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Wexford Carol

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Wexford Carol
GenreChristmas carol
Meter8.8.8.8 (long metre)
MelodyTraditional Irish folk melody, transcribed by W. H. Grattan Flood

The Wexford Carol or the Enniscorthy Carol (Irish: Carúl Loch Garman, Carúl Inis Córthaidh) is a traditional religious Irish Christmas carol originating from Enniscorthy in County Wexford.[1] The subject of the song is the nativity of Jesus Christ.

W. H. Grattan Flood transcription

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St. Aidan's Cathedral

"The Wexford Carol", sometimes known by its first verse "Good people all this Christmas time", is of uncertain origins, and, while it is occasionally claimed to be from the early Middle Ages, it likely was composed in the 15th or 16th century based on its musical and lyrical style.[2] The song achieved a renewed popularity due to the work of William Grattan Flood (1859–1928), who was organist and musical director at St. Aidan's Cathedral in Enniscorthy. He transcribed the carol from a local singer and had it published in The Oxford Book of Carols, putting Enniscorthy into most carol books around the world.

English lyrics

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1. Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending His beloved Son
With Mary holy we should pray,
To God with love this Christmas Day
In Bethlehem upon that morn,
There was a blessed Messiah born.

2. The night before that happy tide,
The noble virgin and her guide
Were long time seeking up and down
To find a lodging in the town.
But mark how all things came to pass
From every door repelled, alas,
As was foretold, their refuge all
Was but a humble ox's stall.

3. Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep
To whom God's angels did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear
Prepare and go, the angels said
To Bethlehem, be not afraid
For there you'll find, this happy morn
A princely Babe, sweet Jesus, born.

4. With thankful heart and joyful mind
The shepherds went the babe to find
And as God's angel had foretold
They did our Saviour Christ behold
Within a manger He was laid
And by his side the virgin maid
Attending on the Lord of Life
Who came on earth to end all strife.

5. There were three wise men from afar
Directed by a glorious star
And on they wandered night and day
Until they came where Jesus lay
And when they came unto that place
Where our beloved Messiah lay
They humbly cast them at His feet
With gifts of gold and incense sweet.[3]

Irish lyrics

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1. Ó, tagaig' uile is adhraigí
An leanbh cneasta sa chró 'na luí
Is cuimhnígí ar ghrá an Rí
A thug dár saoradh anocht an Naí.
'S a Mhuire Mháthair i bParrthas Dé,
Ar chlann bhocht Éabha guigh 'nois go caomh,
Is doras an chró ná dún go deo
Go n-adhram' feasta Mac Mhuire Ógh.

2. I mBeithil thoir i lár na hoích'
Ba chlos an deascéala d'aoirí,
Go follas don saol ón spéir go binn
Bhí aingle 'canadh ó rinn go rinn.
"Gluaisig' go beo," dúirt Aingeal Dé,
"Go Beithil sall is gheobhaidh sibh É
'Na luí go séimh i mainséar féir,
Siúd É an Meisias a ghráigh an saol."[4]

Melody

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\header { tagline = ##f } \layout { indent = 0 \context { \Score \remove "Bar_number_engraver" } \context { \Voice \remove "Dynamic_engraver" } } global = { \key g \major \time 3/4 \partial 8 } soprano = \relative c' { \global \autoBeamOff \set Staff.midiPanPosition = -0.5 \set midiInstrument = "oboe" d8\ff | g g16 [fis] g4. a8 | b c d4 r8 d | c b g (d4) e8 |f g f4 r8 d | g g16 [fis] g4. a8 | b c d4 r8 b | c d b (g4) a8 | g g g4 r8 g | g f' d (c4) a8 | bes c bes4. d16 [c] | \tuplet 3/2 { b8 [a] g } g (d4) e8 | f g f4 r8 d | g g16 [fis] g4. a8 | b c d4 r8 b | c d b g4 a8 | g g g4. \bar "|." } alto = \relative c' { \global \autoBeamOff \set Staff.midiPanPosition = 0.5 \set midiInstrument = "fiddle" d8\pp | g d d8. [c16 b8] d | g g fis4 r8 d | e fis g (d4) e8 | c c d4 r8 d | g d d8. [c16 b8] d | g g fis4 r8 e | e d d (f4) e8 | d c d4 r8 g | g a g (e4) f8 | g c, d4. d8 | d d g (d4) e8 | d e d4 r8 d | g d d8. [c16 b8] d | g g fis4 r8 e | e d d f4 e8 | e d b4. \bar "|." } tenor = \relative c { \global \autoBeamOff \set Staff.midiPanPosition = -1 \set midiInstrument = "clarinet" d8\p | g a b8. [c16 d8] d | b g a4 r8 b | a fis b [a] c [b] | a g a4 r8 d, | g a b8. [c16 d8] d | b g a4 r8 g | g g g4 c | b8 c b4 r8 g | g c b (a4) c8 | d a f4. g8 | \tuplet 3/2 { g [a] bes } bes [a] bes [c] | a c a4 r8 d, | g a b8. [c16 d8] d | b g a4 r8 g | g g g g4 c8 | b c d4. \bar "|." } bass = \relative c { \global \autoBeamOff \set Staff.midiPanPosition = 1 \set midiInstrument = "contrabass" d8 | g d b8. [a16 g8] fis' | e e d4 r8 b | c d e [fis] g4 | f8 e d4 r8 d | g d b8. [a16 g8] fis' | e e d4 r8 e | c b b [d] c4 | g'8 e g4 r8 g | g f g (a4) f8 | g f bes,4. g8 | g' g g [f] g [a] | d, c d4 g,4 | g'8 d b8. [a16 g8] fis' | e e d4 r8 e | c b b d4 c8 | e g g4. \bar "|." } verse = \lyricmode { Good peo -- ple all, this Christ -- mas time, con -- sid -- er well and bear in mind what our good God for us has done, in send -- ing his be -- lov -- ed Son. With Ma -- ry ho -- ly we should pray to God with love this Christ -- mas day; in Beth -- le -- hem up -- on that morn there was a bless -- ed Mes -- si -- ah born. } Irish = \lyricmode { % The Irish phrasing is from https://musescore.com/user/89988/scores/5873535 Ó, tag -- aig' uil -- e~is adh -- rai -- gí An leanbh cneas -- ta sa chró -- 'na luí. Is cuimh -- ní -- gí ar ghrá an Rí A thug dár saoradh a -- nocht an Naí. 'S~a Mhui -- re Mháthair i bParr -- thas Dé, Ar chlann bhocht Éabha guigh 'nois go caomh, Is dor -- as~an chró na dún go deo Go n-adh -- ram' feas -- ta Mac Mhui -- re Ógh. } \score { \new ChoirStaff << \new Staff \with { \consists "Merge_rests_engraver" } << \new Voice = "soprano" { \voiceOne \soprano } \new Voice = "alto" { \voiceTwo \alto } >> \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \verse \new Lyrics \lyricsto "soprano" \Irish \new Staff \with { \consists "Merge_rests_engraver" } << \clef bass \new Voice = "tenor" { \voiceOne \tenor } \new Voice = "bass" { \voiceTwo \bass } >> >> \layout { } } \score { << \soprano \\ \alto \\ \tenor \\ \bass >> \midi { \tempo 4=65 \context { \Score midiChannelMapping = #'instrument } \context { \Staff \remove "Staff_performer" } \context { \Voice \consists "Staff_performer" } } }

Source[5]

Modern performance

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Traditions abound concerning the song – for example, that only men should sing it. However, many popular female artists, such as Julie Andrews in 1966 and Loreena McKennitt in 1987, have recorded versions of it, the former including an additional verse beginning "And buckets yore did rain that night."

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Spangenberg, Lisa (20 December 2010). "The Wexford Carol / Carúl Loch Garman". Celtic Studies Resources (digitalmedievalist.com). Retrieved 23 December 2019.[1]
  2. ^ "Relatively Unsung Christmas Songs: December 15: "Wexford Carol"". 15 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Enniscorthy Carol". Yet Another Digital Tradition Page. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Ceol na Nollag" issued in Dublin by Cló Chaisil in cooperation with Foras na Gaeilge
  5. ^ The Oxford Book of Carols (1964) [1928], pp. 30–31, Percy Dearmer, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Martin Shaw (eds.), Oxford University Press
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