Main content

Here We Come a-Wassailing

Here We Come a-Wassailing: Lucie Skeaping investigates an ancient musical tradition whereby people went from door to door singing carols and were rewarded with hot mulled cider.

Lucie Skeaping investigates an ancient musical tradition whereby people went from door to door singing carols and were rewarded with hot mulled cider. Wassailing can be traced back possibly as far as Anglo-Saxon times and has evolved over time to become associated with Christmas. Lucie Skeaping introduces some of the music that has been associated with the wassailing tradition and her guests include the historian Joanna Crosby, from Essex Univeristy, who has a particular interest in apples.

Download (UK Only)

1 hour

Last on

Sun 28 Dec 2014 14:00
BBC Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Music to Boccaccio's Ears

Next

Hampton Court and Edward VI

See all episodes from The Early Music Show

Music Played

  • arr. Watts English 19th Century

    My dancing day

    Performer: Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band.
    • PARK.

  • Thomas Tallis

    Missa Puer Natus Est nobis: Agnus Dei

    Performer: The Cardinall’s Musick. Performer: Andrew Carwood.
    • Hyperion.

  • From Playford's Dancing Master

    The Waits

    Performer: The City Waites.
    • SAYDISC.

  • Elizabeth Poston

    Jesu Christ the apple tree

    Performer: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Performer: Stephen Cleobury.
    • Warner Classics.

  • French Traditional

    Branle de l'Officiel (Ding Dong merrily on high)

    Performer: Taverner Players. Performer: Andrew Parrott.
    • EMI.

  • Text: Anglo-Norman Carol; Music: Belinda Sykes

    Lordings, Listen to Our Lay

    Performer: Belinda Sykes. Performer: Joglaresa.
    • "In Hoary Winter's Night".
    • Joglaresa.
    • 4.

  • Clark Thomas

    While Shepherds watched their flocks by night (Cranbrook)

    Performer: Peter Holman. Performer: Psalmody. Performer: The Parley of Instruments.
    • HELIOS.

  • Trad. arr. Hart/Prior

    The King

    Performer: Steeleye Span.
    • CREST.

  • Trad. arr. Staines Morris

    Blessed be that Maid Marie

    Performer: Taverner Players. Performer: Andrew Parrott.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Trad. English

    We've been awhile awandering

    Performer: The City Waites.
    • SAYDISC.

  • Trad. English arr. Belinda Sykes

    Gower Wassail

    Performer: Belinda Sykes. Performer: Joglaresa.
    • "In Hoary Winter's Night".
    • Joglaresa.
    • 3.

  • Trad. English arr. Watts

    Wassail

    Performer: Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band.
    • PARK.

  • Trad. arr. Waterson:Carthy

    Sugar Wassail

    Performer: Waterson:Carthy.
    • TOPIC.

  • Trad. arr. Waterson:Carthy

    Jacobstowe Wassail

    Performer: Waterson:Carthy.
    • TOPIC.

  • Trad. English

    The Gloucestershire wassail

    Performer: Richard Wistreich.
    • SAYDISC.

Broadcast

Podcast