Bibliographic Information
This book was published by Novello & Company, Sevenoaks, Kent. There is no publication date on the flyleaf, but the copyright statement on individual page suggests 1963.It was edited by Louis Halsey and Basil Ramsey, and aims to be "a mid 20th century collection of the best in contemporary British carol writing and arrangement", with most material "within the range of a reasonably proficient choir".
A key feature is that the book suggests which carols are suitable for the feasts in the Advent and Christmas period, including the Annunciation, St Stephens Day, Holy Innocents, New Year and Epiphany.
It contains 52 works in total (two share a stave, giving the 51 in the title). Of these, 41 are in standard English, 7 combine Latin and English, and the others are a mix of early or middle English, and French/English combinations.
The book is now out-of-print, but copies are usually available on Amazon - UK
About the contents listing
Composer, author and copyright ownership are shown as they are recorded in the book, in accordance with this site's copyright policies. This means that the copyright information is not necessarily correct today.Detail pages for some songs are linked from the titles, and more detail-pages will be added as time and copyright permissions allow.. They may include:
- background information about the hymn,
- the full lyrics,
- downloadable PowerPoint slides of the words,
- sheet music (lead-sheet and/or guitar chords only),
- (links to) samples of the song.
If you own the copyright to any of these carols, and would like to grant permission for items to be made available here, or to provide a link to sources where they are still available for sale, please contact us.
Table of Contents
| Title (first-line) | Number |
|---|---|
| A Babe is Born | 1 |
| A babe is born all of a may Lyrics: Unknown - 15th century - Public domain Tune: Peter Racine Fricker © Novello and Co Score: SATB + piano Language: Latin and English | |
| A Child this Day is Born | 2 |
| A child this day is born, a child of high renown / Glad tidings to all men Lyrics: Traditional - Public domain Tune: David Barlow © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: Bm Language: English | |
| A Shepherd's Carol | 3 |
| O lift your little pinkie / O lift your little pinkie and touch the winter sky Lyrics: W H Auden © W H Auden Tune: Benjamin Britten © Novello and Co Score: SATB Language: English | |
| A Virgin Most Pure | 6 |
| A virgin most pure as the prophets do tell / Aye and therefore be merry, rejoice and merry Lyrics: Traditional - Public domain Tune: English tune - arranged by Brian Brockless © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: F Language: English | |
| Adam Lay yBounden | 4 |
| Adam lay ybounden, bounden in a bond Lyrics: Unknown - 15th century © Tune: Boris Ord © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: Bm Language: Old English | |
| An Australian Carol | 5 |
| The thin distraction of a spider's web Lyrics: James McAuley © Angus & Robertson Ltd Tune: Malcolm Williamson © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Language: English Words from "A Vision of Ceremony" | |
| Angels from the Realms of Glory | 7 |
| Angels from the realms of glory, wing your flight o'er all the earth / Gloria in excelsis deo Lyrics: J Montgomery - Public domain Tune: French tune - arranged by Arthur Oldham © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: G Language: Latin and English | |
| Angelus ad Virginem | 8 |
| Gabriel,from heaven's king sent to the maiden sweete Lyrics: Adapted by Raymond Warren © Tune: English tune - arranged by Raymond Warren © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: G Language: Early English - modernised | |
| Away in a Manger | 9 |
| Away in a manger no crib for a bed Lyrics: Anonymous - Public domain Tune: W J Kirkpatrick - arranged by Hugo Cole © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Key: G Language: English | |
| Balulalow | 10 |
| O my dear heart, young Jesus sweet Lyrics: James, John and Robert Wedderburn © Novello and Co Tune: Louis Halsey © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: F#m Language: English | |
| Blessed be that maid Mary | 11 |
| Blessed be that maid Mary, born he was of her body Lyrics: Old English - modernized by G R Woodward © Novello and Co Tune: English tune - arranged by Louis Halsey © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: Em Language: English | |
| Cherry Tree Carol, The | 21 |
| Joseph was an old man, and an old man was he Lyrics: Traditional - Public domain Tune: English tune - arranged by Peter Wishart © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Key: A Language: English | |
| Coventry Carol, The | 37 |
| Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child Lyrics: 15th Century - from the Pageant of he Shearmen and Tailors, Coventry © Tune: English tune - arranged by John Rose © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: Gmin Language: English | |
| Ding Dong Merrily on High | 12 |
| Ding dong merrily on high / Gloria in excelsis deo Lyrics: G R Woodward © SPCK Tune: French tune - arranged by Malcolm Williamson © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: A Language: English From the Cambridge Carol Book | |
| Dormi Jesu | 15 |
| Dormi Jesu, Mather ridet / Sleep sweet Jesus while thy mother smiles Lyrics: Traditional - English translation by Peter Aston © Novello and Co Tune: Peter Aston © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: F#min Language: Latin and English | |
| Eastern Monarchs | 13 |
| Eastern monarchs, sages three / Cum Virginae Maria Lyrics: Latin 15th century, English translation anonymous - Public domain Tune: Peter Naylor © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: F Language: Latin and English | |
| Ecce Puer | 14 |
| Of the dark past, a child is born Lyrics: James Joyce © Society of Authors Tune: Bernard Naylor © Novello and Co Score: SATB Language: English | |
| First Christmas, The | 38 |
| A star was his night-light, his quilt was the sky Lyrics: Elizabeth Fleming © Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd Tune: Peter Racine Fricker (1938) © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: Em Language: English From The Creepie-Stool | |
| First Nowell, The | 37 |
| The first nowell the angel did say / Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell, born is the king Lyrics: Traditional - Public domain Tune: English tune - arranged by John Gardner © Not stated Score: SATB + organ Key: Dmin Language: English | |
| From heaven winging | 16 |
| From heaven winging, angels are singing Lyrics: Traditional German - English translation by Lawrence Swinyard © Novello and Co Tune: Hungarian tune arranged by Basil Ramsey © Score: SATB + organ Key: G Language: English | |
| God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen | 17 |
| God rest ye merry gentlemen let nothing you dismay / Oh, tidings of comfort and joy Lyrics: Traditional - Public domain Tune: English tune - arranged by John Joubert - Public domain Score: SATB + organ Key: Em Language: English | |
| Good King Wenceslas | 18 |
| Good king Wenceslas looked out, on the feast of Stephen Lyrics: J M Neale © Not stated Tune: Tune from Piae Cantiones - arranged by Malcolm Williamson © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Language: English | |
| Here we bring new water | 19 |
| Here we bring new water from the well so clear Lyrics: Anonymous © Not stated Tune: Bernard Naylor © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Key: C Language: English | |
| Holly and the Ivy, The | 40 |
| The holly and the ivy are trees that's both well known / The rising of the sun, the running of the deer Lyrics: Collected by Cecil Sharp © Novello and Co Tune: English tune - arranged by Benjamin Britten © Boosey & Company Ltd Score: SATB Key: F Language: English | |
| Infant Holy | 20 |
| Infant holy, infant lowly, for his bed a cattle stall / Christ the babe is Lord of all Lyrics: Traditional Polish - translated by Edith M Reed © Evans Bros. Tune: Polish tune - arranged by Edmund Rubbra © Aldred Lengnick and Co Ltd Score: SATB Key: Fmin Language: English | |
| Infant King, The | 41 |
| Sing lullaby, lullaby baby now reclining Lyrics: S Baring-Gould © J Curwen & Sons Ltd Tune: Basque tune - arranged by Desond Ratcliffe © E H Freeman Ltd Score: SATB Key: F Language: English | |
| Let us Securely Enter / Entrez-y tous en sureté | 22 |
| Lyrics: French - Christin Prost (17th Century). English translation - Edmund Rubbra © Aldred Lengnick and Co Ltd Tune: Edmund Rubbra - Opus 93 © Aldred Lengnick and Co Ltd Score: SATB Key: Amin Language: French and English | |
| Linden Tree, The | 42 |
| There stood in heav'n a linden tree Lyrics: Joy Finzi © Novello and Co Tune: German tune - arranged by Jeremy Dale Roberts © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: F Language: English Translated from German | |
| Lord at first did Adam Make, The | 43 |
| The Lord at first did Adam make / Now let good Christians all begin, sins evil ways to shun Lyrics: Traditional - Public domain Tune: English tune - arranged by Arnold Cooke © Novello and Co Score: SATB Key: F Language: English | |
| Lord Jesus Once was a Child | 23 |
| Lord Jesus once was a child like thee Lyrics: Ronald Duncan © Eric Glass Ltd Tune: Thomas Eastwood © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Language: English For RNF | |
| Lully Lulla | 24 |
| Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child Lyrics: 15th Century - from the Pageant of he Shearmen and Tailors, Coventry © Tune: Kenneth Leighton - Opus 25, No 2 © Novello and Co Score: Solo + SATB + accompaniment Language: English | |
| Nativity | 25 |
| And hark! The hearld angels sing tonight Lyrics: W R Rodgers © W R Rodgers Tune: Elisabeth Lutyens © Novello and Co Score: Solo + organ Language: English | |
| Nowell, nowell tidings true / The Salutation Carol | 26 |
| Lyrics: 15th Century © Tune: English tune - arranged by Richard Rodney - Public domain Score: SATB Key: Amin Language: English | |
| O Leave Your Sheep | 27 |
| O leave your sheep, your lambs that follow Lyrics: Alice Raleigh © Novello and Co Tune: French tune - arranged by Kenneth Leighton © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Key: Dmin Language: English Translated from French | |
| Old year now away is fled, The | 50 |
| The old year now away is fled, the New Year now is entered Lyrics: Traditional - Public domain Tune: Arranged by Alan Ridout © Novello and Co Tune-name: GREENSLEEVES Score: SATB Language: English | |
| Our Lady's Song | 28 |
| Jesu, swete sone dere! On porful bed list thou here Lyrics: Anonymous - circa 1375 - Public domain Tune: Nicholas Law © Novello and Co Score: SATB + accompaniment Language: Middle English | |
| Out of Your Sleep Arise | 29 |
| Out of your sleep arise and wake / Glory to god, glory to god, glory to God in the highest Lyrics: 14th Century © Tune: Anthony Milner © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Key: A Language: Latin and English | |
| Remember O thou man | 30 |
| Remember O thou man thy time is spent Lyrics: Thomas Ravenscroft - Public domain Tune: Arthur Oldham © Novello and Co Score: Solo + SATB Language: English From Melismata, 1611 | |
| Rise up now, ye shepherds | 31 |
| Rise up now, ye shepherds, haste with joy to greet the morn / Glory in the highest, peace on earth we sing Lyrics: French - Paraphrased from The Townley Mysteries © Tune: French tune - arranged by Alan Bush © Score: SATB Language: English | |
| Shepherds Come | 32 |
| Shepherds come, brothers come, from the hillside Lyrics & tune: Neil Saunders © Novello and Co Score: SATB + accompaniment Language: English | |
| Shepherds shake off your drowsy sleep | 33 |
| Shepherds shake off your drowsy sleep / Sing noel, oh sing noel Lyrics: Anonymous © Tune: Besancon tune - arranged by Bernard Naylor © Novello and Co Score: SATB Language: English Translated from French | |
| Silent Night | 34 |
| Silent night, holy night Lyrics: W G Rothery © Not stated Tune: Franz Gruber - arranged by Alan Ridout © Novello and Co Score: SATB Language: English | |
| Star Song, The | 36 |
| Tell us, thou clear and heavenly tongue Lyrics: Robert Herrick © Tune: Adrian Cruft, Opus 42 © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Language: English | |
| Sweet was the Song | 35 |
| Sweet was the song the virgin sang Lyrics: William Ballet - Public domain Tune: John Rose © Novello and Co Score: SATB Language: English Lyrics from Lute Book - 17th century | |
| There is no Rose of such Virtue | 44 |
| There is no rose of such virtue as the rose that bore Jesu, alleluia. Lyrics: Medieval - Public domain Tune: John Joubert - Opus 14 © Novello and Co Score: SATB + accompaniment Key: Fmin Language: English | |
| Thou Whom Shepherds Worshipped / Quem pastores | 45 |
| Lyrics: C S Phillips © Proprietors of Hymns Ancient & Modern Tune: German tune - arranged by Desmond Ratcliffe © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Key: G Language: Latin and English Translated from German | |
| Twas in the year that King Uzziah died | 46 |
| Lyrics: G R Woodward © SPCK Tune: Arranged by Geoffrey Bush © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Based on: Isaiah I Language: English From the Cambridge Carol Book | |
| Until I wander'd | 47 |
| Until I wandered thru the world I did not know Lyrics: Herbert Read © Herbert Read and Faber & Faber Ltd Tune: Alan Ridout © Novello and Co Score: SATB Language: English | |
| Unto Us is Born a Son | 48 |
| Unto us is born a son, king of quires supernal Lyrics: G R Woodward © A R Mowbray Ltd Tune: Arranged by Thomas Eastwood © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Key: D Language: English From Piae Cantiones, 1582. English translation from the Cowley Carol Book. | |
| We Three Kings | 49 |
| We three kings of Orient are / Oh, star of wonder star of night Lyrics: J H Hopkins, 1857 - Public domain Tune: J J Hopkins - arranged by Richard Drakeford © Novello and Co Score: SATB + organ Key: G Language: English | |
| What Child is This | 50 |
| What child is this who on Mary's lap Lyrics: 17th century - Public domain Tune: Arranged by Alan Ridout © Novello and Co Tune-name: GREENSLEEVES Score: SATB Language: English | |
| When Christ was Born of Mary Free | 51 |
| When Christ was born of Mary free / In excelsis gloria Lyrics: Anonymous, 15th century © Tune: John Gardner, Opus 55 © Novello and Co Score: Melody line - verses. 2-part chorus Key: C Language: Latin and English |
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