While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor

Subject: RE: While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor
From: AlanG
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 08:47 PM

The tune Cranbook first appeared in print in "A Set of Psalm and Hymn Tunes" in 1805 and the original text as stated earlier was "Grace 'tis a Charming Sound". Cranbrook was later used as the tune for While Sheperds and then for Ilkley Moor

Infact While Sheperds has been set to more different tunes than any of the other traditional carols. Among the tunes that have been used are "The Song of the Angels"-Michael Beasley 1746, "Bethlehem"- William Biillings 1778, "Old Foster"-John Foster 1817,"Pentonville"- William Marsh 1816 and "Winchester Old"-the tune most commonly heard today.
The Grace Darling Singers sing While Sheperds to many different tunes and inlude at least two different versions in each of their concerts. We have considered doing a whole concert of While Sheperds to different tunes - but that's probably a bit too much.

Subject: RE: While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 04:36 PM

http://www.choralwiki.net/wiki/index.php/Cranbrook_%28Grace_%27tis_a_charming_sound%29_%28Thomas_Clark%29

has Cranbrook from Clark's Union Tunebook with its original text of "Grace ' tis a charming sound"

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Subject: RE: While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor
From: GUEST,doc.tom
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 03:48 PM

'Cranbrook' is also used amongst the Padstow carols for 'Behold The Grace' - another shepherds carol.

Subject: RE: While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 02:24 PM

"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night" is #20 in the Shorter New Oxford Book of Carols (1993). There are several settings of the song in the carol book, and tune #5 is Cranbrook. So, I suppose it must also be in the unabridged New Oxford Book of Carols, which I couldn't afford.

You'll find only one version of the song (not Cranbrook) in the previous (1928/1964) edition of the Oxford Book of Carols. Nowell Sing We Clear (a quartet including Mudcatter Anglo), have recorded at least a couple of settings of the song, including Cranbrook.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 01:53 PM

There is a whole book available on the origins and history of Ilkla Moor baht 'at by Arnold Kellett and it is still in print I believe.

It has been much published with the music since about the 1920s.

The tune is a hymn tune called 'Cranbrook' which would have been used in the West Riding as one of the many settings for 'While Shepherds' so it's very likely that the tune came to it via this route.

Subject: RE: While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor
From: Les from Hull
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 01:52 PM

ooops

Bit more information here.

Les

Subject: RE: While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor
From: Les from Hull
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 01:51 PM

Subject: RE: While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor
From: Les from Hull
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 01:48 PM

Greg - this tune, known as 'Cranbrook' is one of more than a dozen for 'While shepherds' in the carol tradition of South Yorkshire/North Derbyshire. Here's a link
to the Village Carols website, where there's a choice of 'carol books' for purchase. Elsewhere on the site there's details of the pubs these are sung in and when.

Subject: RE: While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor
From: Bernard
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 01:33 PM

PM AlanG - he is a member of a West Gallery choir (the Grace Darling Singers, sometimes known as the Grey Starling Singers!), and it is one of their repertoire.

Yes, a printed source exists, and yes, I've seen it - I recorded the GDS Christmas concert at Chadkirk Chapel a couple or so years ago, so could send you an MP3 of them singing it!

Subject: While Shepherds Watched/Ilkley Moor
From: greg stephens
Date: 31 Oct 08 - 12:53 PM

It is commonly said that Ilkley Moor Baht'at(sp?) was a sort of "made up on the back seat of a bus" bit of fun using a setting of " While Shepherds Watched"as the tune. I've never actually seen a copy of said version, or a reference to it.Does a printed source exist? Anybody ever seen one?