Mr John Cooper (on Twitter) “hears there is a ‘folk’ version of ‘while shepherds watched‘ and also was amazed the pope is catholic”. Quite so, Mr Cooper.
I’m open to correction on this, but I’m pretty sure that the tune of “Ilkley Moor bah t’at” was originally a hymn tune and that it’s association with the words of “Ilkley Moor” was at first frowned upon. Or is that a myth I’ve picked up somewhere? If I’ve time, I’ll look into it.
But for the BBC to describe this setting as ‘rather forgotten‘ is first order tripe. I’ve sung that tune at least once every Christmas season for as long as I can remember.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Tony Buglass 12.15.09 at 1:11 pm
The tune is called
CranfordCranbrook, and was composed by Thomas Clark in 1805 specially for “While Shepherds Watched” - he came from Kent; it’s such fun telling Yorkshire folk their national anthem was composed by a southerner…fat prophet 12.15.09 at 1:14 pm
The proper name of the tune is Cranbrook and we used it last week to good effect at a carol service and I intend to use it the Sunday after Christmas at a service I am leading. On Sunday gone at our circuit carol service we sang While Shepherds to Lyngham and on the CD I mention on my blog there is the folksy version that is often used in folk clubs.
In respect of the Pope being a catholic one of my colleagues when this was said told us he was not a catholic and that he was a German.
Richard 12.15.09 at 1:22 pm
Nice to have my half-remembered fact confirmed by two such authoritative sources! I don’t have a problem with Thomas Clark being a southerner, Tony. It shows how open to other cultures Yorkshire folk have always been
I like Lyngham FP. But it gets to be hard work!
One further thought. In trying to illustrate ‘folk tune carol’, why did the BBC choose such an un-folky rendition? Durham cathedral is a fine choir. But it isn’t ‘folk’ by any stretch of the imagination.
Tony Buglass 12.15.09 at 1:33 pm
I meant to write Cranbrook. I’ve obviously been influenced by he Christmas Radio Times…
Richard 12.15.09 at 2:13 pm
Truth to tell, I didn’t notice you hadn’t written Cranbrook. I’d never make a career as a proof-reader. I’ve amended your comment.
tortoise 12.15.09 at 2:25 pm
I’m beginning to wonder whether ‘new’ ‘revelations’ from Durham musicologists are going to become an annual fixture on BBC News. This time last year they were running a story (equally send-uppable albeit at least less obvious than this Ilkley Moor palaver) about a secret Jacobite code within “O come all ye faithful”.
Richard 12.15.09 at 2:43 pm
Triffic parody, Tortoise. How come I missed that last year?
Craig 12.15.09 at 2:48 pm
The choir at my former church has met for the last few years for a Wild Shepherds Night - singing as many different tunes as they could to While Shepherds - about 25 at the last count. This year they are throwing it open to anyone who wants to join in - http://hallfold.urc.org.uk/?p=25
Richard 12.15.09 at 2:52 pm
What a cracking idea. And with ‘While Shepherds’ being a Common Metre hymn, you’ve got lots of tune options. You’ll have done ‘House of the rising sun’ no doubt.
Do you sing the whole carol to each tune, or one verse at a time?
Chris Pritchard 12.15.09 at 5:12 pm
The Durham research was also on Classic FM as well. I wonder whether this is a case of in complete research, or bad reporting? I thought most of what charles Wesley did was set words to well known tunes some!
Richard 12.15.09 at 5:44 pm
It’s probably a bit of bad reporting on the one hand and a bit of academic opportunism on the other. “This got us on the BBC last year — lets try again”
Nigel 12.16.09 at 11:10 am
My understanding is that Thomas Clark, albeit a southerner, was choir master of a church in Ilkley and the “Ilkley Moor” words were made up as a tease on a summer choir walk. A simple check of Wikipedia would have told Today that their academic was talking b*ll*cks.
Nigel 12.16.09 at 11:11 am
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Ilkla_Moor_Baht_%27at
fat prophet 12.16.09 at 9:56 pm
Just come back from a carol event where the final carol was While Shepherds to Cranbrook and fully enjoyed by all.
Richard 12.16.09 at 10:52 pm
Excellent!
I’ve just come back from a school Christmas event where the closing carol was… “I wish it could be Christmas every day”! The school orchestra and choir did a cracking job with Roquiem though.
Tim Chesterton 12.17.09 at 12:17 am
At the risk of blowing my own trumpet (or rather, playing my own guitar), can I offer these folk versions of Christmas carols?
Richard 12.17.09 at 9:12 am
Be my guest, Tim!