Twelve Days of Christmas - New Year’s Day

Day 8 - Some New Year’s Day Songs!

The Shepherd's Carol . . . to be sung on New Year's Day

The New Year is begun,

Good morrow, my masters all!

The cheerful rising sun

Now shining in this hall,

Brings mirth and joy to man and boy

With all that here doth dwell;

Whom Jesus bless with love's increase

So all things shall prosper well.

A New Year's gift I bring

Unto my master here,

Which is a welcome thing

Of mirth and merry cheer.

A New Year's lamb come from thy dam

An hour before daybreak;

Your noted ewe doth this bestow,

Good master, for your sake.

And to my dame so king

This New Year's gift I bring;

I'll bear an honest mind

Unto her while I live.

Your white-wooled sheep I'll safely keep

From harm of brush or briar,

That garments gay for your array

May clothe you the next New Year.

And to your children all,

These New Year's gifts I bring;

And though the price be small,

They're fit for queen or king:

Fair pippins red kept in my bed

A-mellowing since last year,

Whose beauty bright so clear of sight

Their hearts will glad and cheer.

And to your maids and men

I bring both points and pins;

Come bid me welcome then,

The good New Year begins;

Thy office show before I go,

My bottle and bag come fill;

And for thy sake I'll merry make

Upon the next green hill.

The Shepherd's Carol - Passamezzo

Young Men and Maids On New Year's Day . . . a carol for New Year's Day

Young men and maids on New Year's Day,

Their loves they will present

With many a gift both fine and gay,

Which gives them true content:

And though the gift be great or small,

Yet this is the custom still

Expressing their loves in ribbons and gloves,

It being their kind good-will.

Fine ruffs, cravats of curious lace

Maids give them fine and neat;

For this the young men will them embrace

With tender kisses sweet:

And give them many pleasant toys

To deck them fine and gay,

As bodkins and rings with other fine things

For the honour of New Year's day.

Young Men and Maids On New Year's Day - Passamezzo

Twelve Days (Before) Christmas

Day 1 - The Shepherd’s Carol (2000)

Composer Bob Chilcott's The Shepherd's Carol was commissioned in 2000 for the televised Carols from King’s (a slightly lighter version of the august Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge) that is broadcast on the BBC on Christmas Day each year. Its text is a beautiful poem by Clive Sansom (1910-81) that narrates the experience of the shepherds, drawn by starlight to the baby Jesus. The lovely, poignant melody of folk-like simplicity is supported by languid and atmospheric harmonies. The effect is a sublime marriage of poetic imagery and music.

We stood on the hills, Lady,

Our day’s work done,

Watching the frosted meadows

That winter had won.

The evening was calm, Lady,

The air so still,

Silence more lovely than music

Folded the hill.

There was a star, Lady,

Shone in the night,

Larger than Venus it was

And bright, so bright.

Oh, a voice from the sky, Lady,

It seemed to us then

Telling of God being born

In the world of men.

And so we have come, Lady,

Our day’s work done,

Our love, our hopes, ourselves,

We give to your son.

The Shepherd’s Carol - The King's Singers