We Wish You a Merry Christmas (trad.) - James Allen Gähres, cond., Ulm Philharmonic
Ulm Philharmonic Choir of Theater Ulm James Allen Gähres, conductor 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' Arranged by Arthur Sydney Warrell Live recorded during open public concert. Ulm, Germany Irving Berlin - White Christmas - James Allen Gähres, cond., Ulm Philharmonic: • Irving Berlin - White Christmas - James A... Leroy Anderson - Sleigh Ride (traditional) - James Allen Gähres, cond., Ulm Philharmonic: • Leroy Anderson - Sleigh Ride (trad.) - Jam... 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' is a popular English Christmas carol from the West Country of England. The Bristol-based composer, conductor and organist Arthur Warrell is responsible for the popularity of the carol. Warrell arranged the tune for his own University of Bristol Madrigal Singers, and performed it with them in concert on December 6, 1935. That same year, his elaborate four-part choral arrangement was published by Oxford University Press, under the title 'A Merry Christmas', describing the piece as a "West Country Traditional Song." It was subsequently republished in the collection Carols for Choirs (1961), and remains widely performed. The author and composer of 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' cannot be traced however it is believed to date back to England in the sixteenth century. The tradition of carolers being given Christmas treats, such as 'figgy pudding' for singing to wealthy members of the community is reflected in this Christmas song - We Wish You a Merry Christmas! It is one of the few English traditional carols that makes mention of the New Year celebration and is often the last song carolers sing, wishing all good tidings and happy spirits at Christmastime. Over the years the fashion for figgy puddings mentioned in 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' has faded. But for the curious, the recipe consisted of the most important ingredient which was of course figs together with butter, sugar, eggs ,milk, rum, apple, lemon and orange peel, nuts, cinnamon, cloves and ginger! A variety of nineteenth-century sources state that, in the West Country of England, 'figgy pudding' referred to a raisin or plum pudding, not necessarily one containing figs. Not dissimilar to the modern day Christmas Puddings! Arthur Sydney Warrell was born in Farmborough, near Bath, Somerset in 1883. He died in Cotham, Bristol on August 12, 1939. Educated at Farmborough and at Merchant Venturer's Technical College in Bristol. He was pupil assistant to Hubert Hunt at Bristol Cathedral. Warell was an organist and choirmaster at several Bristol churches, as St. Matthias, St. Agnes, St. Alban, St. Nicholas and Clifton Parish Church from 1900 to 1909. From 1909 he taught music at the department of education of the University of Bristol and founded the Bristol University Choir, Orchestra and Madrigal Singers. He promoted English works, and some composers dedicated works to him. Warrell composed the anthems 'Bethlehem night', 'The day of the Lord', 'King of Glory', 'The God of love', and songs including 'A sea song'.
