It is up for grabs when this carol truly dates from
but although it has been thought that it comes from sometime during the 16th
or 17th century, there is also a possibility that it may reach as
far back as the 13th century.The version we now know originates from Cornwall,
England, and was taken by the carol collector William Sandys and arranged
and edited with extra verses put on by the author and politician Davies Gilbert,
and published in 1833 in Gilbert and Sandys Christmas Carols.It has also been suggested that the
melody is possibly en earlier melody that would have been sung in a church
gallery that has been corrupted.The carol tells the tale of Christ's birth over a number of verses
and even though the name "Nowell" has often thought to be a corruption of
the French "Noel", it is actually an old-English word that was in used in
the Middle Ages. Over the years the carol has been recorded in many forms
by artists and orchestras from all over the world and popular artists that
have added it to their Christmas releases include Whitney Houston, Hall
& Oates, The Supremes, Sara McLachlan, My American Hearth, NSync and
Eric Johnson. Classical composers have incorporated in into their music such
as John Masefield in his The Box of Delights, Ralph Vaughan Williams
in his On Christmas Night, Edward Elgar in his Starlight Express
and Leroy Anderson in his A Christmas Festival.Often parodied it can be heard with
various lyrics by the animated characters Animaniacs and in the TV
series Home Improvement.
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 WorldCarols for Orchestra and Chorus)
St Louis Philharmonic Orchestra recordings
Sonari records - 7 55724 00272 3 (CD: Christmas with
the Philharmonic)
