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First Nowell
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2 Guitars, traditional English Christmas carol, most likely from the 18th century
Song Info
Genre
Jazz Jazz General
Author
Traditional
Rights
Traditional
Uploaded
November 26, 2010
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.1 MB 128 kbps 3:23
Story behind the song
WIKI: In its current form it is of Cornish origin, and it was first published in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (1823) and Gilbert and Sandys Christmas Carols (1833), both of which were edited by William B. Sandys and arranged, edited and with extra lyrics written by Davies Gilbert. The melody is unusual among English folk melodies in that it consists of one musical phrase repeated twice, followed by a variation on that phrase. All three phrases end on the third of the scale. The refrain, also unusually, merely repeats the melody of the verse. It is thought to be a corruption of an earlier melody sung in a church gallery setting; a conjectural reconstruction of the earlier version can be found in the New Oxford Book of Carols
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