All the best for 2014

Catching up with things a few days ago I got to hear the Festival of Lessons and Carols from Kings College. I look forward to what carols they will sing, what arrangements they will use, what new descants will they sing, and especially how they will put the service together. The gem this year was John Tavener's The Lamb followed by Britten's A New Years Carol. I had forgotten how beautiful the words were for the Britten

Here we bring new water from the well so clear
For to worship God with, this happy New Year
Sing levy dew, sing levy dew, the water and the wine;
The seven bright gold wires and the bugles that do shine.

Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her toe,
Open you the West Door, and turn the Old Year go.
Sing levy dew, sing levy dew, the water and the wine;
The seven bright gold wires and the bugles that do shine.

Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her chin,
Open you the East Door, and let the New Year in.
Sing levy dew, sing levy dew, the water and the wine;
The seven bright gold wires and the bugles that do shine.

About levy dew, there are 2 ways of looking at this, "Levez a Dieu" ("raise to God") or treat it as a corruption of "levedy" ("lady"). It seems, as so many of our customs, to be based in ancient rituals of using water to cleanse and purify, along with song and dance. 

Wishing you all the very best for the New Year; love, health, hope and much creativity, and thanks for all your lovely comments throughout the year.

7 bright gold wires, 2013

To listen to A New Years Carol [link here], 

To listen to Kings sing John Tavener's The Lamb [link here]

or The Sixteen do a great job of it here [link here]