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Description
This is a very old carol which probably originated in Oxford, England (about 40 miles from where Rebsie lives) in the 15th century. It wasfirst published in 1521 in Wynken de Worde's 'Christmasse Carolles'.
This version (with words in an odd mixture of English and Latin) is slightly more recent, but was certainly in use before 1719.
The carol is traditionally associated with Queen's College in Oxford, where it has been sung on Christmas Day every year for over 500 years, while a boar's head is paraded into the dining hall on a large plate.
Legend has it that the tradition started when a student of the college was viciously attacked by a wild boar while walking in a nearby forest. He happened to be studying a volume of Aristotle, which he rammed into the boar's open mouth with the words "Graecum est, non potest legi" ("it's Greek, it's unreadable"). The annual boar's head feast in Oxford is said to commemorate this event.
Rebsie Fairholm: vocals
William Shaw: mandolin, treble recorder, software bass and percussion
This traditional carol is arranged and performed by William "mandolinquent" and Rebsie--of the duo "Revolving Doris."
The Noel Project thanks them for contributing this delightful piece, which is included on our holiday CD, "Splendor Bright."
splendor bright cd
now available
the lost records™
This version (with words in an odd mixture of English and Latin) is slightly more recent, but was certainly in use before 1719.
The carol is traditionally associated with Queen's College in Oxford, where it has been sung on Christmas Day every year for over 500 years, while a boar's head is paraded into the dining hall on a large plate.
Legend has it that the tradition started when a student of the college was viciously attacked by a wild boar while walking in a nearby forest. He happened to be studying a volume of Aristotle, which he rammed into the boar's open mouth with the words "Graecum est, non potest legi" ("it's Greek, it's unreadable"). The annual boar's head feast in Oxford is said to commemorate this event.
Rebsie Fairholm: vocals
William Shaw: mandolin, treble recorder, software bass and percussion
This traditional carol is arranged and performed by William "mandolinquent" and Rebsie--of the duo "Revolving Doris."
The Noel Project thanks them for contributing this delightful piece, which is included on our holiday CD, "Splendor Bright."
splendor bright cd
now available
the lost records™
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Lyrics
The Boar's Head Carol
The boar's head in hand bear I,
Bedeck'd with bays and rosemary
And I pray you, my masters, be merry
Quot estis in convivio
Caput apri defero
Reddens laudes Domino
The boar's head, as I understand
Is the rarest dish in all the land
Which thus bedeck'd with a gay garland
Let us servire cantico
Caput apri defero
Reddens laudes Domino
Our steward hath provided this
In honour of the King of Bliss
Which on this day to be served is
In Reginensi atrio
Caput apri defero
Reddens laudes Domino
The boar's head in hand bear I,
Bedeck'd with bays and rosemary
And I pray you, my masters, be merry
Quot estis in convivio
Caput apri defero
Reddens laudes Domino
The boar's head, as I understand
Is the rarest dish in all the land
Which thus bedeck'd with a gay garland
Let us servire cantico
Caput apri defero
Reddens laudes Domino
Our steward hath provided this
In honour of the King of Bliss
Which on this day to be served is
In Reginensi atrio
Caput apri defero
Reddens laudes Domino
Tom Atwood
Mystified and I are really glad to have "Revolving Doris" as part of the
Noel Project Christmas CD. With all that you two have going, including
working on your own music, we really appreciate you taking the time
and energy to put this delightful carol together. I think Rebsie has
never sounded better, and the instrumentation is wonderful, especially
when the mandolins appear. When we first started thinking about what
to include in the CD, this is exactly what we had in mind. Unusual,
original, festive, donned in gay apparel. Thanks again!