The First Noel (or Noël)

"The First Nowell", modernised as "The First Noel" (or Noël)", is a traditional English Christmas carol with Cornish origins, most likely from the early modern period, although possibly earlier. It is listed as number 682 in the Roud Folk Song Index.

 

Origin and history

"The First Nowell" is of Cornish origin. Its current form was first published in Carols Ancient and Modern (1823) and Gilbert and Sandys Carols (1833), both of which were edited by William Sandys and arranged and edited by Davies Gilbert (who also wrote extra lyrics) for Hymns and Carols of God.

 

Nowell is an Early Modern English synonym of "Christmas" from French Noël, "the Christmas season", ultimately from Latin natalis [dies] "[day] of birth". The word was regularly used in the burden of carols in the Middle Ages towards the early modern period; Sir Christèmas (Ritson Manuscript), "Nowell sing we now all and some" (Trinity Carol Roll)[6] and "Nowel – out of youre slepe arise and wake" (Selden Carol Book) being 15th century examples.

 

The melody is unusual among English folk melodies in that it consists of one musical phrase repeated twice, followed by a refrain which is a variation on that phrase. All three phrases end on the third of the scale. Writing in the Journal of the Folk-Song Society in 1915, Anne Gilchrist notes it was not recorded prior to Sandys' publication. She speculated based on a set of church gallery parts discovered in Westmorland that the tune may have had its origin as a treble part to another carol "Hark, hark what news the angels bring"; her suggestion was that the treble part was passed down orally and was later remembered as the melody rather than a harmony.  A conjectural reconstruction of this earlier version can be found in The New Oxford Book of Carols.

 

Today, "The First Nowell" is usually performed in a four-part hymn arrangement by the English composer John Stainer, first published in his Carols, New and Old in 1871.  Variations of its theme are included in Victor Hely-Hutchinson's Carol Symphony.

American folklorist James Madison Carpenter made audio recordings of several traditional versions of the song in Cornwall in the early 1930s, which can be heard online via the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library.

Pentatonix - The First Noël (Official Lyric Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u5UvnKlCTA

 

 

The first Noel the angel did say

was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay

In fields where they lay keeping their sheep,

on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

 

Noel, noel!

Noel, noel!

Born is the King of Israel!

 

They looked up and saw a star shining

in the east, beyond them far;

And to the earth it gave great light

and so it continued both day and night.

 

Noel, sing noel.

Noel, noel, sing noel, noel.

 

Then let us all with one accord

sing praises to our Heavenly Lord,

that hath made Heaven and earth of naught

and with His blood mankind hath bought!

 

Noel, noel! Noel, noel!

Born is the King, born is the King, born is the King of Israel!

Sing we all Noel!

Sing we Noel!

 

The First Noel - Boney M (with Lyrics)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UTN9dMidZ4&list=TLGGU8kPopokeZcyNDEyMjAyMw&t=25s

 

The first Noel, the angel did say
저 들 밖에 한밤중 양틈에 자던 목자들

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay
천사들이 전하여 준 주 나신 소식 들었네

In fields where they lay keeping their sheep
양을 치고 누워 있던 들판에도

On a cold winter's night that was so deep
차가운 겨울밤은 깊어만 가네

?Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
노엘, 노엘, 노엘, 노엘

Born is the king of Israel?
이스라엘 왕이 나셨네

They looked up and saw a star
고개를 드니 보이는 별 하나

Shining in the east, beyond them far
저 멀리 동방에서 빛나고 있네

And to the earth it gave great light,
지상으로 내려지는 찬란한 영광이

And so it continued both day and night
밤낮으로 끊임없이 이어지네

?Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
노엘, 노엘, 노엘, 노엘

Born is the king of Israel?
이스라엘 왕이 나셨네

And by the light of that same star
동방의 그 별 찬란한 빛이

There wise men came from country far
저 멀리 현자들을 불러모았네

To seek for a king was their intent,
왕을 찾는 것이 그들의 사명

And to follow the star wherever it went.
별을 따라 길을 나섰네

?Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
노엘, 노엘, 노엘, 노엘

Born is the king of Israel?
이스라엘 왕이 나셨네

This star drew night to the northwest,
별이 북서로 밤을 몰아내고

O'er Bethlehem it took its rest
베들레헴이 그 몸을 쉬시니

And there it did both stop and stay
다다라 머물렀네

Right over the place where Jesus lay
주예수 누워계시던 그 자리 위에

?Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
노엘, 노엘, 노엘, 노엘

Born is the king of Israel?
이스라엘 왕이 나셨네

 

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field,

keeping watch over their flock by night

(Luke 2:8)

 

 

"The First Noel" (also written "The First Noël") is a popular traditional English Christmas hymn, most plausibly from the early modern period, though perhaps earlier. Noel is actually an Early Modern English synonym of "Christmas". 

 

1

The first Noel the angel did say 
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; 
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep, 
on a cold winter's night that was so deep. 

Refrain:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, 
born is the King of Israel. 

2

They looked up and saw a star 
shining in the east, beyond them far; 
and to the earth it gave great light, 
and so it continued both day and night. [Refrain]

3

And by the light of that same star 
three Wise Men came from country far; 
to seek for a king was their intent, 
and to follow the star wherever it went. [Refrain]

4

This star drew nigh to the northwest, 
o'er Bethlehem it took its rest; 
and there it did both stop and stay, 
right over the place where Jesus lay. [Refrain]

5

Then entered in those Wise Men three, 
full reverently upon the knee, 
and offered there, in his presence, 
their gold and myrrh and frankincense. [Refrain]

 

The United Methodist Hymnal, 1989

 

"The First Noel," 550 BYU Musicians Celebrate Christmas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDptbIBcRNg

 

 

 

Brigham Young University

 

Dec 17, 2023

Singing “praises to our heavenly Lord,” more than 550 Brigham Young University musicians filled the concert hall with strains of “The First Noel,” as the finale number from the Celebration of Christmas concert.

 

Held for the first time in the new BYU Music Building, the annual School of Music Christmas concert featured BYU Concert Choir, the BYU Singers, Men’s Chorus, Women’s Chorus, and the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

Conducted by Sonja Poulter

Special thanks to the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications, the BYU School of Music and conductors Andrew Crane (BYU Singers), Sonja Poulter (Women's Chorus), Brent Wells (Concert Choir and Men's Chorus), and Nathan Haines (BYU Philharmonic Orchestra)

 

Arrangement by Dwight Bigler

Published by Hinshaw Music

Video produced by BYU Video/University Communications