This holy night!
Christ is born: the hope of glory
Dawns on our sight.
Michael Perry (1942-1996)
Christmas carols old and new have dominated this week. With seven services and a community carol singing event coming up in the next three weeks there has been a lot of music to prepare. Advent is a busy time in our churches.
Every carol has a story to tell about the time and place of its writer. Traditional carols remain popular and everyone has their own special favourites. Over the course of time these have been joined by songs written by contemporary composers. Some stand the test of time, others prove less enduring. Times change and carols change with them, it would seem.
What makes a good carol? There are musical, lyrical and theological answers to that question and opinion varies. As both a minister and a musician it seems to me the best carols are those where words and music come together in a way that enables the Christian community to 'sing the Christmas story'. Tastes may change but the story of that holy night is timeless.
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