| Wexford Carol | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Christmas carol |
| Meter | 8.8.8.8 (long metre) |
| Melody | Traditional Irish folk melody, transcribed byW. H. Grattan Flood |
TheWexford Carol or the Enniscorthy Carol (Irish:Carúl Loch Garman, Carúl Inis Córthaidh) is a traditional religiousIrishChristmas carol originating fromEnniscorthy inCounty Wexford.[1] The subject of the song is thenativity of Jesus Christ.
"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 ofWilliam Grattan Flood (1859–1928), who was organist and musical director atSt. Aidan's Cathedral in Enniscorthy. He transcribed the carol from a local singer and had it published inThe Oxford Book of Carols, putting Enniscorthy into most carol books around the world.
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]
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]
Source[5]
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Traditions abound concerning the song – for example, that only men should sing it. However, many popular female artists, such asJulie Andrews in 1966 andLoreena McKennitt in 1987, have recorded versions of it, the former including an additional verse beginning "And buckets yore did rain that night."
![\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 {
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\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" }
}
}](/image.pl?url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2f%2fupload.wikimedia.org%2fscore%2fm%2fv%2fmvwaeg9eragv0xt4ax5rvzy0wrmdz7e%2fmvwaeg9e.png&f=jpg&w=240)
