A Christmas carol is a popular song that is usually sung at Christmas time.
A Christmas carol is a short popular song with a chorus . It is a musical composition (with its associated poetic form) that was born in the form of a secular song and that gained a lot of popularity when people began to associate it with Christmas . Little by little, Christmas carols began to be sung in temples and churches.
The first Christmas carols emerged in the 15th century from the modification of older popular songs. The name comes from the people who used to sing these types of compositions: the inhabitants of rural towns ( villains ).
Christmas carols and religion
Christmas carols were sung at popular festivals, and the themes they dealt with were not always religious: love situations or local news were narrated, and in some cases they presented burlesque and satirical content. In the 16th century , the Church decided to promote music in the vernacular during masses, with the aim of promoting evangelization.
In this way, Christmas carols became associated with religion , especially with festivities such as Christmas. The main churches had composers and musicians who performed the songs at masses or in the streets during festive periods.
The popularity of Christmas carols depends on the culture.
Its structure
The structure of a Christmas carol is usually made up of the couplets and the chorus , although the number of verses and the alternation between couplets and chorus is very variable.
Nowadays, a Christmas carol is a song whose lyrics are linked to Christmas and, therefore, is usually sung in the month of December. Its origins, its structure or the musical characteristics that represented it are no longer taken into account. Most popular singers, both solo artists and bands , usually release at least one Christmas-themed album throughout their career, which is often perceived as a desperate measure to regain popularity.
However, if we take the example of the American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey , writer, producer and performer of her first CD of Christmas carols, titled " Merry Christmas " and published in 1994 , we see that in some cases there is a genuine desire to make Christmas music. Mariah made " All I want for Christmas is you " , one of the original songs included on the album , become a new classic, which is sung all over the world, and which was re-released in 2010 as part of her second album of Christmas carols.
Christmas Carols in American Culture
It is interesting to note that not all cultures give the same space to Christmas carols: there is a clear distinction between those who sing them, leaving aside their inhibitions, and those who limit themselves to listening to them. In the United States , for example, Christmas is of great importance, and its Christmas carols are popular worldwide, thanks to memorable performances by the biggest names in music.
North American culture is largely responsible for the popularity and validity of Christmas carols in recent times: regardless of language differences, songs like "O Holy Night" and " O Come, All Ye Faithful " are sung by people of everyone in the months around Christmas. The most curious thing is that none of these Christmas carols are of American origin; However, voices like those of Barbra Streisand , Frank Sinatra and, much more recently, the aforementioned Mariah Carey , made these and more songs undisputed gems of music.
Some lyrical singers, generally associated with operatic and chamber music, also venture to record Christmas albums, although in this context they usually speak of sacred music . Including the aforementioned Christmas carols and pieces such as the best-known versions of "Ave Maria" , among which those by Gounod and Schubert stand out, they bring this music closer to the most diverse sectors.