Evening Star Newspaper, December 21, 1929, Page 10

19 5 Christmas Music By Telen Fretter. $ HE Christmas season seems to have sped here swiftly this m year. Probably this seeming speed is due to the fickle attitude of the weather within the month of December, a few snappy wintry days coming at intervals between long stretches of muggy, even Springtime weather. At the moment of writing it does not seem likely that this will be a “white Christmas” for Washington, but, then, one never can foretell weather definitely for any time in the National Capital unless, perhaps, for Inauguration day. Musically, as well as otherwise, the days of preparation have sped. Quite a number of cantatas, oratorios and other special musi- cal events of imposing nature are listed elsewhere on these pages as features of the services in the Christian churches tomorrow, Christ- mas eve, Christmas day and even the following Sunday. More significant, however, seems the widespread and keen enthusiasm of people generally, both grown-ups and children, for the active participation in the singing of carols at home and abroad. Many will have the inspiration of programs being broadcast for thiem to join in, in their own homes, and sing with those invisible | lcaders. Really, when one stops for a moment to think about it all, it is quite thrilling. * Kk X X ASN'T it, on that first Christmas | §S night, the singing of the invisible hosts of angels in the heavens which i!; ¥ is warmly reassuring to feel that friendly, guiding spirits, or harmonious vibrations—call them what you will— that show the fitness and co-relation of all parts of this cosmic earth and other earths, can co-ordinate for such mo- ments as those of the shepherds' vision. In this day one has the harnessing of the forces that give radio to people all over the world. Surely when the human voice can find its echo from side to side of great oceans and across the Alps and Hima- laya Mountains that phrase should grow to have even more potent mean- ing— “Peace on Earth, to Men Good WilL.” * Kk ¥ ‘VHEN the President of the United | States touches the button that | lights the National Community Christ- mas tree of 1920 at 6 o'clock Christmas eve in Sherman square, south of the Treasury Building, voices of junior high school boys and girls, assisted by thousands of other singers in the Capi- tal City, will burst into song, beginning the “official singing Christmas” of the Nation. - The carols to be sung around the tree are “O ¢Come All Ye Faithful,” “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” and the World,” and everybody everywhere is asked to join in the sing- ing, at the tree, on the streets, in their homes, in the theaters, in the hospitals, homes and orphanages—all over the District of Columbia—on Christmas eve. Dr. Edwin N. C. Barnes, director of | music in the District of Columbia pub- lic schools, will lead the carols at the living tree in Sherman square, and the United States Marine Band, led by Capt. Taylor Branson, will accompany the voices in the carols. . The Marine Band will play a brief Christmas eve program at the tree just prior to the ceremonies, the concert be- ginning at half past 5 o'clock, or pos- sibly a quarter of 6, the exact time to be released through the news columns of the daily papers tomorrow. ‘This program of Christmas carols has been indorsed by the District Commis- sioners, the chairman of the National Committee for the Community Christ- mas Tree, Dr. Ray Lyman Wilbur, Secretary of the Interior; leading civic groups throughout the city and count- less music groups here. Mrs. Joseph M. Stoddard, prestdent of the District of Columbia Federation of Music Clubs, is on the executive committee for the lighting of the tree and is chairman of the “singing Christ- mas” committee on that occasion. Mrs. Gertrude Lyons, vice president of the | District of Columbia Federation of Music Clubs, is in direct charge of the | TiAE EVENING Roman Catholic | - 'HE church of the Franciscan Monas- | 1 tery in Brookland will have re- | ligious ‘services Christmas eve and on Christmas day. The services are iden- | tical with those that take place in the real Bethlehem of Palestine, where the | Savior was born. | " Ater the divine office and solemn ,mass in the church there is to be a procession of the entire Franciscan community to the Grotto of Bethlehem under the church. The superior of the | monastery will carry a figure of the | Christ-child, which is carved of wood and is an exact copy of the one used in | the real Bethlehem. The grotto at the | Monastery where the solemn services culminate is to be represented as in the ancient “City of David.” A copy of the Altar of the Nativity is there: under it a facsimile of the silver star which marks the traditional spot where Christ was born. To the right is a | representation of the manger, prepared with straw for the reception of the Holy Child. Opposite it is the Altar of the Magi surmounted with a painting commemorating the visit of the wise men from the East, and nearby is an- other painting portraying the heavenly in]pparmon of the angels to the shep- erds. The solemn services will be enhanced | by an inspiring liturgical rrowmm of sacred music. The masterful new organ | with its 25 silvery chimes will be in fit- (Continued on Eleventh Page.) *“carolers,” who will go from many clubs, choirs and other musical groups in the city to sing for the thousands of “shut-ins” in the hospitals, homes and other institutions here. - The Young Women's Christian Asso- ciation, under the direction of Lucy Street, national chairman for music of the Y. W. C. A, will send groups of | carol singers representing the many groups of the Y. W. C. A. including the glee clubs of the Girl Reserves, Elizabeth Somers Residence and others. * Xk x AMONG the most distinctive Christ- mas programs this year will be the service that will follow divine office and =olemn mass at the Franciscan Monas- tery, when the entire community will porticipate in a procession to the Grotto of Bethlehem under the church. The superior of the monastery will carry a carved wood figure of the Christ-child, an exact duplicate of that used in the ceremony in Palestine. The grotto will be represented as the “Ancient City of David.” A copy of the altar of the nativity is there and, under it, a facsimile of the silver star; which marks the spot where Jesus is | supposed to have been born. To the right 5 a representation of the manger, | prepared with straw for the reception of the child. Opposite to it is the altar | of the mani, surmounted by a painting of the visit of the wise men from the Nearby is another painting rep- ing the heavenly apparition of Is to the shepherds. The new with 25 chimes, will be used ‘The Franciscan choir will sing. . MEMORIAL organ will be dedi- cated tomorrow morning _at o'clock at the Cleveland Park Congre- gational Church. The organ was given by Col. and Mrs Henderson's father, the late Repre- sentative Martin B. Madden of Illinois A special program has been arranged M Page McK. Etchison, director A T the First Congregational Church tomorrow, at both services, the choir and congregation will sing a new song written by the minister, Dr. Jason Noble Plerce. using the verses of Heber's fam‘liar poem, “Bri t and Best of the Sons of the Merning.” oo cholr’ of Brookland Methodist Church will wear new n the occasion of yeopening of the church after it has been renovated and beautified. R N response to many requests the mass thal was sung at St Patrick’s Catho- | hanksgiving day will Ne Chureh on midnight be repeated Christmas eve Carols will precede the mass on Yoan Ol Joas olal Christmas Services. obnerved Maptist rvien the aeh on A exereises Wil e w At e Brook AL the morning DO O Diste will e ™ 30 A Uhisima be rendered ot 8 pap 1] Paul D. Henderson | of Woodland Park in memory of Mrs. | Quartet @ongregational CHRISTMAS MUSIC will be sung to- morrow at_the First Congrega- tional Church, Tenth and G streets, at the morning and evening services by the vested chorus cheir of 60 voices, directed by Ruby Smith Stahl, soprano, and assisted by Belle Wilder Town- send. contralto; Francesco Della-Lana, tenor; C. Ridgeway Taylor, bass-bari- tone, and Paul De Long Gable, or- nist. RaA Christmas song has been written by the minister, Dr. Jason Noble Plerce, using the text of Heber's famous poem, “Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning.” This will be sung by the choir and congregation at both morning and evening services and an engraved copy of the words and music of the song will be given to every one who attends. The following selections will given: 1AM o This Day’ " Ruby Smith Stahl. u hy Cham- ‘Though Poor Be Thy Cham. , . Pictro Yon orn, A ? itewart Antrem ber” Quartet Carols— R Ye Bells”...............J. N. Plerce gertt gt Deni B Biting . Dleirson et soueussearoq Dickinson “In Excelsis Deo™” Soprano _solo—"Behold, Cover the Earth”... 5 Quartet—"In Bethlehem's Manger Anthems— Al ‘Knew He Was There ~0 Holy Night'.. . . ... Jesu Bambino™ .. "'The “People That Walketh in Dark- " Traditional Darkness Shail . Ste Lowl! Dickinson ness’ . “Burst Forth Into Joy’ Services dedicating a pipe organ pre- sented to Cleveland Park Congrega- tional Church by Col. and Mrs. Paul D. Henderson of Woodland drive in mem- ory of Mrs. Henderson’s father, the late Representative Martin B. Madden of Tlinois, will be held tomorrow morning | Columbia road at 11 o'clock at the church at Thirty- fourth and Lowell streets, | “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentieme; TunerWikm "[HE National Capital Choir, with Yon Galbraith ...Simper a graduate of the Yale Divinity School, who came here in 1924. The church has a membership of 350. Sunday morning at 11 o'clock the | music at the Mount Pleasant Congre- gational Church will be given by the chorus cholr, assisted by the solo quar- tet, composed of Elsie Schulze, soprano; Mary Apple, contralto; William Shannahan, tenor, and Herman Fakler, bass, under the direction of Norton M. Little, with Claude Robeson at the or- gan. The program will be as follows: Organ prelude, “Pastorale” (D-minor sonata) ... Guilmant iy ow Far Is Tt to Bethlehem! Song” ... Charles 3 hell Bliss, cello. Organ postiude, March of th Magl Kings” ... In the afternoon, at 4:45 a very beautiful carol service has been ar- e be | ranged, at which time the chorus, with the assistance of the solo quartet, will sing the following carols: "0 Star That Shone" an Dycke Old Enslish | “The Morning Sta Praetorius stma Van Dycke v:Jesus Gently Rest” . Van, *“The Kings of the East Are Riding.' “Adeste Fidelis” . “Christmas” , Dycke 'S ing") Miss' Apple Albert W. Harned as organist and director, with Irene Koehl, soprano; Jessie Masters, contralto; Eugene Dahl and Lynn Gillchrest, tenors, and Ralph | Balliette, bass, will lead the musical parts of the 11 o'clock service tomorrow at the Universalist National Memorial Church, temporarily meeting in the Ambassador Theater, Eighteenth and ‘The musical program will include the story of the nativity as arrauged by Hawley in “The Christ Dr. Eaward Dwight Eaton of Welles- | Child.” Jey Hills. Beloit College church, will preach the sermon. George L. Farnham. pastor. Mrs. Page McK. Etchison, director of former president of d former pastor of the The dedicatory service will be read by Rev. “SONGSTERS” TO GIVE | CAROLS FOR SOLDIERS| musie, has arranged a special program, | which will Lots Lilly, soprano, and Leonard Davis, baritone Representative Madden died several vears ago, after having represented the first Tilinols district in the Fifty-ninth and 10 succeeding Congresses The Cleveland Park Congregational Ohurch s & community house of wor- hip. Tt was ¢ its wervices in o small frame structire antll 1921, v hien the present stone cdi- fiee wis dedicated. There have been four pastars Dr Lumas Royer reanimed the congregation Dr Eston D Prank Bigelow. who retired in 1924 | and the present minister. M include numbers by Miss wanized in 1018 and held Farmham, The “Songsters,” a group composing | the chorus of the Columbia Bible Train- | ing Bchool, will give a Christmas pro- | gram in the theater at Fort Meyer for the soldiers stationed there Sunday eve- ning at 7 o'clock. Amy Albi Bustin will direct. Mrs. Mildred Fecklon Echols will be the ac- companist A group of Christmas carols will be sung, ‘The chorus will sing ““Tis Christ- may’ (Larman). Mrs. Bustin will_give O Moly Night” (Adams) and “The G (Weatherley) ¥ Wade 8 president of the chool, will give Whe Christmas mes age. STAR, - WASHINGTON, ' D: C Bt “It Came Upon The Midnight Clear, That Glorious Story of Ol From Angels, Bending O'er The Earth to Touch Their Harps of Gold” ‘morrow. morrow. morrow. “Dawn in the Desert” (Ehure), at Mount Vernon Place M. E. Church South, 8 p.m. tomorrow. M. E. Church, 8 p.m. tomorrow. peat December 29.) Penite, Adoremus, BDominum! The Origin of Christmas Cavols| [T : By Mra. Inhn a distinct. accompanying it. Hymi psalms; ( expressive of feeling. In & restricted sense, a poem or song not from the Bible, used in worship as opposed to alm. Phillip’s meaning of the word “carol” evidently is that of the second part of the second definition. Music there had been for hundreds of years, in pagan ceremonial and in the temple worship, but the very first Christmas carol ever heard by mortal ears was that which was sung by the angels over the flelds of Bethlehem when our Lord was born, “Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will toward men,” from which, in the course of many years, was evolved our “Gloria in Excelsis,” which, strangely enough, is almost never used in many churches save at the service in com- memoration of the death and passion of our Lord. Of these words there were many settings, and scattered here and there in different countries there were other carols of the Christ’s birth. But the first carols to live and grow and by the vital spark that was within them to burn and multiply in the hearts and on the lips of the people were sung in a tiny Italian village called Grecia. near Assisi, more than 1,200 years after the angels’ song. HOW CAROLS SPREAD. And this is the story: A great heresy called Manicheism, brought from Asia Minor into Bulgaria in the ninth cen- tury, had spread over all of Southern Europe. This heresy denied many of the teachings held sacred by the church, notably the virgin birth of Christ and the doctrine of the incarnation. Now, the good St. Prancis of Assisi, that great mystic of the Middle Ages, was heavy of heart because of the coldness of the people, and he pondered much on how he might bring to their minds knowledge and true understanding of the birth of our Lord. While journey- ing from Rome in the year 1223 to stay over Christmastide at Grecia, near Assisi, suddenly the way to do this be- came clear to him, and when he reached Grecia, hi g obtained per- mission, he caused a manger, an n an ass and all the trappings of a stable to be prepared and placed in the church as a visible representation of the occurrences of the night at Betn- lehem, and reproducing, as far as he knew how, the detalls of the surround- ings of the first Christmas. The popu- lation of the whole neighborhood, be- cause of their love for St. Francis, gath- ered round the village church with tapers and_torches, making luminous the December night. The brethren within the church and the crowds of the faithful who came and went with their lights in and out of the darkness poured out their hearts in praises to God, and a great revival of faith was among the followers of our Lord and they sang new canticles, or carols, of the Savior's birth. These songs were received with much eagerness by all the people, accustomed as they were to wan- dering minstrels and to whom they were all the food for the intellect and imagination to be had. The historian tells us that St. Francis stood by this, his simple theatrical representation (for such indeed it was, no shame to him), “all the night long, sighing for joy and filled with unspeakable sweetness.” One of Francis’ friends, Glovanni, dreamed of a beautiful child, dead, in the man- ger, who woke and smiled and stretched out his arms as St. Francis bent over the humble bed. It was the Christ- child, dead in the hearts of a careless people and a wicked world, but now waking to life by the strength of the love in the good St. Francis’ heart. MYSTERY PLAYS DEVELOP. From this simple performance came the growth not only of the Christmas carol, but also of the Christmas mystery plays. In many churches at Christmas- tide the manger or crib of St. Francis can yet be seen, while the singing of carols still goes on. The only break ir: the making and singing of carols oc- curred during the period of the Refor- mation, when all such manifestations of joy were suppressed. But during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteentn and first part of the seventeenth centu- ries carol making and singing contin- ued. From then on the art of carol | writing declined, and only in recent years has been revived, except for rare instances. Originally the word “carol” implied and the combination of dancing and singing existed from time immemorial, the ans having their religious dances like the Druids, and there seems no doubt that it found its way from pagan ritual into the Christian church. Poets have used the word “carol” to denote both singing and dancing, and in the paintings of Pra Angelico the Christmas angels not only sing, but also dance, while Botticelli's sngels in the Nallvity plcture are most graceful examples of poetry in motion | But, having been once established, i ymmwwuwmmmm»mxm»mmmmr - Cantatas, Oratorios, Pageants “Coming of the King” (Buck), Fourth Presbyterian Church, 8 p.m. to- “Children of Bethlehem,” Keller Memorial Lutheran Church, 7:30 p.m. to- ¢ “Judea” (Gelbel), Metrc olitan Presbyterian Church, 8 p.m. tomorrow. “The Light Eternal” (Petrie), Lincoln Road M. E. Church, 8 p.m. tomorrow. 4 “Adoration” (Nevin), Marvin M. E. Church South, 8 p.m. tomorrow. “The Christ Child,” Eldbrooke M. E. Church, 11 a.m. tomorrow. “Messiah” (Haendel), Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church, at 4 p.m. to- “Noel” (Saint-Saens), at Calvary Baptist Church, 8 p.m. tomorrow. ~ * “Star of the East” (Fearis), by Gospel Mission Class, at Bradbury Heights White Christmas service, Eastern Presbyterian Church, 8 p.m. tomorrow. i Children's Festival, Church of the Holy City, 5 p.m. Tuesday. " White Christmas Pageant, Petworth Baptist Church, 8 p.m. tomorrow. Christmas Pageant, Westminster Church Memorial, 8 p.m. tomorrow. R RRR AR RNRR RRRR SN R AR RARRR AR R B A ) X ) 0 M A R SR S S MO PRI AU R SR R BRI B R BN BN BN BN &N Penite, Adoremus, Dominum! S St g gt e o not only singing, but dancing as well, | 50 (Re- SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, PR S8 8 S e e e e G s B .wifig % M. Sylueater. CAROL, be it known from the beginning, has a character of its own—is not a part-song or a hymn, but something quite Definitions: Carol—(1) a song of joy, exultation, or cheer- fulness; (2) a song of religious joy, especially a festal song, to be sung at Christmas; (3) a dance, performed in a circle, also the song n—(1) a song expressive of praise, adoration or lofty emo- tion; (2) a metrical composition, intended to be sung in religious worship—the hymns of the ancient Hebrews being technically called 3) a religious or patriotic ode, song, lyric or other poem dancing in connection with religious ceremonial became immensely popular— indeed, it became so overworked that presently it was discouraged and even- tually disappeared. ‘The Christmas plays, or mysteries, as they were called, of which St. Fran- cis' simple, tableaux were the forerun- ners, were noted versions of the Christ- mas scenes originally performed by the clergy and in the Latin tongue, and at a time when few could read were very helg:ul in keeping the Bible nar- ratives before the people. Later the acting of the plays passed into the hands of the people, which may have given them wider publicity, but cer- tainly did not appear to have added to their dignity, for all sorts of comic and incongruous scenes were introduced. By the fifteenth century there were three distinct. forms of these representations. ‘The mystery play, dealing with events in the life of Christ; the miracle play, representing the doings of the saints, and the morality play, in which were shown allegorical representations of va- rious virtues and vices. They were ex- ceedingly popular in the Middle Ages and were generall: open air on specially erected stages. Four whole collections of mystery plays have come down to us, dating from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century, and known as the York and Townley plays and the Chester and Coventry plays. They were played by different companies or guilds, and many amusing details of their production might be given. For instance, each guild gave the story most allled to its trade, the goldsmiths playing the “Adoration of the Magi,” wherein they offered gold, frankincense and myrrh, and the boatmen d boat bullders producing “The Ark. Carols as Intermessi. At first carols were merely sung as intermezzi between the scenes of the mysteries, exactly in the same way as music is played between the acts of a modern drama, but after a time the carol interludes became so popular with the audience that there was often great rivalry between the actors and the carol singers, and the audience, having taken a great liking to the carols, was always asked (like Oliver Twist) for more, and it is recorded that at Chester the audi- ence once wrecked the stage and prop- erties and beat the players because they did not get enough carols to please them! By the thirteenth or fourteenth century, However, these difficulties were overcome, and, the singers and players becoming incorporated, the music was performed on the stage as a part of the play itself. Henceforth the musi- clans led the players. The organist was furnished with a little portable or- gan, which he carried fastened to his shoulders by a strap. Blowing the bel- lows with his left hand and playing the keys with his right (very much like a street singer playing an accordion), he led the procession to and fro across the stage, followed by the singers. Sometimes the enthusiasm of the audi- ence was so great that the procession marched into the street and, joined by the audience, marched around the roads with the players singing carols. From this custom it was an easy step to the singing of the carols apart from the mystery plays, and by the fif- teenth century it had become a com- mon practice to sing the carols alone without_histrionic representation. The Music of the Carols—Many of the oldest tunes were written in the old model scales, which by the peculiar tonality and the absence of chromatic intervals give a distinctly refreshing sense of strangeness which is fascinat- ing to modern ea HILLIPS in his book on Carols di- vides them into 13 divisions: Phillips in his book on Carols divides them into 13 divisions: (1) Of the Virgin Mary—Practically all pre-Reformation works, many of them being of great beauty, ranking with the best specimens of old English Iyrics. Most of them are composite, having lines in English and Latin alter- nately, or end their stanzas with a Latin refrain, as does the very old carol “When Christ Was Born of Mary Free,” when every verse ends with “In excelsis gloria.” In many of these carols the Virgin is often likened to liles and roses, in others to a bird. Many were sung to the music of secular ngs. tg Narrative or Story Telling Garols —1 saw Three Ships.” “The Pirst Noel" and Cherry Tree Carol. the story of which occurs in a scene from one of the Coventry mystery plays, and upon which the carol was probably fe This legend of the cherries is o) oldest legends in the world, and accord- ing to the Rev. Baring-Gould, the great authority and writer on folkelore, the story Is the lingering on of a very euri. | ons and mysterions tradition. common to the whale race of man. that the sat (Centinucd fi'\'ll nth Proe ) performed in the | I‘M'honl at 9 19! Episcopal MUSIC for tomorrow's services at the Church of the Epiphany, Episco- pal, will be as follows: Morning, 11 o'clock, “Benedicite in P (Stokowski); anthem, “Behold, the Days Come, Saith the Lord” (Wood- ward). At 8 p.m., anthem, “The Night Is Far Spent” (Bruce Steane). Christmas eve carol service from 11 to 12 o'clock: Processional hymn, ight Clear” . ember’ e Heard on High, Oid French “Jesus, Gentle Babe'". Old Frenci ‘Adore and Be Stiii "(fiute obli- Gounod Carols— “'Shepherds’ Christmas Song” (flute ob- ligato) . . .. Austria “glumber Song of the infant Jesus,’” French ...Yon .Darceux ‘Torovsky tide.” Bishop Spanish ‘Come Ye All with Great Relolcing. lov! here Is Joy O'er All Today"...Slovakia ihepherds Returning' _Sloyakia ring a Torch, Jeanne e g Fre “When at Christmas Christ Was Born. French (Continued on Eleventh Page.) an. pastorale, “Jesu Bambigo” o) oel of the Wait: ‘Softly_the §f ere Shi “God Give Ye Merry Christi Carol. “O Bethlehem". | Carols— TLutheran T St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Eighth and B streets southwest, the music, under the direction of Lucy H. Paul, organist and director, at the :30 am. service Christmas morning, will be as follows: Organ__ prelude. “Pastoral Symphony,"” from “The Messiah' (Handel): nthem, ““The People That Walk in Darkness” (R “There Were Shepherds, (Vin prano and alto duet, esu therine Gross; (Yon), Laura Lyle and Ca bass solo, “Silent Night,” Wilfred Nerlich. On Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock the choir will give a Christmas musical pro- gram at the Tuberculosis Hospital. The numbers will include the antheras “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” (Stain- er), “Sing O Heavens” (Tours) and several solos. 5 ‘The members of the choir of St. Mark’s include Laura Lyle, Selma Trede, Anne Borjes, Marie Trede, Virginia Cooper, Catherine Gross, Frank Kings- bury and Wilfred Nerlich. On Sunday evening the Senior Lu- ther League of Atonement Lutheran Church, North Capitol and Rhode Island avenue, will have charge of the 8 o'clock | vesper service. Representative Paul Kvale of Minne- sota will speak on a Christmas theme. A mixed quartet will sing “Cantique de Noel,” by Adam. Charles R. Kline will give a saxophone solo, “The Holy City.” by Adam. "Miss Virginla Gummel will give a Christmas reading entitled “If He Had Not Come.” Henry Whiting will conduct the open- ing vesper service and the meeting will be under the direction of Mrs. Marjorie K. Gaardsmoe. This service is to be in the form of a special Christmas service and is the second of a series under auspices of Atonement Luther League. The quartet is composed of Mildred Holt, soprano; Mrs. Frank Nye, alto; :’Ioben Volland, tenor, and O. C. Barber, ass. Mrs. Barghausen will be at the piano, acsisted by the Atonement Sunday School Orchestra, On Sunday evening, starting promptly at 7:30, the Bunday school of Keller Memorial Lutheran Church, Ninth street and Maryland avenue northeast, will give an elaborate Christmas program. Children of the elementary grade will take part, and a beautiful cantata, “The Children of Bethlehem," will be sung by A large group of older members of the school. Favorite Christmas hymns will be enjoved and the orchestra will play & pumber of selections. The cantata is under direction of Mrs. E. A. Btitzer. The public is invited to all services. At the regular session of the Sunday . Christmas songs will be sul Christmas Bible st dy | tealto, wil will be conductech Ruth Kobbe, | ik “The Virgin' the cantata by Dud mpanied by Willlam J by" from olst #t the Clerman and Bng At Conea i Luthoian | AR RN AR AR AENERENENTNT % Yule-Log Songs By I. N. McA. Palmer. S S S i St St S s < T is England, and the year is in the whereabouts of 1520. A festive crowd has gathered, for the occasion is the Christmas dinner. The wassail bowl has gone around and appetites are keen. Now, let a chronicler of those baronial days go on with the story. “s * * the first messé was a boar’s head, wch (following the spelling of those times) was carried by ye tallest and lustiest of all ye guard, before whom as attendants wente first, one attired in a horseman’s coat, wth a boar's speare in his hande; next to him another huntsman in greene, with a bloody faulcion drawne; next to him 2 pages in tafatye sarcenet, each of yem wth a messe of mus- tard; next to whome came hee yt carried ye boar’s head crost wth a greene silke scarfe, by wch hunge ye empty scabbord of ye faulcion, wch was carried before him. As yel entered ye hall he sange this Christmas caroll, ye last three verses of euerie staff being repeated after him by ye whole companye.” The carol to which he referred was “The Boar’s Head,” then, and three centuries later, widely celebrated. It marked the general adop- tion of the carol, long a sort of institution in ranks of the clergy, by the laity, as an integral part of the celebration of the “feast” of Christmas. It also marked the public’s modification of the theme of the carol, to give it the flavor of the festivities of a Christmas, the blazing Yule log and the interchanging of the wassail bowl. * % % X THI carols, as chroniclers of nearly & century ago recorded it, originated in the church. Bishops in the primi- tive stage -of the church went out among their clergy at_ Christmastide and sang to them “carols.” had as early as the thirteenth century adapted from these songs Christmas- time airs having to do with good cheer and the open door, for all who came were feasted. In 1866, according to a volume in the Congressional Library, & reseaici I- pert by the name of Nathan B. Warren caused to be published through A. W. Scribner, who described himself as a “job printer” of Troy, N. Y., & treatise on origin of Christmas-time cus- toms, nearly all of which date from an ancient time. In this was s reprint of the words and tune of “The Boar's Head,” which may prove of interest. In the key of C, it runs: ‘The boare’s head in hand bear I, Bedecked with bays and rosemary. And I pray you, my masters, be Merry, Quot es-tis-in con-vi-vi-0, * ok ok X JATER the Christmas carol reverted to the church, and there it has remained, though it is said that the antiquated form is retal to some measure in some English universities, mainly Oxford. But essentially the carol is a part of the church. Surely no institution is more fittingly suited to perpetuate the thought than that in which it originated. ~ae average per- son forgets the carol through those 11 months of the year, but when it comes December it means as much to him as the Christmas tree. ‘The first carol to take concrete and permanent form in the reli tone was “The First Noel.” g to this chronicler of 1866. This runs a number of bars before words are introduced. According to this authority, the words were arranged to harmonize with & very ]mclzne tune by one Willlam essler. ‘The first verse is really fine and ex- presses the true religious origin of the carol. Thus: i ‘The first noel an angel sang, The carol of an ln;el‘efancue: While shepherds watching oer the night Both heard the song and saw the light. Heard both the song and saw the light. Southern Preshyterian MOB‘!‘Im DAVENPORT, baritone soloist of the Church of the Pil- grims, and the junior choir, Esther Lin- kins, director, will present the following at the evening service tomor- 'Christmas Cradle Song” (Hark- er), Mr. Davenport; “Cantique de Noel™ dams), junior choir; soprano solo, he Birthday of a King” (Neldlinger), Imogene Bird; trio, “We Three of Orient Are,” Edward Fuller, Eor;:m, Roger Tollman and chorus of s Church Sunday morning will be Esther Celander, soprano. She will sing “My Heart Ever Faithful,” from the cantata “God So Loved the World,” by Johann Sebastian Bach, using both German and English texts. At the English service the chorus choir will sing the chorale “How Shall I Fitly Meet Thee?” from the “Christ- mas Oratorio,” and the anthem “Be- hold, I Stand at the Door and Knock,” from the cantata “Come, Redeemer,” with solos by Mildred Keyes, soprano, and Robert Rathvon, bass. Both of these numbers are also works of Bach. In the evening at 8 o'clock the cho'r will be assisted by the Davison Glee Club in a candlelight service. The mu- sical program will be as follows: Processional. “Stille Nacht". P. Gt “Gloria Patri”.. ... Sixteenth century chant “Glory to God in'ihe Highest". ...Pergolesi “Dayison Glee Clul U Hoir Night” iCoucordia :Adoramus ‘Te" “Lo, How a Rose K¢ Bloow “Brine & Torch, Jeanstte, Isabells. (Women's Choras) T Ten" °TO! “Christians. dark. ¥ Anicient, carol of the Bressan Waits “Carol of the Btar and 'fiinlu “Solemn Te Deu Club Hadezte 'F (Pull choir ‘and Coneresation.) ‘The soloist for the German service Christmas day at 10 a.m. will be Mar- garet Randolph Muse, soprano. She will sine “Maria's Wiegenlied,” by Re- ger, accompanied by a double male quartet. The double quartet will sing also “Es Ist Ein Ros' Entsprungen,” by Praetorius. At the English service at 7 a.m. argaret Becker, contralto, will sing “Glory to God in the Highest,” by Harker. o MUSIC AT MIDNIGHT MASS ON CHRISTMAS Mary Helen Howe to Direct Pro- gram at St. John’s, in Clinton, Md. Mary Helen Howe, chairman of music of the District of Columbia Chapter of Catholic Alumnae, will di- rect the music at the Christmas mid- night mass at St. John's Catholic Church, Clinton., Md. ‘The music will consist of the “Proper.” by Tozler: “Plain Chant Mass," Ly Dumont, and “Adeste Fideles" at the offertory. Rev. John Horsekamp will officlate. ‘The mass will be preceded by Christ- mas carols sung outside the chureh. ‘The cholr on this ocension will be com- The vested choir of Gunton-Temple Presbyterian ' Church, Sixteenth and Newton streets northwest, will render the following program at the 11 o'clock service under the direction of John Oggle Klein, with Mrs. Klein at the organ. Mrs. Paul Russell, soprano, will sing “Rejoice Greatly” from the “Messiah.” ‘The choir will sing the anthem “The Shepherd’s Story,” by Dickenson. Incidental solos will be sustained by Mr. Klein, Mrs. Russell and Mr. Lines. The Gunton-Temple Male Quartet, re- cently organized and directed by Mr. Klein, will sing “Hallowed Night,” by Adams. The personnel of the quartet is as follows: Mr. Klein, first tenor; Laurence Elliott, second tenor; Willard S. Lines, first bass, and Willlam W. Keeler, sec- ond bass. Central Presbyterian Church, Six- tenth and Irving streets northwest, will hear the following program Sunday: MORNING, 10:50 O'CLOCK. '§an postlude, “lhu‘l of ti fl’l AW, Alerander second bess: Fary ur: baub. Baritane soloist, and Jobn' Russell Mason, organist. The quartet of Metropolitan Presby- terian Church, composed of Mrs. GI George Snyder, soprano; Mrs. Helen B. Benham, contralto; Harold Snyder, Oscar Kuldell, baritone, un- = dmfi{?"wu?’ Elsle Harvey eaver, organ render the fol- lowing Christmas music: AT 11 O'CLOCK. Anthem, “And There Were Shephards’ Anthem. “O Little Town of Be was e = At 7:45 pm. the cantata “Judes,” by Adam Geibel, will be sung by the mixed quartet. - On the following Sunday, December 29, ufir.v wn; be special anthems in the morn! and & pageant descriptive of the “Birth of Christ” will be acted in r:lt:xume by the quartet and assisting Al The choir of the Pourth Presbyteria Chureh, under the direction of mw'-' organ, Buck's Christmas cantata, * o ing of the King," at the evening service Sunday. . Hymamer, temor." George - Anderson, tenor sololst of Bt Margaret's Episcops! Chureh; Robert Jnn-fh.:n tenor sololst tenor, and der the wed of Katharine McEneany, Alberta lley, Pannle Sylvia Howe, Aloysius | llmul\flnr Joe Nonnemacker and Mr Wilson, with Mary Helen Howe direc Ing and Loulse MeNearny as organ flr;wfllr'h\u of the blessed saorament o) tells the m of :(whr:l'l mmn‘h Mar - ard, soprano. Mary Apple, eon- f‘.'.'.u.. solotst of Mount kuom O - O i Kidwell, et Mpla: : "y o \ Ehureh, copal Chureh, and solobt o f B Pauls