Sacred Songs, Folk Roots: The Making of the Christmas Carol

Long before becoming synonymous with Christmas, carols originated in medieval Europe as lively folk dances structured around alternating stanzas and refrains. Over centuries, this versatile genre moved from communal revelry into sacred traditions, giving rise to some of the world’s most cherished anthems. This lecture explores that rich evolution through the surprising backstories of several iconic carols, including "Veni Emmanuel," which originated as a funeral chant; “O Tannenbaum," a tribute to nature that doubled as a Civil War anthem; and "Stille Nacht," written in a quiet Austrian village before famously echoing across a World War I battlefield. Together, these vignettes reveal how local folk customs and monastic devotion intersected to forge a global holiday tradition. 

Featured Concert Repertoire to be Explored:

• Spencer: The Lamb
• Harrison: Tiny Child
• Whitacre: Lux Aurumque
• Izumi: "Miagete Goran Yoru no Hoshi o"
• Ramírez: "Los Pastores"
• Quartel: Sing, My Child
• Traditional Slovenian: Ta Stara Božična Pejsen” (arr. Janez Močnik)
• Biebl: Ave Maria
• Gruber: “Stille Nacht” (“Silent Night”) (arr. Christopher Harris)
• Traditional English: "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (arr. Christine Donkin)
• Arnesen: Even When He Is Silent
• Camm: Alleluia! Into the Light
• Uusberg: Mis on inimene
• Vergara: Mensaje de Paz (arr. Alberto de la Paz)
• Robles: Kujichagulia
• Rachmaninoff: "Bogoroditse Devo” (arr. Thomas Beveridge)"
• Traditional Scottish: “Auld Lang Syne” (arr. Jo Goldsmith-Eteson)

Taught by Juilliard Extension Music Theory and Analysis Chair Patrick Kreeger.