Down in yon forest, 2024
Merry Christmas!
Danielle and Dave’s Advent Calendar
Down in yon Forest
4th December, 2020
Down in yon Forest
This traditional English carol is a real favourite of mine for many reasons. The beautiful melody dates back to the Renaissance whilst the text which is also known as the Corpus Christi carol written in Middle English portends the crucifixion and makes the link for the real Christian significance of Christmas. For this reason the Carol is often associated with the Feast of Corpus Christi or Easter. Here, the whole is seen against a Mediaeval perspective and the picture painting is striking.
The words are deep in symbolism and seem to evoke the Holy Grail (Christ’s blood),the Glastonbury thorntree (at the bed’s foot). There are fascinating notes on this at https://mainlynorfolk.info/lloyd/songs/downinyonforest.html
The words were collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams, transcribed from the singing of a Mr J Hall in Castletown Derbyshire in 1908. Since then, there have been many settings and arrangements of this melody and I make no apologies for including my own take on it here which I think reflects my sense of awe and wonder.
Down in yon forest there stands a hall:
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring:
It’s covered all over with purple and pall
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
In that hall there stands a bed:
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring:
It’s covered all over with scarlet so red:
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
At the bed-side there lies a stone:
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring:
Which the sweet Virgin Mary knelt upon:
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
Under that bed there runs a flood:
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring:
The one half runs water, the other runs blood:
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
At the bed’s foot there grows a thorn:
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring:
Which ever blows blossom since he was born:
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
Over that bed the moon shines bright:
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring:
Denoting our Saviour was born this night:
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
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Recorded on Erat Grecian harp 1830s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_in_Yon_Forest
https://mainlynorfolk.info/lloyd/songs/downinyonforest.html