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Christmas Carols: A Reference Guide
Carols -- Dictionaries. Carols -- Indexes. Carols -- Bibliography.
Hardcover
First published November 1, 1984
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About the author
William E. Studwell
32 booksWilliam Emmett Studwell was an American librarian who became known for his knowledge of carols
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 4, 2023
LoopA VERY DETAILED REFERENCE WORK ABOUT NEARLY 800 CAROLS
Author William Studwell wrote in the Preface to this 1985 book, “This volume is the first reference book in the English language, and perhaps in any language, which broadly and comprehensively deals with Christmas carols. It would not be practical to treat all carols currently in print, for there are several thousand of them. This work, however, covers all of the more important and more popular English language and foreign carols and in addition provides a substantial selection of lesser-known carols based on interest, variety, availability, and relation to other carols being treated. The book has four sections: 1. general background material on the carol; 2. a bibliography; 3. A historical dictionary which lists 789 carols, provides historical and other information about them, and in most cases locates them in one or more publications; 4. title, person and group, and place indexes in the historical dictionary.
“The major section, the historical dictionary, will be more effectively used if the following information is clearly understood. First, the entry for each carol is a title in its vernacular (original) language. The carol may also have one of more variant vernacular titles, one or more titles translated into English, and/or one or more differing first lines. Since the carol may be listed other than the one being searched for, and since there are many identical or similar titles in the historical dictionary, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE TITLE INDEX BE CONSULTED BEFORE THE HISTORICAL DICTIONARY IS USED. Second, entries are always alphabetized under the initial article, with the exception of the English article, ‘The.’ Third, some elements of the dictionary require detailed explanations, as given below:
AUTHOR/COMPOSER---if a carol is anonymous, the notation ‘folk’ is always indicated unless there is some reason for believing the carol is mainstream (for example, use of Latin or association with the church).
DATE (LYRICS AND MUSIC)---sometimes the date of publication is indicated, sometimes the date of writing or creation is indicated, and sometimes both are indicated. DATES WITH QUESTION MARKS ARE SIMPLY BEST GUESSES AND ARE TO BE REGARDED AS SUGGESTIONS AND NOT NECESSARILY AS FACT!
FOUND---in most cases, three-letter symbols are given in this area. These symbols represent publications in which a text (both lyrics and music) of the particular carol is located. The full bibliographical information for the publication can be found in part A in the bibliography by searching under the three-letter code. If one to five locations were found, all such locations were given. If more than five but less than many were found, five locations ae listed based on the importance, diversity, and availability of the texts. If many locations were found, the word ‘MANY’ is indicated. When the only sources of information were reference works, sheet music, sound recordings, and similar sources, the ‘FOUND’ category is deleted.”
He then explains, “The Christmas carol has been defined in various and differing ways over the years. Some persons have limited its definition to include only a group of songs written in the 15th and 16th centuries. However, excluding songs like ‘Joy to the World,’ ‘Adeste Fideles,’ and ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ is obviously totally unjustified. Other persons have confined the definition to songs of religious content. But most persons regard the completely secular song ‘Deck the Halls’ to be a carol. The only valid criterion in defining the carol is how carol collectors/editors/publishers and carol singers/musicians/listeners in everyday activity treat the carol. On that basis, the Christmas carol may well be given the following broad definition:
‘A song used to celebrate Christmas and its adjacent events (including Advent, Epiphany, the New year, and to some extent the winter season.’)
One of the more important characteristics of the carol is its long-term and widespread mass appeal: It is a phenomenon popular with diverse and varied segments of society.” (Pg. xi)
He adds, “Perhaps the most significant feature of the Christmas carol is its socio-cultural impact. Carols may be the most culturally influential single group of enduring songs in Western society. All other types of enduring songs are generally confined by country/region, group, language, and/or class. ‘Classical’ songs by such masters as Schubert and Mendelssohn are internationally appreciated but have relatively limited audiences. Non-carol folksongs tend to stay within national or regional borders and within social class lines. Non-carol religious songs are to a large extent sectarian, and even when shared by more than one religious group are limited to the followers of the groups. National and patriotic songs have little influence outside of the particular country or group. On the other hand, everybody in Western society comes in contact with the Christmas carol, no matter what their nationality, age, education, class, beliefs, or lifestyle. (And the sphere of the carol even transcends the predominantly Christian areas.) Furthermore, because Christmas and its associated events (in their sacred and secular manifestations) comprise by far our longest and most dominant holiday period, the case for the strong cultural influence of the Christmas carol becomes even more persuasive.” (Pg. xii)
This book will interest those SERIOUSLY studying the origin and development of particular carols; the ‘popular’ reader will find it boring and pedantic.
Author William Studwell wrote in the Preface to this 1985 book, “This volume is the first reference book in the English language, and perhaps in any language, which broadly and comprehensively deals with Christmas carols. It would not be practical to treat all carols currently in print, for there are several thousand of them. This work, however, covers all of the more important and more popular English language and foreign carols and in addition provides a substantial selection of lesser-known carols based on interest, variety, availability, and relation to other carols being treated. The book has four sections: 1. general background material on the carol; 2. a bibliography; 3. A historical dictionary which lists 789 carols, provides historical and other information about them, and in most cases locates them in one or more publications; 4. title, person and group, and place indexes in the historical dictionary.
“The major section, the historical dictionary, will be more effectively used if the following information is clearly understood. First, the entry for each carol is a title in its vernacular (original) language. The carol may also have one of more variant vernacular titles, one or more titles translated into English, and/or one or more differing first lines. Since the carol may be listed other than the one being searched for, and since there are many identical or similar titles in the historical dictionary, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE TITLE INDEX BE CONSULTED BEFORE THE HISTORICAL DICTIONARY IS USED. Second, entries are always alphabetized under the initial article, with the exception of the English article, ‘The.’ Third, some elements of the dictionary require detailed explanations, as given below:
AUTHOR/COMPOSER---if a carol is anonymous, the notation ‘folk’ is always indicated unless there is some reason for believing the carol is mainstream (for example, use of Latin or association with the church).
DATE (LYRICS AND MUSIC)---sometimes the date of publication is indicated, sometimes the date of writing or creation is indicated, and sometimes both are indicated. DATES WITH QUESTION MARKS ARE SIMPLY BEST GUESSES AND ARE TO BE REGARDED AS SUGGESTIONS AND NOT NECESSARILY AS FACT!
FOUND---in most cases, three-letter symbols are given in this area. These symbols represent publications in which a text (both lyrics and music) of the particular carol is located. The full bibliographical information for the publication can be found in part A in the bibliography by searching under the three-letter code. If one to five locations were found, all such locations were given. If more than five but less than many were found, five locations ae listed based on the importance, diversity, and availability of the texts. If many locations were found, the word ‘MANY’ is indicated. When the only sources of information were reference works, sheet music, sound recordings, and similar sources, the ‘FOUND’ category is deleted.”
He then explains, “The Christmas carol has been defined in various and differing ways over the years. Some persons have limited its definition to include only a group of songs written in the 15th and 16th centuries. However, excluding songs like ‘Joy to the World,’ ‘Adeste Fideles,’ and ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ is obviously totally unjustified. Other persons have confined the definition to songs of religious content. But most persons regard the completely secular song ‘Deck the Halls’ to be a carol. The only valid criterion in defining the carol is how carol collectors/editors/publishers and carol singers/musicians/listeners in everyday activity treat the carol. On that basis, the Christmas carol may well be given the following broad definition:
‘A song used to celebrate Christmas and its adjacent events (including Advent, Epiphany, the New year, and to some extent the winter season.’)
One of the more important characteristics of the carol is its long-term and widespread mass appeal: It is a phenomenon popular with diverse and varied segments of society.” (Pg. xi)
He adds, “Perhaps the most significant feature of the Christmas carol is its socio-cultural impact. Carols may be the most culturally influential single group of enduring songs in Western society. All other types of enduring songs are generally confined by country/region, group, language, and/or class. ‘Classical’ songs by such masters as Schubert and Mendelssohn are internationally appreciated but have relatively limited audiences. Non-carol folksongs tend to stay within national or regional borders and within social class lines. Non-carol religious songs are to a large extent sectarian, and even when shared by more than one religious group are limited to the followers of the groups. National and patriotic songs have little influence outside of the particular country or group. On the other hand, everybody in Western society comes in contact with the Christmas carol, no matter what their nationality, age, education, class, beliefs, or lifestyle. (And the sphere of the carol even transcends the predominantly Christian areas.) Furthermore, because Christmas and its associated events (in their sacred and secular manifestations) comprise by far our longest and most dominant holiday period, the case for the strong cultural influence of the Christmas carol becomes even more persuasive.” (Pg. xii)
This book will interest those SERIOUSLY studying the origin and development of particular carols; the ‘popular’ reader will find it boring and pedantic.
March 9, 2025
A fantastic reference guide for hundreds of carols, including some I have never come across before.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews