> Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band > Records > Carols and Capers
Carols and Capers
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Carols and Capers Park Records PRK CD9 (CD, UK, November 1991) I Saw Three Ships Park Records PRK CD16 (Maxi-CD, UK, December 1992) |
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Recorded at VM Studios, Oxford
Produced by Andrew Watts and Chris Baylis
Engineered by Chris Baylis
Mastered at Porky's by Denis Blackham
All titles arr. Andrew Watts except [8] arr. Giles Lewin and [14] arr. Bill Badley
Musicians
Maddy Prior, vocals;
Andy Watts, shawms, curtal, clarinet, recorders, Breughel bagpipes, vocals;
Giles Lewin, shawm, fiddle, recorders, medieval bagpipes, tin whistle, vocals;
Bill Badley, acoustic and electric guitar, lute, mandolin, banjo, vocals;
Jub, bass;
Raf Mizraki, drums, percussion, bells, 'cello, vocals
Tracks
Carols & Capers
- The Boar's Head Carol (Roud 22229) (3.06)
- Away in a Manger (1.49)
- My Dancing Day (Roud 21931) (2.36)
- Monsieur Charpentier's Christmas Stomp (2.55)
- See Amid the Winter's Snow (4.06)
- A Boy Was Born (2.36)
- Poor Little Jesus (Roud 10067) (2.22)
- Turkey in the Straw / Whiskey Before Breakfast (2.07)
- Wassail! (Roud 209) (3.53)
- Joy to the World (2.43)
- Cradle Song (3.25)
- Shepherds Rejoice (Roud 7105) (2.27)
- Old Joe Clark (Roud 3594) (1.31)
- Ane Sang of the Birth of Christ (Balulalow) (2.53)
- Monsieur Charpentier's Christmas Swing (2.19)
- Quem Pastores (2.14)
- While Shepherds Watched (Roud 936) (3.05)
- I Saw Three Ships (Roud 700) (3.46)
I Saw Three Ships
- I Saw Three Ships (Roud 700) / Dance Doctor's Christmas Re-Mix (short edit.) (3.08)
- The Boar's Head Carol (Roud 22229) (3.06)
- Poor Little Jesus (Roud 10067) (2.22)
- I Saw Three Ships (Roud 700) (3.46)
Texts
Away in a Manger
USA late 19th century
guitar, 19th century original
Away in a manger,
no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus
asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing
The poor baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus,
No crying he makes.
I love thee Lord Jesus,
Look down from the skies
And stay by my side
Until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus;
I ask thee to stay
Close by me for ever
And love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children
In thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven
To live with thee there.
My Dancing Day
English 19th century
clarinet, 'cello, curtal, bass
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day,
I would my true love did so chance
To see the legend of my play,
And call my true love to my dance.
- Chorus (after each verse):
- Sing O my love, O my love, my love, my love
This have I done for my true love.
Then was I born of virgin pure,
Of her I took fleshly substance.
Thus was I knit to man's nature,
To call my true love to my dance.
In manger laid and wrapped I was,
So very poor this was my chance,
Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass,
To call my true love to my dance.
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day,
I would my true love did so chance
To see the legend of my play,
And call my true love to my dance.
Monsieur Charpentier's Christmas Stomp
Une jeune pucelle / A la venue de Noel / Ou s'en vont ces gais bergers
French trad., after Marie-Antoine Charpentier (c.1645-1704)
fiddle, recorder, lute, guitar, bass, drums, clarinet, Breughel bagpipes,
medieval bagpipes
(instrumental)
See Amid the Winter's Snow
Words E. Caswall (1814-1878), Tune J. Goss (1800-1880)
fiddle, clarinet, lute, curtal, bass, side drum
See amid the winter's snow,
Born for us on earth below;
See the tender lamb appears,
Promised from eternal years.
- Chorus (after each verse):
- Hail thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
Christ is born in Bethlehem!
Lo within a manger lies
He who built the starry skies;
He who, throned in height sublime,
Sits amid the cherubim.
Say, ye holy shepherds, say
What your joyful news today;
Wherefore have ye left your sheep
On the lonely mountain steep?
“As we watched at dead of night,
Lo, we saw a wondrous sight;
Angels singing “Peace on earth”
Told us of our Saviour's birth.'
Sacred infant, all divine,
What a tender love was thine,
Thus to come from highest bliss
Down to such a world as this.
A Boy Was Born
German 16th century
violin, recorders, curtal, lute, bass
A boy was born in Bethlehem,
Rejoice for that Jerusalem!
Alleluia!
For low he lay within a stall
Who rules for ever overall
Alleluia!
He let himself a servant be,
That all mankind he might set free.
Alleluia!
Then praise the Word of God who came
To dwell within a human frame.
Alleluia!
And praised be God in threefold might,
In glory bright
Eternal good and infinite.
Alleluia!
Turkey in the Straw / Whiskey Before Breakfast
USA trad.
fiddle, clarinet, guitar, bass, drums
(instrumental)
Wassail!
Trad. English
fiddle, clarinet, banjo, bass, drums
Joy to the World!
Words Isaac Watts (1674-1748), Tune Lowell Mason (1792-1872)
fiddle, metal clarinet, guitar, bass, percussion
Joy to the world! The Lord is come,
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the world! The Saviour reigns,
Let men their tongues employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins or sorrow grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground.
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love.
Cradle Song
Words Isaac Watts (1674-1748), Tune USA early 19th Century
clarinet, fiddle, guitar, bass
Hush my dear, lie still and lumber,
Holy angels guard thy bed.
Heavenly blessings without number
Gently falling on thy head.
Sleep me babe; thy food and raiment,
House and home, thy friends provide;
All without thy care and payment,
All thy wants are well supplied.
How much better thou art attended
Than the Son of God could be
When from heaven he descended
And became a child like thee.
Soft and easy is thy cradle;
Coarse and hard the Saviour lay,
When his birthplace was a stable
And his softest bed was hay.
Lo, he slumbers in a manger,
Where the horned oxen fed;
Peace, my darling, here's no danger,
Here's no ax a-near thy bed.
May'st thou live to know and fear him,
Trust and love him all thy days;
Then go dwell for ever near him,
See his face and sing his praise.
Shepherds Rejoice
Words Isaac Watts (1674-1748), Tune USA 19th Century
clarinet, banjo, bass, drums
Old Joe Clark
USA trad.
fiddle, clarinet, banjo, bass, drums
(instrumental)
Ane Sang of the Birth of Christ (Balulalow)
Scottish 16th Century
lute
I come fra hevin here to tell
The best nowells that e'er befell
To you thir tythings trew I bring
And I will of them say and sing.
To you this day is born ane child
Of Marie meik and Virgin mild.
That blissit bairn bening and kind
Sall you rejoyce baith hart and mind.
Lat us rejoyis and be blyth
And with the Hydris go full swyth
And see what God of his grace hes done
Throu Christ to bring us to his throne
My saull and life, stand up and see
What lyis in ane cribbe of tree.
What Babe is that, sa gude and fair?
It is Christ, God's Son and Air.
The silk and sandell thee to eis
Ar hay and sempill sweilling clais,
Whar thou greit glorious God and King
As thou in hev'n war in thy ring.
And war the warld ten times sa wide,
Cled ouer with gold and stanes of pride
Unworthie yit it were to thee
Under thy feet ane stule to be.
O my deir hart, yung Jesus sweit,
Prepare thy creddil in my spreit!
And I sall rock thee in my hart
And never mair fra thee depart.
Bot I sall praise thee evermoir
With sangis sweit unto thy gloir.
The kneis of my hart sall I bow,
And sing that rycht Balulalow.
Monsieur Charpentier's Christmas Swing
Or, nous dites Marie / Joseph est bien marié
French trad., after Marie-Antoine Charpentier (c.1645-1704)
Breughel bagpipes, recorders, guitar, bass, drums
(instrumental)
Quem Pastores
German 16th Century
recorders, lute
Quem pastores laudavere,
Quibus angeli dixere,
Absit vobis jam timere
Natus est rex gloriae.
Ad quem magi ambulabant
Aurum, thus, myrrham portabant
Immolabant haec sincere
Nato regi gloriae.
Christo regi, Deo nato,
Per Mariam nobis dato,
Merito resonet vere
Laus, honor et gloria.
The one whom shepherds worshipped -
Shepherds to whom angels said
“Do not be afraid” -
The King of glory is born.
Kings journeyed to him,
They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh.
They offered these truly
To the new-born King of Glory.
To Christ the King, God incarnate,
Given us through Mary,
As is truly due, let
Praise, honour and glory resound.
(Transl. Sam Sharpe)
While Shepherds Watched
Words Nahum Tate (1652-1715), Tune T. Phillips (1735-1807)
clarinet, lute, bass
I Saw Three Ships
English trad.
recorder, tin whistle, fiddle, guitars, Breughel bagpipes, bass,
drums, bells
Sleeve Notes
Maddy Prior enjoys many and various musical activities. She has been singing with Steeleye Span for around twenty years and continues to do so with undiminished enjoyment. She also works regularly with her husband Rick Kemp, writing and performing their own compositions. Their album Happy Families was released on the Park Label in 1990 (PRK CD4). She has done projects with June Tabor and numerous television and radio appearances. She still likes to tour when the commitment of family life (Alex and Rosie) allows. Working with the Carnival Band holds a special affection for her. She says that the joyful and enthusiastic way the projects are approached make them a delight to do.
The Carnival Band made their debut on the towpath of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in the summer of 1984. They range from medieval dances to music hall songs in a style that draws on early music and traditional music from Europe, East and West, and America, North and South. They have toured frequently in Britain and Belgium, giving concerts and working with schools and community groups and in 1989 made their first album, Madame Lucette.
Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band were first brought together in 1984 for a BBC Radio 2 broadcast of Christmas carols. This became the basis of the album A Tapestry of Carols (Saydisc CD-SDL 366) which was enthusiastically received by the press and the public. As a result, Maddy and the band gave three U.K. concert tours and made several TV and radio appearances. Another Radio 2 commission led to their recording Sing Lustily and With Good Courage (Saydisc CD-SDL 383), a collection of gallery hymns which was also acclaimed. While Maddy and The Carnival Band are happy to maintain their separate identities and careers, they enjoy these occasional collaborations which give them the chance to combine their different styles and talents.
Since medieval times, carols and dancing have gone hand in hand; in fact the word carol probably comes from the old French “carole' meaning a round dance. Today's Christmas carols are a far cry from the sung dances of the middle ages - on this record there are hymns, spirituals, lullabies, feasting and wassail songs as well as dance carols. So what makes them all “carols'? Partly the plain fact that they are sung around Christmas and celebrate the birth of Jesus, but more importantly their combination of good tunes with simple words to express the religious feelings of ordinary people. In addition, they contain a strong feeling of celebration which means that secular carols like The Boar's Head and dance tunes like Old Joe Clark can rub shoulders with Away in a Manger and a Scottish cradle song. So there's no irreverence intended in this motley collection of songs and dances spanning five centuries. In fact, the meeting of heaven and earth, the divine and the human, is what Christmas is about.
“Now may I well hop and sing
For I have been a Christes bearing.
Home to my fellows now will I fling.
Christ of heaven to his bliss us bring!”
With hoy!
For in his pipe he made so much joy.
Shepherd's carol. Anon. 15th Century