Coventry Carol (1938)

Traditional

The "Coventry Carol" is an English Christmas carol dating from the 16th century. The carol was performed in Coventry in England as part of a mystery play called The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. The play depicts the Christmas story from chapter two in the Gospel of Matthew. The carol refers to the Massacre of the Innocents, in which Herod ordered all male infants under the age of two in Bethlehem to be killed. The lyrics of this haunting carol represent a mother's lament for her doomed child. It is the only carol that has survived from this play.

It is notable as a well-known example of a Picardy third. The author is unknown. The oldest known text was written down by Robert Croo in 1534, and the oldest known printing of the melody dates from 1591.[1] The carol is traditionally sung a cappella. There is an alternative setting of the carol by Kenneth Leighton, and another by Philip Stopford.

The only manuscript copy to have survived into recent times was burnt in 1875. Our knowledge of the lyrics is therefore based on two very poor quality transcriptions from the early nineteenth century, and there is considerable doubt about many of the words. Some of the transcribed words are difficult to make sense of: for example, in the last verse "And ever morne and may For thi parting Neither say nor singe" is not clear. Various modern editors have made different attempts to make sense of the words, so such variations may be found as "ever mourn and say", "every morn and day", "ever mourn and sigh". The following is one attempted reconstruction.

The oldest recording i could find is from Elisabeth Schumann She recorded it in october 1938

Here some songs to listen

Also recorded by Alfred Deller in 1956, John Jacob Niles as Lulle Lullay in 1957
The Kingston Trio as Bye Bye Thou Little Tiny Child 1960,
Christine Mcvie  1998, Melanie Safka 1996, Sting 2009, Tori Amos 2009, Mark Lanegan 2012

You can get them if you really want

And i found a list wih recordings:

Gisele MacKenzie	1957
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir	1959
Chet Atkins	1961
Joan Baez	1966
Geoff Love and His Orchestra	1972
John Denver	1975
Mannheim Steamroller	1984
Elaine Paige	1986
Alison Moyet	1987
Anne Murray	1988
Bobby Horton	1989
Amy Shreve	1993
Joe Weed	1994
Loreena McKennitt	1995
Lark & Spur	1995
Tairona	1996
The Trail Band	1996
Cindy Horstman	1996
David Arkenstone	1997
Suzanne Vega	1997
Lorinda Jones	1998
Kenny Loggins	1998
Neal Ewers	1999
Point of Grace	1999
Suzanne McDermott	1999
Julianne Markavitch	1999
Westwind Brass	2000
Carol Kidd	2000
Charlotte Church	2000
Voice Trek	2001
Ann Reed	2001
Benjamin Trucale	2002
Bob Sirois	2002
Jeremy Whaley	2003
Island Choral Experience	2003
Betsy Curtis	2003
David Nevue	2003
David Phillips [1]	2003
Zola Van	2003
Pittsburgh Symphony Brass	2003
Rick Seaton	2003
John Darnall	2004
Emile Pandolfi	2004
Ellie Byrd	2004
Linn Kezer and Jessica Summerville	2004
Aled Jones	2004
Scott D. Davis	2004
Chris Corso	2004
Kallen Esperian	2004
Patricia Davila & Elaine Christy	2004
The Neil Jenkins Chorale	2005
John Eidsvoog	2005
Frederick Isaac	2005
Lisa Addeo	2005
Chris Foster	2005
The Black House Ceilidh	2006
Lumiere String Quartet	2006
Rob Astor	2006
Wild Basin Winds	2006
James Spalink	2006
Bronn Journey	2006
Earl Wentz	2006
Amber Whitney	2006
Jennifer Haines	2006
Jennifer Graf	2006
Lucie Mayer and Kevin Armstrong	2006
Anne Carlson, Maya Lewis, Alicia A. Lewis	2006
Léo Adrien Gosselin	2006
Gáirín	2006
Graham & Company	2006
David Phelps	2007
Steve Funk	2007
Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer	2007
Jim Grimm	2007
Wayne T. Warren	2007
Pamela Jansson	2007
Barbara Lemon Telecsan	2007
Karen Smith & David Snyder	2007
Petracovich	2008
Jeffrey Goodman	2008
Jeffrey Briggs	2008
Michael Janicke	2008
Cat Jahnke	2008
Scott Lamlein	2008
Andrea Olson	2009
John Waldo	2009
Amelia Blake	2009
Bonnie Keller	2009
John & Heidi Cerrigione	2009
Michele McLaughlin	2010
The Priests	2010
Annie Lennox	2010
New Dublin Voices	2010
Liaisons Plaisantes	2010
Ed Goldfarb	2010
Walter Michalak	2010
Manor House String Quartet	2010
Bruce Bowes	2010
Lee Welch	2010
Bronn & Katherine Journey	2011
Bill Cunliffe	2011
Robert Lunn [1]	2011
Wynn Erickson	2011
Lee Murdock	2011
Adrianne Price	2011
Greg Maroney	2011
Adam Phillips	2011
Darin Henze featuring Victoria Melchior & Jim Kapphahn	2011
Bill Leslie	2011
Jill Tracy	2012
Sufjan Stevens featuring Marla Hansen	2012
Gavin Stewart	2012
Jennifer Knapp & Margaret Becker	2012
Jocko MacNelly	2012
David Snellbacher	2013
Beta Radio	2013
The Oh Hellos	2013
Alliance Brass Quintet	2013