Although the original writer of this tune has never
been discovered, it is known that it is called "Nos Galan" (New Year's Eve)
and was discovered in an old manuscript by John Parry who was an 18th
century Welsh harpist.Thought
to be of the 16th century in origin, the original music is still
danced to in Wales.It was
first published in the latter half of the 18th century and it's
popularity spread far and wide and the lyrics that were added later were
English, although the Welsh would traditionally sing to it in competition
with each other on a "verse for verse" basis while dancing in a ring around
a harpist who played the "answering bars".Possibly discovered while visiting England as a child, the
tune was used in 1788 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in his "Sonata No. 18", or
"Sonata in G for violin and keyboard" (K. 301). There was choral setting published in the 1784 and 1794
editions of Musical and Poetical Relics of the Welsh Bards by the
harpist Edward Jones where it was called a harp symphony in 1784 and "Dadlea"
in 1794. The carol that is now as we know it was taken by the English and
turned into a Christmas song with lyrics, possibly by an unknown American, being
first published in a New York newspaper without music in 1881.Unknown as to how the text and
music came together it is also said to have appeared in The Franklin
Square Song Collection 1881 in New York.The lyrics have often been questioned though as they
have been said to sound more of Middle Ages English madrigals rather than
19th century America. Often parodied it has been used by the
groups Barenaked Ladies, Twisted Sister, by the artists Adam Hill and
Clifton Staples, by the animated group JibJab and in the animated series
Pogo.
Black Dyke Mills Band recordings
Chandos 4541 (CD: A Christmas Fantasy)
Boston Pops recordings
Philips 416 287 - 2 (CD:We Wish You a Merry Christmas)
Conductor - John
Williams
DG 419 414-2 (CD: White Christmas)
Conductor - Arthur
Fiedler
RCA 09026-61685-2 (CD: Pops Christmas Party)
Conductor - Arthur
Fiedler
Sony SK 48232 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor - John
Williams
Tanglewood Festival Chorus
Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra recordings
Naxos 8.990005 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor - Richard Hayman
Rochester Pops Orchestra
Koch CHD 1531 (CD: Joy to the World - Carols for
Orchestra and Chorus)
St Louis Philharmonic Orchestra recordings
Sonari records - 7 55724 00272 3 (CD: Christmas with
the Philharmonic)
