A Briggs' Christmas VIII

Comment by Strumelia on December 6, 2012 at 3:31pm

And a merry Christmas/Solstice/Festivus to you too, Tim!   :D

Comment by Nicholas A Bechtel on December 8, 2012 at 11:04am

Very Cool, Do you have the notation for this. It sounded great.

Comment by Tim Twiss on December 8, 2012 at 11:22am

No, but I could. There are a few more...search "briggs' christmas" and let me know if there are some you like. I have some time this evening.

Comment by Al Smitley on December 8, 2012 at 12:03pm

For the past two years, I played Christmas carols on banjo at Northville's (MI) Mill Race Village Christmas open village.  I played these tunes which seemed to work fairly well.  I always have to go over them a few days before the event but I could create TABs for them if given a little time.

This is the list I used............

I'm informed that I have gone over the 4000 character limit so will send the list an another entry.

Comment by Al Smitley on December 8, 2012 at 12:07pm

This, too, exceeds the limit.  A second list is coming.

 

Angels We Have Heard On High (1862, G)

I Saw Three Ships/Christmas Day in the Morning (17^th century, publ. 1833, D or G)

Away in the Manger (1885, G)

Come All Ye Faithful/Adeste Fideles (1841, G)

Deck the Halls (18^th century, D)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (1853, Em)

Good King Wenceslas (1853, G)

Greensleeves/What Child is This? (1865, Em)

Hark the Herald Angels Sing (1739, G)

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (1850, G)

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach 1685-1750, D)

Jingle Bells (1857, G)

Joy to the World (1719, G)

I Have a Little Dreidle (D, G)

Comment by Al Smitley on December 8, 2012 at 12:09pm

Ode to Joy (Predates Beethoven's setting in 1824, G)

Oh Little Town of Bethlehem (1865, G)

Oh, Tannenbaum (melody 1750, Leipzig 1824, G)

Silent Night (1818, D)

Wassail Song (1850, D)

We Three Kings of Orient Came (1857, in print 1863, Em)

First Noel (18^th century, published 1823, D)

We Wish You a Merry Christmas (16^th century, G)

Comment by John Masciale on December 8, 2012 at 2:46pm

The lyrics for Angels We Have Heard on High were around in 1862, but the melody we normally attribute to the song was written later.  You have to be careful about Christmas Carols and hymns,  I have seen many melodies attributed to the same carol or hymn.  You have to date both the melody and the lyrics if historical date is imporant.  Another issue is whether the song was commonly sung in the US, or whether it was popular only in its native country.  Some of this is nit picking, but it depends on the depth to which historical accuracy is important in your impression.

Comment by John Masciale on December 8, 2012 at 2:49pm

Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful), and the Sicilian Carol were published in Baltimore in the 1840s.  Lyrics for Oh Come, All Ye Faithful were later.  Another song that was popular was Hark, the Glad Sound, but it was published with different tunes associated with it.  Brightest and Best, or Star of the East was around in the 1840s as well. 

Comment by Al Smitley on December 8, 2012 at 2:50pm

Admittedly, I got the date information from sources which, if I were publishing something on it, I would have sought further verification.  I merely had the dates for some form of a reference point in case someone inquired.

Comment by Al Smitley on December 8, 2012 at 2:54pm

I probably should have left the dates off this list.  I just copied what I had on a list that I brought along to remind me of the tunes......though I don't mind, at all, your pointing out the dates you have.  I do like historical accuracy, but my initial involvement was pretty informal.  Hardly anyone listened, let alone ask questions.

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