50 |
Away in a Manger |
words: anonymous, music W. J. Kirkpatrick |
49 |
Jesus Christ the Apple Tree |
words anonymous, music Elizabeth Poston |
48 |
Joy to the World |
words Isaac Watts, music Lowell Mason |
47 |
See Amid the Winter's Snow |
words E. Caswall, music John Goss |
46 |
Gloria, from "Puer Natus Est" |
words Latin mass, music Thomas Tallis |
45 |
Gabriel's Message |
words anonymous, music Basque traditional |
44 |
Angels From the Realms of Glory |
words J. Montgomery, music old French arr. Reginald Jacques |
43 |
Adam Lay Ybounde |
words 15th century English, music Boris Ord |
42 |
Good King Wenceslas |
words J. M. Neale, music from Piae Cantiones 1582 |
41 |
Il est né Divin Enfant |
words and music traditional French |
40 |
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear |
words E. H. Sears, music English traditional arr. Arthur Sullivan |
39 |
Hodie Christus natus est |
words traditional, music Heinrich Schütz |
38 |
The First Nowell |
words traditional, music traditional Old English |
37 |
"Jauchzet, Frohlocket" ("Triumph Rejoicing") from Christmas Oratorio |
Bach, Johann Sebastian |
36 |
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen ("Lo How a Rose E'er Bblooming") |
words anonymous, music Michael Praetorius |
35 |
Ding Dong Merrily On High |
words G. R. Woodward, music traditional French |
34 |
Illuminare Jerusalem |
words anonymous 15th c., music Judith Weir |
33 |
The Wexford Carol |
words and music traditional Irish |
32 |
"Quem vidistis" ("Whom Have You Seen?") from Four Christmas Motets |
words traditional, music Francis Poulenc |
31 |
Here is the Little Door |
words G. K. Chesterton, music Herbert Howells |
30 |
I Wonder as I Wander |
words traditional, music traditional, arr. Lionel Pike |
29 |
This is the Truth From Above |
words traditional English, music traditional, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams |
28 |
Joys Seven |
words traditional 14th century, music traditional, arr. Stephen Cleobury |
27 |
O Little Town of Bethlehem |
words Phillips Brooks, music traditional, arr. Ralph Vaughan Williams |
26 |
This Little Babe |
words Robert Southwell, music Benjamin Britten |
25 |
Silent Night |
words, Joseph Mohr, music Franz Gruber |
24 |
The Lamb |
words William Blake, music John Tavener |
23 |
Three Kings |
words Peter Cornelius, music Peter Cornelius, arr. Atkins |
22 |
God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen |
words and music traditional |
21 |
The Sans Day Carol |
words and music traditional Cornish |
20 |
Hodie Christus natus est |
words traditional, music Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck |
19 |
No Small Wonder |
words Paul Wigmore, music Paul Edwards |
18 |
The Little Road to Bethlehem |
words Margaret Rose, music Michael Head |
17 |
"Hodie Christus natus est" from Four Christmas Motets |
words traditional, music Francis Poulenc |
16 |
There is a Flower |
words John Audelay, music John Rutter |
15 |
O Magnum Mysterium |
words traditional, music Tomas de Victoria |
14 |
Hark the Herald Angels Sing |
words Charles Wesley, music Felix Mendelssohn |
13 |
"O Magnum Mysterium" from Four Christmas Motets |
words traditional, music Francis Poulenc |
12 |
"On Christmas Night" (The Sussex Carol) |
words traditional English, music traditional, arr. David Willcocks |
11 |
Once in Royal David's City |
words Mrs. C. F. Alexander, music H. J. Gauntlett |
10 |
What Sweeter Music |
words Robert Herrick, music John Rutter |
9 |
"Of the Father's Love (or Heart) Begotten" |
words Prudentius, music plainchant |
8 |
O Come, All Ye Faithful |
words and music J. F. Wade, arr. David Willcocks |
7 |
There is no Rose |
words medieval English, music traditional, arr. John Joubert |
6 |
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day |
words traditional English, music John Gardiner |
5 |
"Lully, Lulla" (Coventry Carol) |
words 16th century, music traditional, arr. Kenneth Leighton |
4 |
Bethlehem Down |
words Bruce Blunt, music Peter Warlock |
3 |
A Spotless Rose |
words anonymous German, music Herbert Howells |
2 |
In Dulci Jubilo |
words traditional, music traditional German, arr. R. L. Pearsall |
1 |
|
words Christina Rossetti, music traditional, arr. Harold Darke |
**These were the 50 "Greatest" carols as judged by 50 choirmasters and choral experts in the UK and the USA (43 from the UK and 7 from the US). Each was asked to list his or her five; the question was not, by the way, which are the 50 most popular carols, but the 50 "greatest" as judged by professional musicians on musical and literary quality.
