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Top 50 Carols


And, now, as a counterbalance to my previous curmudgeonly post on carols, here's a list of the top 50 carols, as chosen by a panel of 51 eminent choir masters, as published in BBC Music Magazine (published by Timesonline for those like me who were too mean to buy the magazine...)


Its a fairly "highbrow" list, with a preponderance of Latin titles, and a sprinkling of other foreign offerings, but it certainly broadens things from the perennial list sung year in year out in most churches at this time of year. When was the last time your congregation sang "Jauchzet Frohlocket"?

"Once in Royal David's City" is in there... but I suspect that is because of many choirmasters have been caught up in the dewy eyed begining of the King's 9 Lessons and Carols with a single chorister starting the whole thing off with this hoary old favourite. No places for "While Shepherds watched", "The Holy and the Ivy" or "Christmas is a time to throw up..." sorry "...love". But why, o why, o why, did "Away in a manger" creep in at number fifty?

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ScatterCode said…
I can just about live with 'Away In A Manger' as long as it's at something like a Sunday School carol service, and it's only once a year.

But where is 'While Shepherds Watched'? And 'O Holy Night'?

What the heck is 'Jesus Christ the Apple Tree'? (Actually, I'm off to YouTube to find out...)

Would've had 'Angels From The Realms of Glory' a bit higher up (although isn't it one of those ones with loads of verses?), and also 'Joy To The World'.

Can't stand 'In The Bleak Midwinter', and I don't think I knew 'In Dulce Jubilo' was a hymn (I thought it was just a tune).
Tuesday, December 09, 2008 8:13:00 AM
Virtual Methodist said…
"Angels from the realms of glory," like "While Shepherds" is more an endurance test than a carol... I too would have "Joy to the World" higher... But I'm with them on "In the bleak midwinter" although I prefer the full choral setting rather than the pared down version that we use in church...
Tuesday, December 09, 2008 11:38:00 AM
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