Britten - A Ceremony of Carols (02) Wolcum Yole

Benjamin Britten's
A CEREMONY OF CAROLS
Opus 28, for 3-part treble chorus and harp
Sung by the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge
Harp: Frances Kelly
Conductor: Richard Marlow
1997

02. WOLCUM YOLE!

Wolcum [Welcome] be thou hevenè king,
Wolcum Yole [Yule]!
Wolcum, born in one morning,
Wolcum for whom wesall sing!

Wolcum be ye, Stevene and Jon,
Wolcum, Innocentes every one,
Wolcum, Thomas marter one,

Wolcum be ye, good Newe Yere,
Wolcum, Twelfthe Day both in fere,
Wolcum, seintes lefe and dere,
Wolcum Yole.

Candelmesse [Candlemas], Quene of bliss,
Wolcum bothe to more and lesse.

Wolcum be ye that are here,
Wolcum, wolcum, make good cheer,
Wolcum alle another yere,
Wolcum Yole!
Wolcum!

Sources:
http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=Ceremony%20of%20Carols
http://www.californiaboyschoir.org/britten003.html

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Benjamin
• Britten
• ceremony
• of
• carols
• choir
• trinity
• college
• cambridge
• wolcum
• yole

[MissxLainie]

This is a great choir, they sound in perfect harmony.

[kmyres14]

the voices kind of sound like an organ, especially in the phrase "wolcum bothe to more and lesse"

it's awesome :D

[Flobbyoiboyz]

I enjoyed singing this song! I learned that it references the traditional feasts of Yuletide (Christmas time).

Dec 25: Christmas

26: St. Stephen (1st martyr)

27: St. John the Evangelist

28: Holy Innocents (the children killed by order of King Herod)

29: St. Thomas Becket

Jan 1st: New Year

The 12th day after Christmas ends the time of feasting

Feb 2: Candlemass, 40 days after Christmas, the traditional end of the Christmas season. This feast is associated with the Virgin Mary ("Queen of Bliss")

[Karen1andKaren2]

@klsdfjh23 as one of those in the "big" chorus you are talking about, i hardly think messiah is overdone, not to mention it would take away from her "ballsy" decision.

[desidog1]

@dunisback can't tell if trolling or just musically inept...

[klsdfjh23]

My choral director decided to be ballsy this year. She's having "big" chorus do parts of the Messiah and "chamber" chorus do the entire Ceremony of Carols. And I am glad I am in "chamber" because the Messiah is over done and not quite as many people know this and this piece is just beautiful, every single movement of it :)

[amberjane9]

The treble I voice overpowers the others in this choir. That's a shame. The treble II and III parts are actually quite wonderful.

[kanakko]

11月にある学校の合唱の祭典で「キャロルの祭典」を抜粋ですが­歌うことになりました。

参考にさせてもらってます。

[dunisback]

Alas, the tempo is still too slow, the harp and voices are fragmented ... Done right, the result should be as breath taking for the singers and audience alike...

I heard Messiah once, it was so slow I fell asleep!