A "Nazi" Christmas Carol?

 

A "Nazi" Christmas Carol?

Controversary over a so-called Nazi Christmas carol and advocacy to remove it from Protestant hymnals. Besides that, an interesting history of Christmas music during the Nazi period in Germany:

Will a Nazi poet's Christmas carol remain in book of hymns?

I syng of a mayden: Medieval Inspiration

I syng of a mayden: Medieval Inspiration (┼)

by R. Rojas

Updated: January 30, 2023.

We had mentioned in our post regarding the Sloan Manuscript that "I syng of a mayden" was one of the carols included in that manuscript although the manuscript did not include music, just the text.

"I syng of a mayden" as seen in the Sloan Manuscript 2593

Alec Guiness reading "I sing of a maiden"

The carol dates to the 15^th century. The text is more about the Annunciation than the Nativity, but even this implication is vaguely given. Although it comes to us with no music, it has become so popular with composer that it has become one of the most-used medieval texts for carol composition. The question is who wrote the oldest musical setting. 

In the 1800s, Thomas Wright was one of the first to reproduce the text in Songs and carols printed from a manuscript in the Sloane collection in the British museum (1836).(1)

Song and Carols from a Manuscript in the British Museum of the Fifteenth Century, Thomas Wright (1856). Accessed from Archive.org. Copy in the University of California Libraries.

The text became very popular with 20th Century composers and continues with contemporary composers. Just from 2010 to 2020, we found 24 different recordings of new compositions of the carol.

The Text

Not only with composers is it popular, but many poets have also sung its praises. It has garnered postings on poetry.com, Allen Ginsburg Project, poetrybyheart.org, the website of the Poetry Foundation and similar websites.

Regarding the text, the middle three verses repeat the strophe of "He came as still" but replacing the last word from dew falling "on the grass," to the "flower," to "on the spray" all rhyming with the last word of the second line. The "He came as still" may refer to a painless birth or the birth being quiet, subdued, calm or tranquil. "He came as still to his mother's bower" may refer to Mary bowing to the king, her child.  The last verse again makes reference to Mary having no comparison, and how a lady like Mary is one who should be mother of God.

The five-verse poem speaks of the Virgin Mary of course, saying she has no comparison. It talks of her bearing the Son of God as her choice in "For her son she chose." The text describes the Son of God coming comparing to the dew in the Spring on the grass.

I asked award-winning poet Rafael Jesús González (2) to give us his comments on the poem, kind of a poet-on-poem analysis:

“I syng of a mayden” is of an elegant simplicity with steadily repeated variations of phrases. With the line “He came as still” (quiet, calm, silence) repeated three times in the five-stanza song to describe the impregnation and delivery of the maiden who is never named. The imagery of the insemination is of the gentlest and fertile of natural happenings: April dew falling on grass, flower, and branch.

Of note is the absence of the Father God and his envoy the Archangel Gabriel from the poem; they are there only because the listeners of the song knew their catechism. The only active actor is the embryo, the fetus, the Son (He came as still in the second, third, and fourth stanzas) whom the listener knows is divinely conceived and born of a virgin, the maiden. He comes, in the third stanza, to her “bower,” her alcove or, metaphorically, her womb. 

He (Yeshua, “deliverer, savior,” a common name, Jesus through the Greek) is the only actor. Yet the poem is about the Virgin, the maiden. It is she of whom the singer sings. The Father God’s will is not mentioned, nor is His angel messenger. The only act of volition, of will is the Maiden’s. She chooses the Son (in the poem, He is not imposed upon her by the God Father’s will, but by her choice.) “I syng of a mayden” carries a subtle, delicate note of rebellion in emphasizing Mary’s choice, will. In Luke’s rendering, Mary’s choice is merely acquiescence to Father God’s will: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.” 

The Annunciation is arguably the single most important event upon which Christianity (a Jewish sect) is founded, the act by which the Word is made incarnate, and earns the maiden-mother Mary, the title of “Co-redemptrix” and is the basis of traditional Christianity’s Mariology, and makes Mary the favored subject of the greater part of Gothic and Renaissance art. 

In a time of egregious misogyny, of toxic masculinity, in which women are stripped of choice over their own bodies, “I syng of a mayden” sounds a crucially important note: the ultimate choice of a woman over her own body, herself. 

                    (c) 2023 Rafael Jesús González

Although the text seems simple -- even the likes of John Rutter found it challenging -- or at least we assume. In this video, he describes taking on the challenge, but then putting it away, only years latter to find it by accident, and taking it on again:

Rutter released his version in 2021 (see below).

Some publication history

The carol was not included in the New Oxford Book of Carols (1992), but was included in its predecessor, the Oxford Book of Carols (1927) in which Martin Shaw's version is used. It is also not found in Elizabeth Poston’s Penguins Book of Carols, but a commission was sought from Lennox Berkley for The Cambridge Hymnal published in 1967, of which Poston co-edited. 

David Wilcocks and John Rutter, as editors of the Carols for Choirs series included Patrick Hadley’s 1932 composition of the carol in Carols for Choir 2 (1970). Hadley's is probably the most recorded version of the carol. It was included in the University Carol Book (1961).

A song called "Sing of Maiden Mary" is included in Ancient Carols for Christmas (1863) by Edmund Sedding, whose book is described as "arraigned for four voices." I am unsure if this is the same carol, and I am currently looking for a facsimile of the book.(3)

The carol is included in Early English Lyrics: Christmas-tide Carols, Ballads and Songs Amorous, Divine, Moral & Trivial (1907) by E. K. Chambers and F. Sidgwick. However, again, it is the text only. A scholarly article by W.W. Grieg appeared in Modern Philology in 1909 in which Grieg on whether the text was a poem first or a song, theorizes that the poems are actually two poems that had been combined. (4)

Richard R. Terry's version, published in Twelve Christmas Carols in 1912, is the oldest I could find with music.

Richard R. Terry, "I Sing of a Mayden" (Included in Twelve Christmas Carols 1912):

One can download a PDF version of Twelve Christmas Carols at this link. "I Sing of a Mayden" is on page 9 of the PDF and on page 18 of the actual manuscript.

Cecil Armstrong Gibbs, An English Carol of the XIV Century (I sing of a maiden)(1911)

The Armstrong Gibbs Foundation states that the score is available at MS: B–P Archive, Bag Ci: MS CAG, ink, dated; 2 pages and title page and it is unpublished. See: Cecil Armstrong Gibbs foundation.

Gustav Holst, part of Four Songs (1919-1917):

Peter Warlock (1918) under title "As Dewe in Aprylle" (performed by Tenebrae under Nigel Short):

Roger Quilter (1923) under title "An Old Carol" (performed by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge):

Arnold Bax (1923)(SAATB) (performed by Tenebrae under Nigel Short):

Martin Shaw's composition (at least composed by 1927) was included in Carols for Choir 5 (2011) and Oxford Book of Carols (1927). Shaw co-edited the Oxford Book of Carols with Ralph Vaughn Williams and Percy Dearmer, but we do not know if this is the first publication where he published his version of the carol (1927):

Phillp Radcliffe (1928) published by Encore Publications in 1992:

Hear the audio: I sing of a Maiden (Radcliffe).

Patrick Hadley, performed below by the Brussels Chamber Choir(included in Carols for Choir 2)(1932):

Katherine K. Davis (E. C. Schirmer Publishing now part of ECS Publishing)(1933)(5):

See link for score: I sing of a maiden.

Of course, Davis is the original composer of "Carol of the Drum," the predecessor to the "Little Drummer Boy."

Benjamin Britten in A Ceremony of Carols as "As dew in aprille" below performed by the Choir of New College, Oxford under Higgenbotham (1942):

Egon Joseph Wellesz, also under title "Carol," op. 62a, performed below by the Christ Church Cathedral Choir (1944):

Miklós Rózsa in the soundtrack for the film Knight of the Round Table film (1953):

John O. Garrish, performed below by Irene Gerrish (great-grand-daughter of composer), Senior Recital. Eva Gerrish, soprano; Irene Gerrish, alto; John B Gerrish, tenor; Philip Gerrish, bass (1953):

David Kraehenbuehl, "I sing of a maiden: A Christmas (madrigal)" (SSAA or TTBB) (1955):

See score: I sing of a maiden

Charles F. Waters (b.1895) (performed by the Memphis Boy Choir). We cannot find an exact date for this, but were giving it 1962 as it was published in the Oxford Easy Anthem Book that year (1962):

David H. Williams from Of Christès Birth: A suite of carols for (SATB) with soprano and tenor (or soprano) solos (1963):

    

Folk version - Stephen Addiss (recorded 1964):

Elizabeth Maconchy (1966): Part of Two Carols:

No video found but see Faber Music.

Lennox Berkeley, performed below by the Guildford Cathedral Choir (copyright 1967)(commissioned for the Cambridge Hymnal)(1968):

Conrad Susa, performed by Choir of Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception under Leo Nestor, with Ars Nova Brass (Schirmer Music now with ECS Publishing)(1971) from 2 Marian Carols:

Anders Öhrwall, from his choral work MARIAMUSIK ("An account on the sacred virgin - for recitation, choir and instruments"), which was composed for the Nordic choir festival NORDKLANG in Silkeborg, Denmark (July 1974). The music contains the text in Swedish and Danish. (1974):

Dolly Collins: (1995):

John Newell (1981) Music.
Audio available.

Richard Shepherd (1981):

See score preview on Banks Music.

Arlene Ydstie, performed below by the Mounds View High School Choir, Arden Hills, Minnesota, (1982):

James Lyon, performed below by the Vancouver Chamber Choir (1983 or prior):

Emma Brown performed here by the Justinus Ensemble under Brian Fieldhouse, (SSAATTBB) a capella (1985):

Christopher Wiggins (1985):

    I sing of a maiden (Oxford University Press)

    No video available.

G. Bush(?), performed below by the Cardiff Polyphonic Choir from Christmas Cantata: (1985 or prior):

Daniel Burton (Plymouth Music Co. now with ECS Publishing Group (1985): 

See score: I sing of a maiden.

Robin Wells, performed below by Ensemble Vocale Cantica Nova (SATB)(1986):

Ronald Arnatt (d. 2018)(SATB, Mezzo-Soprano Solo or Children + SATB ) performed here by the American Repertory Singers (1990 or 1995):

Malcolm Archer (1991). We date this on the publication of Carols Old and New: 100 Christmas Settings SATB (Keven Mayhew LTD, 1991), however, it may have been composed earlier:

Adolf Fredriks Bachkör, "Jag sjunger om jungfrun" (I sing of a maiden) (recorded 1994):

Eleanor Daley (performed by Elektra Women's Choir)(1995):

Russel Pascoe (per the composer, written in 1995 for the Richard Lander School’s Wilbye Choir, adapted for upper voices for Truro Cathedral Choir. Recording released in 2021)(1995):

Robin Nelson - (SATB):

Score preview available at Banks Music.

Herbert Sumsion from 2 Carols, No. 1 (commissioned by Capella Nova) performed by The Choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. One of the composer's last compositions (1996):

James McMillan Two Christmas Carols: The Maiden recorded here by the Elmer Iseler Singers (1998 or earlier):

Jennifer Bennett, Winner of honorable mention in the 1998 Amadeus Choir Christmas Carol and Chanukah Song Writing Competition, Toronto, Ontario. SA and piano or organ:

See score: I sing of a maiden.

Steven Griffin (1999):

Francis Pott (performed by Commotio). A cappella choral setting. Commissioned in 2000 jointly by the Dean & Chapter of Winchester Cathedral and Choir of St John's College, Cambridge. Performed by both choirs at their respective Advent carol services, December 2000; subsequently by St John's Choir on tour in Belgium and by a variety of choirs in the UK. Score published by Oxford University Press:

Link to Oxford University Press Score.

John Adams in opera-oratorio "El Niño" performed below by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and The London Voices (2000): 

Mark Sirett, a winner in the Amadeus Carol Competition, it is performed by the Amadeus Chamber Choir of Toronto directed by Lydia Adams. (c. 2000):

Philip Lawson (Walton Music and on Boosey & Hawkes)(2002):

See score preview and audio link.

John Turner, here performed by the Intimate Voices (2003):

Kenneth Hesketh (Schott Music Ltd., London)(2003), premiered on November 27, 2004 · London (UK) St. Michaels & All Angels. Addison Singers, Conductor: David Wordsworth: 

Score available on Schott Music and at Boosey & Hawkes.

Philip, Lord Rea of Eskdale? Performed below by the St. Martin Chamber Choir (2004 or earlier):

Daniel Powers (2005):

Daniel Powers, performed by Sarah Stone, mezzo-soprano, and Martha Krasnican, piano (2006 or earlier):

Kevin Sigfried, SATB, soprano solo (2007):

No video available.

I sing of a maiden

Audio available on Soundcloud.

John Joubert (2007) as part of Five Songs of Incarnation, Op. 163 for tenor and choir. Recorded here by the Choir of Gloucester Cathedral:

Glen McGrath, performed by the St. Martin Chamber Choir (2007 or earlier):

Nicholas White (The fourth of Nicholas White's Six Middle English Lyrics for Soprano and Organ), (c. 2007):

I have White's version as around 2007, but another source says 2013 so I included it twice (see below).

Paul Edwards (recorded c. 2007), performed here by the Concord Singers:

Katherine Blake of Medieval Baebes, per composer around 2007):

Brian Knowles Opus: W108 (2008 or prior):

John McCabe (available on Novello and Wise Music)(SAT)(performed by the BBC Singers)(2008):

Bob Chilcott in Salisbury Vespers (2009)(performed by the Vasari Singers):

Kevin Seigfried (ECS Publishing Group)(2010):

Hear audio at this link.

Graham Ross, performed here by the Choir of Clare, College Cambridge under Graham's direction in 2013. Winner of the 2009 John Sanders Memorial Prize for Composition. The first performance was given by the Choir of Gloucester Cathedral, conducted by Adrian Partington, on Saturday 11 July 2009. Score available from Encore Publications:

James Bingham (Hinshaw Music), part of Procession and Carols: A Christmas Suite for Women's Chorus and Harp, performed by by Columbia Collegiate Chorale-Ladies of the Pro Musica/Elizabeth Blakeslee (2010):

Joachim Knoph (SSAA) performed below by the Bærum Vokalensemble conducted by Anine Kruse Skatrud (2010?):

Francis Cockburn performed by the Glasgow Madrigirls (2010):

Andrew J. Sheldon (2010):

Patricia Stiles (?), performed by Patricia Stiles from Three Songs (2010):

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, performed by Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Choir, (c. 2011):

Matthew Martin - (SATB + organ), in Carols for Choir 5 (2011)

Martin A. Sedek - "I Sing of a Maiden" SATB choir, violin from "I Sing of a Maiden" - two Marian Songs for Christmas. Performed below by Baldwin Festival Chorus of NYC (2012 or earlier):

Nicholas White, as part of From Earth to Heaven: Six Middle English Lyrics for Soprano and Organ, performed below by Jolle Greenleaf, soprano, and Christian Lane, organ (2013):

Oliver Leaman, under title "Godes Mother (I sing of a maiden)" recorded at first performance, December 2013, King Edward VI School Carol Service (2013):

David Sadler, Canterbury Chamber Choir (2013):

John Robinson (2014 or earlier) performed by the Boys of St. Paul's Choir School:

Unfortunately, the only video we knew of was the Boys of St. Paul's Choir School, Harvard Squire, but it has since been taken down.

Robin Wells, performed by imagovocis Di Volpiano (2014 or earlier):

Christopher Maxim, sung by the Choir of St Matthew's, Bethnal Green, London, at the 2014 Christmas Carol Service, and directed by the composer. This piece was composed for this service (2014):

David Fawcett. The work was first performed by the Birmingham Conservatoire Camerata, conducted by Nicola Starkie, at a service at St Philip’s Cathedral, Birmingham, in December 2014. (2014):

Ian Higginson, score available on RSCM (2014):

Alec Redshaw (2015 or earlier). Here recorded by Tenebrae for their 2015 recording:

Philip Stopford (premiered 2015):

Tribal Chamber Choir, Galway, conducted by Mark Keane:

Joachim Knoph, performed by Bærum Vokalensemble (2016 or earlier):

Richard Madden (b. 1953) performed by Kentoris Saint Kentigern College (2016 or earlier):

Philip A. Cooke, performed by King's College Choir, Aberdeen University, conducted by David Smith at St Machar's Cathedral, Aberdeen (2016):

Alison Willis (2016). First performed by The Music Makers of London (dir. Hilary Campbell) in December 2016 it was the winner of the Nick Edwards prize at its premiere. Is is included int volume one of Multitude of Voyces. Recorded during a Service of Lessons and Carols at All Saints Hertford 22nd December 2019. (2016):

Hartmut Schulz 4 Songs, Op. 35 (Arr. for Baritone & Viola): No. 3, I Sing of a Maiden, performed below by Hartmut Schulz and Maurizio Barbetti (2017):

Amy Summers (2017)(performed by Molly Cochrane): 

Bryan Hesford (Edwin Ashdown LTD.)(2017):

See score.

Neil Cox (2019 copyright)(comissioned for Christopher Gray, Joseph Wicks and the Choir of Truro Cathedral (first performed at the Festival of Nine Lesson and Carols at Truro Cathedral on Dec. 24, 2018) premiere recording 2021 by Truro Cathedral Choir)(2019). Available from Encore Publications:

David Farquhar (video from 2018 performed by the Tudor Consort, director Michael Stewart)(2018 or earlier): 

Ian Shaw (recorded c. 2018 by the Choir of St. John's Cambridge)(2018 or earlier):

Alec Redshaw (recording by Tenebrae)(2018?):

Peter Gkonos (2019), Two English Carols, Part 2:

Kathleen Allen, "I syng of a mayden" commissioned and premiered by Christ Church Cathedral Choir. Featured on "Cantica Nova: New Canadian Carols" (2019):

Frederick Viner under title "The Annunciation," which was a runner up for the 2019 Jubilate Carol Competition of the Jubilate Chamber Choir (Oxford)(2019):

It was awarded the University of York's STR Music Composition Prize (sponsored by Sean Rourke). Premiered by The 24 on 19th February 2020 at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, conducted by Robert Hollingworth. Purchase the score: www.uymp.co.uk/composers/frederi…/the-annunciation

Ian Assershon's "I sing of a maiden" finalist in the 2019 Jubilate Choir's Christmas Carol Competition. Score available via Apple Tree Music.

William Anderson "I syng of a mayden" finalist in the 2019 Jubilate Choir's Christmas Carol Competition.  Score available from Encore Publications.

Dave Dexter, per composer written in 2019 and selected for recording by the ORA singers the same year (2019):

Amy Bebbington (2020) published in Multitude of Voyces: Sacred Music by Women Composers. Volume 2: Upper Voices Anthems:

Séamas de Barra, "Ãigbhean a chanaim (I sing of a maiden), Oxford University Press (2020):"

See link: Ãigbhean a chanaim

Mari Kotsky (c. 2020) performed below by Coro Volunate:

Tim Suter (2020 or prior):

Nicolas Tristan (c. 2020):

Emma Brown (2021 premiered):

J. Phillips, performed by the Choir of Truro Cathedral (2021 or earlier):

Tasmin Jones (Commissioned by Woldingham School in 2021), performed by Anna Dinyes:

: 

Jones' composition is published by Banks Music Publication.

John Rutter, performed by the Cambridge Singers (2021):

    Link to SATB vocal score.

    

    Link to Upper Voice Score.

Emma Johnson (performed by the Choirs of Pembroke College, Cambridge under Anna Lapwood)(2022):

Emma Johnson (2022) performed with the Choir of Gloucester Cathedral (same as above but with different choir)(2022):

Carleton Etherington, "I sing of a maiden." Written for Tewkesbury Choir in 2022. It was included in the choir's 2023 Christmas album.

Release on recordings in 2022:

"I sing of a maiden" - Brian Knowles: Christmas Tidings (Convivium) performed by Celestia Singers:

"Of a maiden" - Arthur George, Three Christmas Carols on 2022 recording by the Choir of the Royal Holloway from album All Angels: Choral Works by George Arthur:

"I sing of a maiden" by Karen-Ivana (2023):

So, if you are a composer who has set this text, just looking at the history and the composers who have also set this, you are in good company.

┼ My inspiration in writing this post comes from listening to two albums, both each containing three versions of the carol. The first was A Very English Christmas (Signum 2015) by Tenebrae under Nigel Short, and the second All the World Tonight Rejoices (Regent 2021) by the Truro Cathedral Choir then under Christopher Grey.

Notes:

1.  We do not find an earlier printing of the text from the Sloan Manuscript, so we assume Wright’s was the first wide dispersal of the poem.

1. 2.    González is one of the deans of Chicano poetry. The Poet Laureate of Berkley California, González is published in many journals and magazines. He is even called a prophet by some. See Meet English Spanish prophet & poet Rafael Jesus Gonzalez. Also, See Gathering of California’s Poets Laureates. I highly recommend González to composers looking for text. He has some good ones on Christmas. His books include Chalchiuixochitl / Flor de Piedra Verde / Flower of Jade (2022) and La musa lunatica / The Lunatic Muse (2009).

   3.    After I finished the article, I did find a facsimile of the book by Sedding, and “Sing of Maiden Mary” is not “I sing of a maiden.” To see “Sing of Maiden Mary,” go to: https://archive.org/details/b-361-sedding-antient-christmas-carols-images/page/n23/mode/2up?view=theater.

   4.  See Grieg, W.W. "I Sing of a Maiden that is Makeless," Modern Philology, Vol. 7, Nov. 2 (Oct. 1909), pp. 165-167. See reproduction of the article at https://www.jstor.org/stable/432477?seq=3#metadata_info_tab_contents. Accessed December 17, 2022.

2. 5. Davis’ version is the earliest composition by a female on the text we can find. Unfortunately, we do not have a video of someone performing it.

Undated:

I could not find dates and/or videos for the compositions below:

Cecil Cope:

Robert W. Lehman

Kevin Allen

Mary Bauer, part of Three Noëls for SSA, a cappella. The first and third movements feature alto solos. SSA a cappella; English. Medium. Instrumentation: SSA, a cappella

Published by: Treble Clef Music

William Henry Bell also composed a setting under the title "The Maidden that is Makeless," but I yet to find a recording or video. Part of Medieval Songs for female chorus, string orchestra and piano

Christopher Brown (Chester Music) - originally on Chester Music, the score is available from Boosey & Hawkes.

John Cullen (1998)

Truman Forest (2002)

Helen Gilfford (1955) 

Philip Gordon (1894-1983)(Treble Chorus)

Paul Hillier

Julian Hodgson (2014)

Jeffrey Johns - (SA) - available on Bossey & Hawkes and Roberton.

H. Diack Johnston - (SATB) - available on Bossey & Hawkes and Oxford University Press

Philip Kenyon 

David Kraehenbuehl SSAA (or TTBB) - available via Wise Music

Christopher Le Fleming - (SATB) - available on Boosey & Hawkes.

John Nickson - (SATB), available on Boosey & Hawes.

Phillip Pennington Harris (1999)

Alan Smith (1996) 

Leo Smit

Francis Grier and/or Sir. Phillip Ledger? (1976?) - I kept coming across a reference to the carol with music composed by Ledger and/or by Francis Grier, but neither could find a recording nor score. Update: Per Francis Greir via correspondence, he stated that this was an arrangement on Hadley's composition.