What is a carol in music?

A carol is a song of religious joy connected to a season, especially Christmas. More specifically, a carol is a late medieval English song on any subject with uniform stanzas or verses alternating with a refrain or burden in the pattern B, V1, B, V2 . . . B. The word carol comes from the Late Latin choraula , which described a choral song and a musician who played a reed instrument for a chorus. In medieval times, carol or carole was a round dance with singing during pagan celebrations. Later, Christians wrote religious songs, mainly for Christmas, giving us the familiar sense of the word today.

When are carols typically sung?

Carols are characteristically sung during the Christmas season, expressing religious joy. The term originally described a dance performed in a circle, along with a joyful song that went with it. Over time, carols evolved into songs of celebration, especially for the Nativity. The golden age of the English carol occurred from 1350 to 1550, when carols were popular religious songs.

What are the main themes of carols?

Carols are songs of religious joy tied to a season, especially Christmas . Emerging in England around the 14th century, carols served as popular religious songs. During the English carol's golden age (c. 1350–1550), the main themes revolved around the Virgin Mary, the Christ child, and the saints whose feast days followed Christmas. Some carols also addressed Passiontide or Easter, offering moral guidance or exploring amorous, satirical, and topical subjects.

How are carols different from other types of songs?

Carols are songs of religious joy tied to a season, especially Christmas, that follow a pattern of alternating uniform stanzas or verses with a refrain or burden. During the golden age of English carols (c. 1350–1550), they were defined by this burden-verse form and crystallized as popular religious songs. Originally, the term carol related to a song of merriment performed during a dance. The element of joy in such songs has carried over into songs of exultation in celebration of the Nativity. Merriam-Webster lists hymns, anthems, and psalms as synonyms for carols.

What is the history behind singing carols at Christmas?

The word "carol" comes from the Late Latin choraula , referring to a choral song or a musician playing a reed instrument for a chorus. In medieval times, carols were round dances with singing during pagan celebrations. Later, Christians wrote religious songs, mainly for Christmas, giving us the carol we know today. During the golden age of English carols (c. 1350–1550), carols took the burden-verse form and crystallized as popular religious songs. Most carols referred to the Virgin Mary, Christ Child, or saints' feasts after Christmas. Some were for Easter, moral counsel, or were satirical. Many mixed Latin and English. After disappearing with the Reformation, carols saw a revival in the 18th century, with collections of traditional broadsides and translated foreign carols.

How have carols changed or evolved over time?

Initially, carols were associated with both religious and pagan celebrations, often as dance songs. During the golden age of English carols (c. 1350–1550), carols crystallized as popular religious songs, with most referring to the Virgin Mary or the Christ child. Over time, the carol evolved musically and as a literary form, becoming the most important English forme fixe , comparable to French forms like rondeau. Early carols had straightforward rhythms, while later ones incorporated cross-rhythms, and polyphonic carols were written by professional musicians for trained choirs. The carol disappeared swiftly with the Reformation but experienced a revival in the 18th century, with collections of traditional broadsides and translated foreign carols gaining popularity. Today, carols are characteristically associated with Christmas, maintaining their connection to religious joy.

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Top Questions

What is a carol in music?
A carol is a song of religious joy connected to a season, especially Christmas. More specifically, a carol is a late medieval English song on any subject with uniform stanzas or verses alternating with a refrain or burden in the pattern B, V1, B, V2 . . . B.

The word carol comes from the Late Latin choraula, which described a choral song and a musician who played a reed instrument for a chorus. In medieval times, carol or carole was a round dance with singing during pagan celebrations. Later, Christians wrote religious songs, mainly for Christmas, giving us the familiar sense of the word today.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Christmas Word Origins | 9 Surprising Histories | Carol
2. carol
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
When are carols typically sung?
Carols are characteristically sung during the Christmas season, expressing religious joy. The term originally described a dance performed in a circle, along with a joyful song that went with it. Over time, carols evolved into songs of celebration, especially for the Nativity. The golden age of the English carol occurred from 1350 to 1550, when carols were popular religious songs.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Songs You May Not Have Heard Of (But Definitely Heard) | Carol
2. carol
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are the main themes of carols?
Carols are songs of religious joy tied to a season, especially Christmas. Emerging in England around the 14th century, carols served as popular religious songs.

During the English carol's golden age (c. 1350–1550), the main themes revolved around the Virgin Mary, the Christ child, and the saints whose feast days followed Christmas. Some carols also addressed Passiontide or Easter, offering moral guidance or exploring amorous, satirical, and topical subjects.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Songs You May Not Have Heard Of (But Definitely Heard) | Carol
2. carol
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How are carols different from other types of songs?
Carols are songs of religious joy tied to a season, especially Christmas, that follow a pattern of alternating uniform stanzas or verses with a refrain or burden. During the golden age of English carols (c. 1350–1550), they were defined by this burden-verse form and crystallized as popular religious songs.

Originally, the term carol related to a song of merriment performed during a dance. The element of joy in such songs has carried over into songs of exultation in celebration of the Nativity. Merriam-Webster lists hymns, anthems, and psalms as synonyms for carols.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Synonyms of carols
2. carol
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What is the history behind singing carols at Christmas?
The word "carol" comes from the Late Latin choraula, referring to a choral song or a musician playing a reed instrument for a chorus. In medieval times, carols were round dances with singing during pagan celebrations. Later, Christians wrote religious songs, mainly for Christmas, giving us the carol we know today.

During the golden age of English carols (c. 1350–1550), carols took the burden-verse form and crystallized as popular religious songs. Most carols referred to the Virgin Mary, Christ Child, or saints' feasts after Christmas. Some were for Easter, moral counsel, or were satirical. Many mixed Latin and English.

After disappearing with the Reformation, carols saw a revival in the 18th century, with collections of traditional broadsides and translated foreign carols.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Definition of carol
2. carol
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How have carols changed or evolved over time?
Initially, carols were associated with both religious and pagan celebrations, often as dance songs. During the golden age of English carols (c. 1350–1550), carols crystallized as popular religious songs, with most referring to the Virgin Mary or the Christ child.

Over time, the carol evolved musically and as a literary form, becoming the most important English forme fixe, comparable to French forms like rondeau. Early carols had straightforward rhythms, while later ones incorporated cross-rhythms, and polyphonic carols were written by professional musicians for trained choirs.

The carol disappeared swiftly with the Reformation but experienced a revival in the 18th century, with collections of traditional broadsides and translated foreign carols gaining popularity. Today, carols are characteristically associated with Christmas, maintaining their connection to religious joy.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Christmas Word Origins | 9 Surprising Histories | Carol
2. carol
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

carol, broadly, a song, characteristically of religious joy, associated with a given season, especially Christmas.. More strictly, a carol can be defined as a late medieval English song on any subject, in which uniform stanzas, or verses (V), alternate with a refrain, or burden (B), in the pattern B, V₁, B, V₂ . . . B. The medieval words carol and carole (French and Anglo-Norman) might mean a popular dance song with pagan associations, a courtly dance or dance song, a song of popular piety, a polyphonic (multipart) song in a certain style, and a popular religious procession.

During the golden age of the English carol (c. 1350–1550), most carols could be defined by the burden-verse form. In addition, the carol seems to have crystallized in the early 14th century essentially as a popular religious song.

A handful of carol tunes and about 500 texts survive from the period. Most refer to the Virgin Mary, the Christ child, or the saints whose feasts follow Christmas. There are also a few Passiontide or Easter carols, songs with texts of moral counsel, and a few amorous, satirical, and topical texts. The versification shows skill, ingenuity, and assurance. Many carols are macaronic, mixing two languages, usually in Latin and English.

Young girl wearing a demin jacket playing the trumpet (child, musical instruments, Asian ethnicity)

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During the 15th century, the carol continued as a popular religious song, but it also developed as art music and as a literary form. Musically, it is the most important English forme fixe (“fixed form”), comparable to the French rondeau, virelai, and ballade. The 15th-century carol repertory is one of the most substantial monuments of English medieval music. The musical form is often elaborated—a burden for two soloists is followed by another for three-part chorus, and the two-voice verse may be punctuated by a choral refrain. The early carols are rhythmically straightforward, in modern 6/8 time; later the basic rhythm is in 3/4, with many cross-rhythms (6/8 and 3/2), with the words subordinated to the music. The upper part or parts are more elaborate than the tenor, the bottom part, which usually seems to carry the tune, as in the famous Agincourt carol “Deo gratias Anglia.” As in other music of the period, the emphasis is not on harmony, but on melody and rhythm.

At the end of the 15th century, carols appeared in a court songbook, the Fayrfax Manuscript, written for three or four voices in a flexible, sophisticated style based on duple (two-beat) rhythm. They are mostly on themes connected with the Passion of Christ, and the words often decisively determine the musical effect. Composers are often mentioned—William Cornyshe, Robert Fayrfax, and John Browne. From a decade or two later survive the only examples of court carols—light songs, apparently of popular origin, in simple versions by court composers, e.g., Henry VIII’s “Green groweth the holly.” The polyphonic carol was written by professional musicians for trained choirs.

The carol disappeared swiftly and almost completely with the Reformation. It was largely supplanted by the metrical psalm.

A carol revival began in the second half of the 18th century. The best Christmas hymns of the era, e.g., Charles Wesley’s “Hark, the herald angels sing,” still lack the distinctive carol touch. The revival built on collections of traditional broadsides, which included “The first Nowell,” and “A Virgin Most Pure.” Two other sources were the English folk carol (“I saw three ships”) and translated foreign carols (“Patapan,” a French noël).

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