The First Noel

Words and Music: Composer Unknown (English, 1500's)

 

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Image: portion of illuminated manuscript page from "The Book of Kells."Image: Sheet Music with Words of the Song, "The First Noel". ____________________________________________________________

Published first in 1833 in "Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern," a collection of seasonal carols compiled by William B. Sandys.  Origin unknown but thought to be English, dating back to the sixteenth century.  There is a misconception that the song was French because of the French spelling of "Noel" as opposed to the Old English Anglo-Saxon spelling of the word as "Nowell".  When England was conquered by the Normans, numerous words were adopted from the Norman French language and Noel was then spelled "Nowell'.  Early printed versions of this carol use the Nowell spelling. ____________________________________________________________

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