us Is Born a Son, author unknown, from the 15th century Latin; music arranged by Geoffrey Shaw (1879-1943).

In Dulci Jubilo, words 14th century German, translated by Robert Lucas Pearsall (1795 - 1856).

I Sing the Birth Was Born Tonight, words by Ben Jonson (1573-1637); music by Dmitri S. Bortniansky (1751-1825).

Deck the Hall, words traditional, possibly alt. Mrs. L. A. Bradbury; music Nos Galan, traditional Welsh melody, arranged by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852 – 1924).

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly, words from a traditional Polish carol translated by Edith M. Reed (1885-1933); music Polish carol W Zlobie Lezy, arranged by Edith M. Reed.

Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, words and music traditional English, author and composer unknown.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, words: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882); music Waltham by John Baptiste Calkin (1827 – 1905).

Silence Ciel, silence Terre, author unknown, music by Ezwa.

Once in Royal David's City, words by Cecil F. Alexander (1818-1895) from Hymns for Little Children 1848; music Irby by Henry John Gauntlett (1805-1875).

Christmas Carol (Nowell, Nowell), traditional carol from about 1460, author and composer unknown. Words of a traditional wassail song added by William Chappell (1809 - 1888).

Coventry Carol, words by Robert Croo from the 15th Century Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. (15th Century); music 15th century found by Thomas Sharp (1770-1841) and published in Dissertations in 1825.

Dans le calme de la nuit, author unknown, music by Ezwa.

Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning, words by Reginald Heber (1783-1826); music Morning Star by James Proctor Harding (1850-1911).

O Come All Ye Faithful, words and music by John Francis Wade (1711–1786).