Fontaine’s childhood life was marred with ill health as she mostly suffered from anemia as a result of measles and streptococcal infection. The carol is based on the life of a 10th century Duke of Bohemia called Vaclav. [1][2] Neale's lyric was set to the melody of 13th-century spring carol "Tempus adest floridum" ("Eastertime has come") first published in the 1582 Finnish song collection Piae Cantiones. Facts. The words of the carol “Good King Wenceslas” were written by Anglican priest John Mason Neale in 1853. These jewels include a sword, sceptre and crown belonging to the legendary King Wenceslas. Good King Wenceslas is a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (the second day of Christmas, December 26). Vaclav was famous for using his wealth to help the poor. The Good King Wenceslas of one of the best loved English Christmas Carols was a Czech and is the patron of the Czech nation. In AD 929 Wenceslas of Bohemia spread Christianity throughout his country. The subject of the carol is Wenceslaus I, a 10th-century Duke of Bohemia, who was posthumously made both king and saint. Legend has it that if the Czech Republic is in trouble the statue of St. Wenceslaus will come to life and raise an army to save the country. The text of "Good King Wenceslas" was written in the mid 19th century by John Mason Neale and fitted to the tune of the 14th century spring carol "Tempus Adest Floridum", from a collection entitled "Piae Cantiones" ("Pious Melodies"). Her mother moved her and another sister from Japan upon doctors’ advice. "Only tread in my footsteps, and you will proceed more easily. By contrast, Brian Scott, quoting The Oxford Book of Carols criticism and hope that the carol would "pass into disuse", says "Thankfully, they were wrong" for the carol "still reminds us that the giving spirit of Christmas should not happen just on that day..."[27] Jeremy Summerly and Nicolas Bell of the British Museum also strongly refute Dearmer's 20th century criticism, noting "it could have been awful, but it isn't, it's magical...you remember it because the verse just works". I am interested in the bios of a number of people in this book because I really don't know much more about them than their name. 2. The Christmas Carol: “Good King Wenceslas” The Christmas Carol “Good King Wenceslas” was written by John Mason Neale (1818 – 1866) in 1853. Largely a traditional folk tune, the carol tells of the good deeds of St Wenceslas and the spirit of giving during Boxing Day or the Feast of St. Stephen. [12] Wenceslas is not to be confused with King Wenceslaus I of Bohemia (Wenceslaus I Premyslid), who lived more than three centuries later. Wenceslas, (born Feb. 26, 1361, Nürnberg—died Aug. 16, 1419, Prague), German king and, as Wenceslas IV, king of Bohemia, whose weak and tempestuous, though eventful, reign was continually plagued by wars and princely rivalries that he was unable to control, plunging his territories into a state of virtual anarchy until he was stripped of his powers altogether by a rebellious nobility. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The song was parodied by the British children's television programme. The tune is that of "Tempus adest floridum" ("Eastertime has come"), a 13th-century spring carol in 76 76 Doubled Trochaic metre first published in the Finnish song book Piae Cantiones in 1582. Wenceslaus is the only Czech saint whose name day appears on the worldwide calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. The lyrics tell the story of Good King Wenceslas going out in the cold weather to help a poor person on the Feast of Stephen. 11. After his father died in battle his mother reigned as regent. Known to carol singers around the world as Good King Wenceslas, known to Catholics as St. Wenceslaus, the story of his life is more than just a journey one … "Good King Wenceslas" is a Christmas carol that tells a story of a Bohemian king going on a journey and braving harsh winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (December 26, the Second Day of Christmas). Now if you’re hankering to listen to the carol, this article calls the Skydiggers’ version the best recent recording. [17], In 1853, English hymnwriter John Mason Neale wrote the "Wenceslas" lyric, in collaboration with his music editor Thomas Helmore, and the carol first appeared in Carols for Christmas-Tide, published by Novello & Co the same year.[18][19]. The family excluded his dad settled inSaratoga, California. Good King … The tune is a 13th-century hymn called “Tempus adest floridum” (“The time is near for Flowering”), first published in the 1582 Finnish ecclesiastical song collection Piae Cantiones. Let’s start with the facts. Feast of the Holy Innocents. Lines 1, 3, 5, and 7 end in single-syllable (so-called masculine) rhymes, and lines 2, 4, 6, and 8 with two-syllable ("feminine") rhymes. (In the English tradition, two-syllable rhymes are generally associated with light or comic verse, which may be part of the reason some critics have demeaned Neale's lyrics as "doggerel".). Wenceslaus’ mother was a pagan and his father a Christian. Good King Wenceslas provides a model of thoughtful kindness in public life. He was taught Christianity by his grandmother, St. Ludmila. In 1849 he had published Deeds of Faith: Stories for Children from Church History which recounted legends from Christian tradition in Romantic prose. The carol is based on the life of a 10th century Duke of Bohemia called Vaclav. Vaclav was famous for using his wealth to help the poor. He was born into the house of the Přemyslids, the first rulers of Bohemia, at a time when Christianity was only just beginning to take hold among the Slavs. Some academics are critical of Neale's textual substitution. I vote for The Roches as the best version. As a member of the Tractarian Oxford Movement, Neale was interested in restoring Catholic ceremony, saints days and music back into the Anglican church. ‘Good King Wenceslas’ is a bizarre mash-up which makes no historical sense. by Thomas Helmore and J. M. Neale, published by, A Winter Garden: Five Songs for the Season, See Defries, David. The Czech Crown Jewels are housed in the Prague Castle. Joan Fontain… More Interesting Facts about the Czech Republic. St. Vitus Cathedral: Fun Facts and Interiors The Cathedral of St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas, and St. Adalbert (St. Vitus Cathedral for short) located in the Prague Castle is the most important ecclesiastical building in the Czech Republic and former Bohemian kingdom. "St. Oswald's Martyrdom: Drogo of Saint-Winnoc's, https://web.archive.org/web/20120917053415/http://www.hymntime.com/tch/mid/t/e/m/tempus_adest_floridum.mid, "A Cause for Caroling: A Second Golden Age", "Full text of "English lyrical poetry from its origins to the present time, "25x08 - White Christmas Blues - The Simpsons Transcripts - Forever Dreaming", "John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme: Good King Wenceslas", "Horrible Histories - Good King Wenceslas", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Good_King_Wenceslas&oldid=1000111519, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Buford and Baljeet sing this song with altered lyrics in. Although he was surrounded by political intrigue and treachery, he managed to maintain a vital Christian faith and demonstrated significant compassion toward those in need. 3. Set to ancient melodies and harmonized for voices and pianoforte. " [13], A text beginning substantially the same as the 1582 "Piae" version is also found in the German manuscript collection Carmina Burana as CB 142, where it is substantially more carnal; CB 142 has clerics and virgins playing the "game of Venus" (goddess of love) in the meadows, while in the Piae version they are praising the Lord from the bottom of their hearts. The time has not yet come for a comprehensive book to discard it; but we reprint the tune in its proper setting...not without hope that, with the present wealth of carols for Christmas, Good King Wenceslas may gradually pass into disuse, and the tune be restored to spring-time.[25]. Did you know that Neale wrote the carol in Sackville College, an almshouse founded in 1607 in East Grinstead, Sussex. When the Hero Boy first meets the Hobo on the roof of the train, he is playing the carol “Good King Wenceslas.” The story of Saint Wenceslas I, Duke of Bohemia is that of a king braving the harsh winter to bring alms to the poor on the Feast of Stephan, December 26th. Today the only horse you will see is the statue in the center of the street carrying the legendary good King Wenceslas. The King of Bohemia Charles IV (1316 - 1378) was also the Holy Roman Emperor. [4][5] These hagiographies had a powerful influence on the High Middle Ages conceptualization of the rex iustus, or "righteous king"—that is, a monarch whose power stems mainly from his great piety, as well as from his princely vigor. St. John was one of Jesus’ friends and Disciples. Several centuries later the legend was claimed as fact by Pope Pius II,[9] who himself also walked ten miles barefoot in the ice and snow as an act of pious thanksgiving.[10]. The Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslas" was sung about the Czech King who lived here 900 years ago and became patron saint of the country. During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by the heat miraculously emanating from the king's footprints in the snow ( see the full legend story below ). In the music the two-syllable rhymes in lines 2, 4, and 6 (e.g. One of the chapters told the legend of St Wenceslas and his footsteps melting the snow for his page:[21], "Seems it so much?" In 1853, English hymnwriter John Mason Neale wrote the "Wenceslas" lyric, in collaboration with his music editor Thomas Helmore, and the carol first appeared in Carols for Christmas-Tide, published by Novello & Co the same year. “Good King Wenceslas” is a popular Christmas carol, but I bet you don’t know much about the man behind the song. Not all countries celebrate Christmas on December 25th, and it is not a public holiday in many countries. December 25: Christmas Day around the world. It turns out he was a real person (and he was good), but he wasn’t a king and he wasn’t called Wenceslas. Also called Wenceslas, he was born near Prague and raised by his grandmother, St. Ludmilla, until her murder by his mother, the pagan Drahomira. Since 2000 Wenceslaus’ saint’s day has been a national holiday in Czech Republic. Six hundred years ago, Wenceslas Square was a horse market established by Charles IV. The Prague Castle also provides some interesting stories. asked the King. [6], Referring approvingly to these hagiographies, a preacher from the 12th century wrote:[7][8]. [14][15] The tune has also been used for the Christmas hymn Mary Gently Laid Her Child, by Joseph S. Cook (1859–1933);[16] GIA's hymnal, Worship uses "Tempus Adest Floridum" only for Cook's hymn. The name Wenceslas is a Latinised version of the old Czech language "Venceslav". Here is an interesting blog article on the real good King Wencelaus (from Adventures in the Czech Republic) There are many myths and few facts about the original Good King Wenceslas. Good King Wenceslas was not a king, he was a Duke; More fun facts about Christmas. Gumpoldus Mantuanus Episcopus [0967-0985]: This page was last edited on 13 January 2021, at 17:00. He is one of the Slavic peoples' fabled early Christian rulers, and remains the patron saint of Bohemia. St. Stephen’s feast day was celebrated on 26th December which is why this song is sung as a Christmas carol. The blue is for loyalty, the white is for peace and the red is for courage. H. J. L. J. Massé wrote in 1921: Why, for instance, do we tolerate such impositions as "Good King Wenceslas?" The lyrics tell the story of Good King Wenceslas going out in the cold weather to help a poor person on the Feast of Stephen. Christmas Day Facts The single largest candy cane ever produced was made in 2012 by Chef Alain Roby of the All-Chocolate Kitchen in Geneva, Illinois. Good King Wenceslas EB: The Reverend Doctor Neale was a high Anglican whose career was blighted by suspicion that he was a crypto-Catholic, so as warden of Sackville College – an almshouse in East Grinstead – he had plenty of time for study and composition. Nor is that the correct spelling of his name. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Canadian Historical Fiction Picture Books, “The life of a Song: ‘Good King Wenceslas'”, “The real story behind the carol Good King Wenceslas”, “The story behind the carol: Good King Wenceslas”, “Saint Wenceslas (Václav): The Czech nation’s patron saint”. ", "Follow me on still," said S. Wenceslaus. This day of celebration is known as the Feast of the Holy Innocents. The book is a unique document of European songs intended not only for use in church, but also schools, thus making the collection a unique record of the late medieval period. St. Wenceslaus, also known by Vaclav, was born near Prague, and was the son of Duke Wratislaw. The character in the carol is based on a real person – Wenceslaus I, a 10th century Duke … Good King Wenceslas was not a king - he was a Duke. [28][29], The first, third, and fifth verses, performed by the chorus of the, "Carols for Christmas-tide. Focus on Christmas. 903-935) is best known to the English-speaking world as the pious and kind leader immortalized in the English Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslas." Learn the fun facts and things to see in St, Vitus cathedral interiors. Wenceslaus’ mother was a pagan and his father a Christian. Trivia Fun Facts & Interesting Information. Let's start with the facts. Wenceslas was Vaclav I Duke of Bohemia from 921 - 935 AD. The text of Neale's carol bears no relationship to the words of "Tempus Adest Floridum". Day 3-December 27 th. [24], A similar sentiment is expressed by the editors (Percy Dearmer, Martin Shaw and Ralph Vaughan Williams) in the 1928 Oxford Book of Carols, which is even more critical of Neale's carol. [22][23], The hymn's lyrics take the form of five eight-line stanzas in four-stress lines. Wenceslas. The Beatles recorded several renditions of “Good King Wenceslas” in 1963. Good King Wenceslas was the king of Bohemia in the 10th century. 8. In an episode of Hogan's Heroes, several of the POWs loudly and repeatedly rehearse the song in order to distract the guards from the covert activities of the rest of the team. There is nothing traditional in it as a carol. Wenceslaus was duke of Bohemia in the 10th century (potentially making the carol the original Bohemian Rhapsody) where after leading the government … Wenceslaus was only in his 20s when he was murdered by his brother Boleslaus the Cruel (or Boleslaw the Bad) on September 28, which became his saint’s day. Elizabeth Poston, in the Penguin Book of Christmas Carols, referred to it as the "product of an unnatural marriage between Victorian whimsy and the thirteenth-century dance carol". He was warden there. Good King Wenceslas is the name of a Christmas carol. Here are 12 fun facts. The buildings are still there and still in use. 5. The original was and is an Easter Hymn...it is marked in carol books as "traditional", a delightful word which often conceals ignorance. Each stanza has an ABABCDCD rhyme scheme. The legend is based on the life of the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia or Svatý Václav 35. One soldier described the Germans as being ‘all right’ afterwards. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! St. John the Apostle’s Day. The subject of the carol is Wenceslaus I, a 10th-century Duke of Bohemia, who was posthumously made both king and saint. Just as rightfully so, Prague Castle is the jewel of that crown. [11] The usual English spelling of Duke Wenceslas's name, Wenceslaus, is occasionally encountered in later textual variants of the carol, although it was not used by Neale in his version. [3] Within a few decades of Wenceslas's death, four biographies of him were in circulation. Checked. Good King Wenceslas was a Catholic and was martyred following his assassination by his brother Boleslaw and his supporters, his Saint’s Day is September 28th, and he is the Patron Saint of the Czech Republic. The ‘Wenceslas’ of the carol did exist…but he bears very little resemblance to the Good King we sing about these days. Here are a few ones I think are particularly good. The legend is based on the life of the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia or Svatý Václav in Czech (907–935). “Good King Wenceslas” is a popular Christmas carol, but I bet you don’t know much about the man behind the song. First up – Wenceslas wasn’t a king. Good King Wenceslas celebrated in the carol was actually a duke not a king. ", For his 1853 publication Carols for Christmas-tide he adapted his earlier prose story into a poem, and together with the music editor Thomas Helmore added the words to the melody in Piae Cantiones, adding a reference to Saint Stephen's Day (26 December), making it suitable for performance on that Saint's Day. During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by following the king's footprints, step for step, through the deep snow. During the journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is enabled to continue by following the king's footprints, step for step, through the deep snow. Joan Fontaine was born onOctober 22, 1917, inTokyo, Japan to Walter Augustus de Havilland and English professor and patent attorney. Although Wenceslas was, during his lifetime, only a duke, Holy Roman Emperor Otto I (962–973) posthumously "conferred on [Wenceslas] the regal dignity and title" and that is why, in the legend and song, he is referred to as a "king". One of the oldest known Christmas carols from the middle ages still sung today is “Good King Wenceslas”. "Was not His journey from Heaven a wearier and a colder way than this ? One of the leaders long ago was named Wenceslas, and was the person in the famous old song Good King Wenceslas. Day 4-December 28 th. The word Bohemian came from a Latin word Boia, the name of the Celtic tribe that once lived in what is today the Czech Republic. Top 10 facts about the Prague Castle Gold plated, carefully designed, medieval, elaborately ornamented, soaked in history and symbolism - Prague is rightfully dubbed the crown of the Czech Republic. Wenceslas was Vaclav I Duke of Bohemia from 921 – 935 AD. The most famous truce was the 1915 Christmas Day truce, which started when the Germans began singing Silent Night to which the British sang back Good King Wenceslas and then played football. Good King Wenceslas is the name of a Christmas carol. She goes on to detail how Neale's "ponderous moral doggerel" does not fit the light-hearted dance measure of the original tune, and that if performed in the correct manner "sounds ridiculous to pseudo-religious words";[26] a similar development has arisen with the song O Christmas Tree, whose tune has been used for Maryland, My Maryland, The Red Flag, and other unrelated songs. Olumouc was the capital of Moravian Empire. Wenceslaus built churches and was known for helping the poor, widows, and orphans. The Magyars, along with Drahomira, an anti-Christian faction murdered the Duke and St. Lumila, and took over the government. [20] In or around 1853, G. J. R. Gordon, the British envoy and minister in Stockholm, gave a rare copy of the 1582 edition of Piae Cantiones to Neale, who was Warden of Sackville College, East Grinstead, Sussex and to the Reverend Thomas Helmore (Vice-Principal of St. Mark's College, Chelsea). The Czechs are famous for their beer and they drink more per head than any other nation. Here are some facts about Good King Wenceslas. Here are 12 fun facts. 9. brocamontes@yahoo.com November 18, 2008 at … (from: wikipedia - czech republic) The flag of the Czech Republic is a blue triangle on the left, and a white and red stripe. And how about Good King Wenceslas? So far, so un-festive. Piae Cantiones is a collection of seventy-four songs compiled by Jacobus Finno, the Protestant headmaster of Turku Cathedral School, and published by Theodoric Petri, a young Catholic printer. 10. Immediately after his death he was revered as a saint and biographies were soon written. The book was entirely unknown in England at that time. Wenceslas Square - The Good King Wenceslas. When Wenceslaus came of age he exiled her. Wenceslas was considered a martyr and a saint immediately after his death in the 10th century, when a cult of Wenceslas rose up in Bohemia and in England. As the song goes, Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the feast of Stephen. View the Product: Festivals & Folksongs Around the World - Multicultural Resource of Songs, Celebrations and Fun Facts, Series: Music Express Books, Medium/Format: Softcover with CD, Voicing: Book and CD pak, Contributors: John Higgins 2. It turns out he was a real person (and he was good), but he wasn’t a king and he wasn’t called Wenceslas. Thus, unusually, the final musical line differs from all the others in having not two but three measures of 4/4 time. I have wondered who Good King Wenceslas was, but never got around to looking up the information about him. 6. The character in the carol is based on a real person – Wenceslaus I, a 10th century Duke of Bohemia. 12. 7. The medieval Czech ruler of the duchy of Bohemia, Wenceslas (ca. "Stephen/even", "cruel/fuel") are set to two half-notes (British "minims"), but the final rhyme of each stanza (line 8) is spread over two full measures, the first syllable as two half-notes and the second as a whole note ("semi-breve")—so "fuel" is set as "fu-" with two half-notes and "-el" with a whole-note. But his deeds I think you know better than I could tell you; for, as is read in his Passion, no one doubts that, rising every night from his noble bed, with bare feet and only one chamberlain, he went around to God's churches and gave alms generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by every difficulty, so much so that he was considered, not a prince, but the father of all the wretched. There are many myths and few facts about the original Good King Wenceslas. In Australia and New Zealand, concerts, called Carols by Candlelight, are held by community groups that invite people to come and have fun, have time together and listen to and sing carols. "Good King Wenceslas" is a Christmas carol that tells a story of a Bohemian king going on a journey and braving harsh winter weather to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of Stephen (December 26, the Second Day of Christmas). The gift from G. J. R. Gordon gave him the opportunity to use medieval Catholic melodies for Anglican hymn writing. Wonderful illustrations. [25], This rather confused narrative owes its popularity to the delightful tune, which is that of a Spring carol...Unfortunately Neale in 1853 substituted for the Spring carol this Good King Wenceslas, one of his less happy pieces, which E. Duncan goes so far as to call "doggerel", and Bullen condemns as "poor and commonplace to the last degree". To cut a long story short, ‘Good King Wenceslas’ was a Bohemian saint named Vaclav who was murdered by his brother.