The First Noël

Christmas Carols Explained, #20

Josh Groban gets the nod for this one, with an assist from Faith Hill, as the two of them flog the high and long notes on this Christmas classic.

Like many carols, this one was pieced together in the 19th century with traditional bits from prior eras, and each component dates back farther and farther. With its roots in Cornish songs dating to the 14th Century, composers William Sandys and David Gilbert published their arrangement in 1833 and we’ve had it ever since. The next big change came in 1871 when John Stainer added four parts (Bass, Tenor, Soprano, Alto) which popularized it for choir performances.

The story comes from the account of Luke and a few contributions from Matthew in the New Testament. It’s the story of the Nativity. The old Latin word natalis later become the French word Noël, or in old English, Nowell. I’d seen that spelling before studying this song and I thought it was a typo, but it’s not. The Brits just need America to come along and teach them English. Merry Christmas.