A Medieval Christmas

This week, Donald Macleod marks the beginning of the season of Advent by exploring Christmas music and stories from the Middle Ages. Christmas celebrations encompassed a great variety of colourful traditions and musical occasions during medieval times. Peasants and nobles alike could look forward to many weeks of festivities, from Advent at the start of December, right through to Candlemas on 2nd February. Some of those customs we still recognise and celebrate today. Many are now lost or significantly altered. Donald is joined by early music expert, William Lyons, to examine how Christmas might have felt and sounded to our medieval ancestors.Music Featured: Gaudete
Personent hodie; Gaudete; Omnis mundus jucundetur
Perotin: Alleluia Nativitas
Miri it is while sumer ilast
Blowe, Northerne Wynd (arr. William Lyons)
Seint Nicholas was borne in the citee of Patras; Cantu mirro, summa laude; Sainte nicholaes; Salve cleri speculum - Salve iubar presulum
Dufay: Ce jour de l'an
Orientis partibus
The Play of Daniel (Ludus Danielis)
Hec est Clara dies
Procedenti puero
Pérotin: Salvatoris hodie
Dum sigillum summi patris [instrumental]
Perotin: Viderunt Omnes
Hodie Christus natus est
Viderunt Emmanuel
Lux hodie, Lux leticie
Psallat chorus; Eximie pater et regie; Aptatur
Descendit de cælis
In natali Domini
Isaias Cecinit
Perotin: Sederunt Principes
Verbum patris umanatur O O
Edi beo thu hevene-queene
Angelus ad virginem
Ecce quod natura
Ther is no rose of swych vertu
Verbum Patris humanatur
Verbum Patris (intrumental)
Thys endere nyght
Ave Maris Stella
Nowell, owt of youre sleep aryse
Adam lay ibowndyn (arr. William Lyons)
Ye have so longe kepe schepe (instrumental)
Nowell, nowell, nowell
Hayl Mary ful of grace
Coventry Carol
Halle: Dieus soit en cheste maison
Sequentia
Dufay: Bonjour, bon mois
Lantins, A: Ce jour de l’an, belle je vous supply
Dufay: Ce jour de l'an
Gresley Dances (arr. William Lyons)Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Chris Taylor for BBC Audio Wales and WestFor full track listings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for A Mediaeval Christmas https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001svqt And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z