Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 12 - Let all that are to mirth inclined (or All you who are to mirth inclined)

All you that are to mirth inclin'd,
Consider well, and bear in mind
What our good God for us hath done,
In sending his beloved son.

This is the opening verse of an old carol that is commonly found with the title The Sinner's Redemption, and the subtitle The Nativity of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ, With His Life on Earth, and Precious Death on the Cross.

This very old carol was widely reproduced in the 17th and 18th centuries on Broadsides - single sheets of paper that contained between one and four Christmas songs - although none of the antiquaries who included it in their collections had any firm idea about its age except to say that it was "old." William Hone mentions it in his 1823 list, Christmas Carols Now Annually Printed, and he writes, "I find that nearly all the broadside printers include it in their yearly sheets." In 1861, Joshua Sylvester wrote "This rude old carol is still an especial favorite with the peasantry." A few years later (in 1864), William Henry Husk wrote that "This is one of the most popular of carols, ..." and that "It is annually reprinted by the broadside printers, and is included in most of the existing collections of carols." And finally, William Harrison, writing from the Isle of Man in 1873, found "this rude old carol" in an old manuscript copy from the middle 1700s. Like Sylvester, Harrison observed that the song "was a favourite one in country districts." (A big thank you to the folks at The Hymns and Carols of Christmas for all this information!)

Much more background on All you who are to mirth inclined can be found at The  Hymns and Carols of Christmas.

This haunting carol has been printed with up to 22 verses. Some performers sing its chorus after every verse, others sing the chorus after every other verse, and still others remove it all together. For each performance presented below, we've listed the verses that are sung.

A calming and mesmerizing way to end this year's Twelve Days . . . and then some . . . of Christmas.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Let all that are to mirth inclin'd

1. Let all that are to mirth inclin'd,
Consider well, and bear in mind,
What our good God for us has done,
In sending his beloved Son.

Chorus
For to redeem our souls from thrall,
Christ is the Saviour of us all.

2. Let all your songs and praises be
Unto His Heavenly Majesty;
And evermore; amongst our mirth
Remember Christ our Saviour's birth. Chorus

3. The twenty-fifty day of December
We have good cause for to remember:
In Bethlehem upon that morn,
There was the bless'd Messiah born. Chorus

4. The night before that happy tide
The spotless virgin and her guide
Were long time seeking up and down
To find some lodging in the town. Chorus

5. But mark how all things came to pass!
The inn and lodgings filled was,
That they could find no room at all
But in a silly ox's stall. Chorus

6. That night the Virgin Mary mild
Was safe delivered of a child
According unto Heav'n's decree
Man's sweet salvation for to be. Chorus

7. Near Bethlehem some Shepherds keep
Their flocks and herds of feeding sheep;
To whom God's Angel did appear,
Which put the shepherds in great fear. Chorus

8. Prepare and go, the Angel said,
'To Bethlehem, be not afraid;
There shall you find this blessed morn,
The princely babe, sweet Jesus born.' Chorus

9. With thankful heart and joyful mind
The Shepherds went this babe to find,
And as the Heav'nly Angels told,
They did our Saviour Christ behold. Chorus

10. Within a manger he was laid;
The Virgin Mary by him staid,
Attending on the Lord of life,
Being both mother, maid, and wife. Chorus

11. Three Eastern Wise Men from afar,
Directed by a glorious star;
Came boldly on, and made no stay
Until they came where Jesus lay. Chorus

12. And being come unto the place,
Whereas the blessed Messiah was;
They humbly laid before His feet,
Their gifts of gold and odours sweet. Chorus

13. See how the Lord of Heaven and earth
Shew'd himself lowly in his birth;
A sweet example for mankind,
To learn to bear an humble mind. Chorus

14. No costly robes nor rich attire,
Did Jesus Christ our Lord desire;
No music nor sweet harmony,
Till glorious music from on high Chorus

15. Did in melodious manner sing,
Praises unto our heav'nly King;
All honour, glory, might, and pow'r
Be unto Christ our Saviour! Chorus

16. If quires of Angels did rejoice,
Well may mankind with heart and voice
Sing praises to the God of Heav'n,
That unto us his Son has given. Chorus

All you who are to mirth inclined - The Valley Folk
[no chorus] verses: 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16

 

All you who are to mirth inclined - Magpie Lane
[no chorus] verses: 1, 2, 3, 9, 14, 15

Let All That Are to Mirth Inclined - DeguMoth Studios
verses: 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 2

 
All you who are to mirth inclined - Loreena Mckennitt
verses: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 2, 1

 

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 11 - Les choeurs angeliques & Chanson joyeuse de Noël

After 22 days of singing and celebration, today's carol is a somewhat unique one. On top of the fact that I really couldn't find any information about its age, or the origin of its text or music, the carol appears to have two (not so different) versions. The simpler and more folk-like setting is called Les choeurs angeliques. It is made up of a boisterous chorus and more lyrical alternating verses. The second version, arranged by Francois A. Gevaert (1828-1908), presents THREE sections: (1) a solo (then duo) verse, (2) the same boisterous chorus, and (3) a similar lyrical alternating verse as the folk-like version. The Gevaert arrangement is retitled Chanson joyeuse de Noël, though the chorus begins with "Les choeurs angéliques Ont chanté Noël." A much more elaborate carol than most, where some of the simpler carols are a mere 8 or 12 bars long!

Les choeurs angéliques

Chorus
Les choeurs angéliques / The angelic choirs
Ont chanté Noël / sang Christmas!
Mêlons nos cantiques / Let's mix our hymns
Aux accents du ciel / To the accents of the sky!
Noël! Noël! / Christmas! Christmas!
Chantons tous Noël! / Let's all sing Christmas!
Noël! Noël! / Christmas! Christmas!
Chantons tous Noël! / Let's all sing Christmas!

Le Dieu tout aimable / The lovable God
Est né dans l'étable / Was born in the stable.
Gracieux et beau / Graceful and beautiful,
Sur la paille humide / On the damp straw,
Charmant et candide / Charming and candid
Comme un doux agneau. / Like a gentle lamb.
Chorus

Rempli de tendresse / Filled with tenderness
Il nous tend sans cesse / He keeps reaching out to us
Ses deux petits bras / His two little arms;
Et sa voix si belle / And his voice so beautiful
Toujours nous appelle / Always calls us:
Oh! ne tardons pas! / Oh! let's not delay!
Chorus

Un Dieu qui nous aime / A God who loves us,
De la douceur même / Even sweetness
Approchons sans peur / Let us approach without fear;
Et notre indigence / And our poverty
Et notre innocence / And our innocence
Charmeront son coeur! / Will charm his heart!
Chorus

Allons, ma pauvre âme / Come, my poor soul,
Que l'amour t'enflamme / Let love ignite you,
Et ne pleure plus / And don't cry anymore
Et ne pleure plus! / And don't cry anymore!
Marie est ta mère / Mary is your mother,
Et ton nouveau père / And your new father
S'appelle Jésus / His name is Jesus
S'appelle Jésus. / His name is Jesus.
Chorus

Les choeurs angeliques - Helene Baillargeon

Les choeurs angeliques - Jongenskoor van de Zeeuwse Koorschool en Kath

 

Chanson joyeuse de Noël

Le petit Jésus / Baby Jesus,
Sauveur adorable / lovely Savior,
La nuit de Noël / The Christmas night,
Naquit dans l'étable / Was born in the stable;
Des bergers vinrent bientôt / Shepherds soon came
L'adorer dans son berceau / adore him in his cradle,
Et l'on vit trois mages / And we saw three Magi
Offrir pour hommages / Offer for Tributes
La myrrhe, l'or et l'encens / Myrrh, gold and frankincense,
Ah! quels beaux présents! / Ah! what beautiful gifts!
Car Jésus, à leurs yeux / For Jesus, in their eyes,
Est vraiment le roi des cieux! / Truly is the king of heaven!

Chorus:
Les choeurs angéliques / The angelic choirs
Ont chanté Noël / sang Christmas!
Mêlons nos cantiques / Let's mix our hymns
Aux accents du ciel / To the accents of the sky!
Noël! Noël! / Christmas! Christmas!
Chantons tous Noël! / Let's all sing Christmas!
Noël! Noël! / Christmas! Christmas!
Chantons tous Noël! / Let's all sing Christmas!

Le Dieu tout aimable / The lovable God
Est né dans l'étable / Was born in the stable.
Gracieux et beau / Graceful and beautiful,
Gracieux et beau! / Graceful and beautiful!
Sur la paille humide / On the damp straw,
Charmant et candide / Charming and candid
Comme un doux agneau / Like a gentle lamb,
Comme un doux agneau. / Like a gentle lamb.

Le petit Jésus disait le rosaire / Baby Jesus said the rosary,
Penché sur le cœur de sa tendre mère / Leaning on the heart of his tender mother;
C'est lui qui fit le Pater / It was he who made the Pater,
Le divin Pater noster / The divine Paternoster,
Et sa voix bénie / And his blessed voice,
Saluant Marie / Greetings Mary,
Disait: Ave Maria / Said: Hail Mary,
Et puis Gloria. / And then Gloria.
Il faut donc chaque jour / It is therefore necessary each day,
Imiter ce Dieu d'amour. / To imitate this God of love.

Chorus

Allons, ma pauvre âme / Come, my poor soul,
Que l'amour t'enflamme / Let love ignite you,
Et ne pleure plus / And don't cry anymore
Et ne pleure plus! / And don't cry anymore!
Marie est ta mère / Mary is your mother,
Et ton nouveau père / And your new father
S'appelle Jésus / His name is Jesus
S'appelle Jésus. / His name is Jesus.

Chorus

Chanson joyeuse de Noël - arr. by Francois A. Gevaert / Ensemble vocal Le Petit Sablon

Chanson joyeuse de Noël - Marshfield Wisconsin High School Concert Choir

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 10 - Personent hodie

Personent hodie is a medieval Christmas carol originally published in the 1582 Finnish song book Piae Cantiones, a volume of 74 songs with Latin texts collected by Jacobus Finno (Jaakko Suomalainen), a Swedish Lutheran cleric. The song book had its origins in the libraries of cathedral song schools, whose repertory had strong links with medieval Prague, where clerical students from Finland and Sweden had studied for generations. A melody found in a 1360 manuscript from the nearby Bavarian city of Moosburg in Germany is highly similar, and it is from this manuscript that the song is usually dated. Walter Bitner also writes: "A copy of Piæ Cantiones was given to the English scholar and hymnist J.M. Neale in the mid-19th century by the British ambassador to Sweden, and Neale may be credited with introducing Personent Hodie to the Christmas traditions of the English-speaking world. With a Latin text describing the nativity and a unison melody evocative of plainchant, it is an ideal carol for inclusion in a Winter Solstice performance.

Personent hodie

Personent hodie voces puerulae,
   Let resound today the voices of children,
laudantes iucunde qui nobis est natus,
   joyfully praising Him who is born to us,
summo Deo datus,
 given by most high God,
et de vir, vir, vir, et de vir, vir, vir
et de virgineo ventre procreatus.
   and conceived in a virginal womb.

In mundo nascitur, pannis involvitur
   He was born into the world, wrapped in swaddling clothes,
praesepi ponitur stabulo brutorum,
   and laid in a manger in a stable for animals,
rector supernorum.
   the master of the heavens.
Perdidit, dit, dit, Perdidit, dit, dit,
perdidit spolia princeps infernorum.
   The prince of Hell has lost his spoils.

Magi tres venerunt, munera offerunt,
   Three Magi came, they were bearing gifts,
parvulum inquirunt, stellulam sequendo,
   and sought the little one, following a star,
ipsum adorando,
   to worship him,
aurum, thus, thus, thus,
thus, thus, thus, aurum, thus, et myrrham ei offerendo.
   and offer him gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Omnes clericuli, pariter pueri,
   Let all the junior clerics and also the boys
cantent ut angeli: advenisti mundo,
   sing like angels: "You have come to the world,
laudes tibi fundo.
   I pour out praises to you.
Ideo, o, o, Ideo, o, o,
ideo gloria in excelsis Deo.
   Therefore, glory to God in the highest!"

Personent Hodie - arr. by Rutter / Ely Cathedral Choir

Personent Hodie - Cambridge Singers

Personent Hodie - Mediaeval Baebes

Personent Hodie - Elthin

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 9 - The Holly and the Ivy

The Holly and the Ivy is one of the oldest and most traditional of English Christmas carols. An early mention of the carol's title occurs in William Hone's Ancient Mysteries Described (1823), which includes "The holly and the ivy, now are both well grown" among an alphabetical list of "Christmas Carols, now annually printed" that were in the author's possession. The words of the carol were included in Sylvester's collection A Garland of Christmas Carols (1861), where it is claimed to have originated from "an old broadside, printed a century and a half since" - namely around 1711. The carol, with music said to be an 11th century French song, appears not only in Bramley and Stainer's Christmas Carols New and Old (1871), but also Chope's Carols for Use in Church (1894), Hutchins' Carols Old and Carols New (1916), and Shaw and Dearmer's The English Carol Book (1913). The carol, with a different melody, the one now most often associated with it today, was first published in Cecil Sharp's English Folk-Carols (1911). Sharp states that he heard the tune sung by "Mrs. Mary Clayton, at Chipping Campden", a quaint town in the Cotswolds. Sharp's manuscript transcription of Mrs. Clayton's singing of the third verse is dated January 13th 1909.

Many beautiful arrangements of this carol have been made, so it was hard to choose which ones to feature . . . though I didn't get tired listening any of them. Enjoy!

p.s. there was only one recorded version I could find of the old French song version, but it's quite a shock, frankly, to hear the words sung to this minor mode French melody.

The Holly and the Ivy

The holly and the ivy,
Now both are full well grown.
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.

Chorus
Oh, the rising of the sun,
The running of the deer.
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the quire.

The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Savior.
Chorus

The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good.
Chorus

The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas day in the morn.
Chorus

The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
Chorus

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
Chorus

The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
Chorus

The Holly and the Ivy (on an old French song) - arr. by June Nixon / King's College Choir,  Cambridge

The Holly and the Ivy (on English tune) - arr. by Walford Davies / King's College Choir, Cambridge

The Holly and the Ivy - arr. by Ola Gjeilo / THAT CHOIR

The Holly and the Ivy - arr. Ron Jeffers / Seattle Girls Choir, Cantamus

The Holly and The Ivy ~ George Winston

The Holly and the Ivy - Barry and Beth Hall (recorder & violin)

Twelve Days of Christmas

Day 8 - In the Dark Night (В темненькую нічку)

A peaceful and contemplative Ukrainian carol for New Years' Day . . . hope you've having a good one!

In the Dark Night

In the dark night, over Bethlehem,
A clear dawn has risen
Light covered the earth.
Immaculate Virgin, Holy Bride,
She gave birth to a Son in the manger.

Chorus:
Sleep, Jesus, sleep, little one,
Sleep, you, my little star.
Your fate, my dear,
I sing to you...

Gently kissed, covered with a veil,
I put her to bed, quietly started a song:
You will grow up, son,
You will become an adult
You will go in the world, My baby...
Chorus

God's love and God's truth
You, the world of faith, will carry your people,
The truth will live, the shackles of sin will break,
But my Child will die on Calvary...
Chorus

Sleep, Jesus, sleep, little one,
Sleep, You are my pink flower,
And with hope in You
The whole world is watching!

В темненькую нічку / In the Dark Night - Oleksandr Klymenko

В темненькую нічку / In the Dark Night - Concierto de navidad

В темненькую нічку / In the Dark Night