Christmas carols have been part of the festive period for centuries, with the first known Christmas carol dating back to the fourth century AD. We asked Harry Christophers, conductor of the much-loved British choir The Sixteen, to share his five favourite old carols, below. We've also added a few of our own favourite old Christmas carols at the end for good measure.
You may also enjoy our rundowns of the best Christmas songs ever, and the best Christmas songs for children.
Best old Christmas carols
1. Verbum caro factum est (Plainchant)
The unison sound of this florid chant, a respond for Mass on Christmas Day, is so evocative; plainsong is, after all, the basis for so much of the glorious music of the Renaissance.
The music is a sacred motet composed in 1591 by Hans Leo Hassler, a German composer who worked as musician for the Fugger family in Augsburg. Based on the Venetian tradition, it's written for six voices. The lyrics, meanwhile, are believed to date from earlier in the 16th century.
2. Make we joy now in this fest (Seldon manuscript, c. 1450)
The original meaning of carol was ‘round dance’, and from here evolves the carol as it emerged during Medieval times. It consists of a burden (chorus) which alternates with verses sung by one or more solo voices. There is no better example of that dance structure than here.
3. Richard Pygott: Quid petis, o fili?
Pygott’s macaronic (mixed-language) poem with its mixture of the sacred and the profane takes the listener back to Medieval forms, yet his clever use of imitative polyphony turns a delightful text into quite exquisite music.
4. Jean Mouton: Nesciens mater
Here, the great French Renaissance composer Jean Mouton gives us so much more than a technical feat (a quadruple canon over a plainchant melody). This is without doubt one of the finest Renaissance motets for the Christmas season – slow-moving harmonies, subtly controlled, yet rich in ideas.
5. Thomas Tallis: Puer natus mass
Written not only to celebrate Mass on Christmas Day but also to honour Queen Mary’s (mistaken) belief that she was pregnant, the seven-voice texture of this carol is so sonorous and inventive that there can be no better celebration to the birth of our Lord.
We named Thomas Tallis one of the best Renaissance composers.
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More best old Christmas carols
6. In Dulci Jubilo
Another macaronic hymn (i.e., one that mixes Latin with another language, in this case German), In Dulci Jubilo dates originally from the 14th century. Its unique sound, both joyful and ethereal, has made it one of the best loved Christmas carols of all time.
Here are the lyrics to In Dulci Jubilo.
7. Gaudete
A sacred song from the 16th century, written in Latin. Its medieval melody is both uplifting and mysterious. Fun fact: the word Gaudete means "Rejoice," and the carol is an exuberant proclamation of joy for the birth of Christ.
You can find the lyrics to 'Gaudete' elsewhere on our site.
8. The Coventry Carol
This hauntingly beautiful 16th-century English carol has its origins in the Medieval Coventry Mystery Plays, in particular the play The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. Performed as part of the nativity story, the Coventry Carol reflects on the biblical Massacre of the Innocents, ordered by King Herod.
Here are the words to the Coventry Carol.
9. Deck the Halls
Based on the 16th-century Welsh melody 'Nos Galan', 'Deck the Halls' celebrates festive merriment and the joy of Christmas. Interestingly, it was originally a New Year’s carol, and did not have specific associations with Christmas.
The lyrics were written much later, in 1862, by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant in 1862, and are much more clearly adapted to fit the festive Christmas season, which became such a big thing during the Victorian era. 'Deck the Halls' bright, lively, easily singable melody make it a favourite for Christmas carol singing, while that famous, repetitive “fa-la-la” refrain gives the carol a timeless, joyful atmosphere.
Here are the 'Deck the Halls' lyrics.