The First Noël

"The First Noël" (sometimes "The First Nowell") is a traditional English Christmas carol, most likely from the 16th or 17th century, but possibly dating from as early as the 13th century. In its current form it is of Cornish origin, and it was first published in Some Ancient Christmas Carols (1823) and Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern (1833), edited by William Sandys. The melody is unusual among English folk melodies in that it consists of essentially the same musical phrase repeated three times, and ending on the third of the scale. It is thought to be a corruption of an earlier melody sung in a church gallery setting; a conjectural reconstruction of the earlier version can be found in the New Oxford Book of Carols (1992, ISBN 0193533235)

Related Topics:
English - Christmas carol - 16th - 17th century - 13th century - Cornish - Some Ancient Christmas Carols - 1823 - Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern - 1833 - William Sandys - Church gallery - Conjectural - Reconstruction - New Oxford Book of Carols - 1992

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The word Nowell comes from the French word Noël for "Christmas", from the Latin word natalis ("birth").

Related Topics:
French - Latin - Birth

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