Irish Song Project - Types & Histories

The Darkest Midnight

TYPE	1 - Chant-like Melody
TOPIC	Nativity
TUNE STRUCTURE	A8 B8
VERSE STRUCTURE	11v 8l
TIME SIGNATURE	44
KEY SIGNATURE	♯♯♯♯♯
TONAL CENTRE	B
INCIPIT	GAGF^♯EBC^♯BAF^♯GA
GENRE	Carol
TEXT SOURCE	Joseph Ranson, 'The Kilmore Carols' in The Past: The Organ of the Uí Cinsealaigh Historical Society, No. 5 (1949), p. 68. pp.68-70
TUNE SOURCE	as above
FIRST LINE	The Darkest midnight in December
NOTATED INCIPIT
The air was transcribed from the singing of John Devreux, a descendent of William Devreux who first collected the Kilmore Carols. The general character of the air (stepwise movement) is distinct from other forms of C19th Irish song, allowing for classification as a type 1 melody and demonstrating continuity of this melodic type across a longer time period than previously imagined. However, particularly irish traits are also observed, such as the alternating seventh (A sharo and A natural) and the formal structure (A8 B8) both fo which are features of C19th song forms in Ireland. The transcribed ornamentation also allows us to view the air within the context of its retention in the oral tradition. According to Nóirin Ní Riain ('Kilmore Carols' in Encyclopedia of Music in Ireland) ‘Research remains to be done on tune sources and on the liturgical and theological context that carried these carols down through the centuries.'

The darkest midnight in December

The darkest midnight in December,No snow, no hail, nor winter storm,Shall hinder us for to rememberThe Babe that on this night was born.With shepherds we are come to see,This lovely Infants glorious charms,Born of a maid as prophets said,The God of love in Mary's arms.

No earthly gifts can we present Him,No gold nor myrrh nor odours sweet.But if with hearts we can content HimWe humbly lay them at his feet.’Twas but pure love that from aboveBrought Him to save us from all harmsSo let us sing and welcome Him,The God of Love in Mary's arms.

Four thousand years from the creationThe world lay groaning under sinNo one could e’er expect salvationNo one could enter Heaven.’Twas Adam’s fall had damned us allTo Hell, to endless pains forlorn:’Twas so decreed we’d have ne'er been freed,Had not this heavenly Babe been born.

But here the best of heads will grumble,The faithless Jews will not adoreA God so poor, so mean, so humble,A child they scorn to kneel before.But, oh, give ear, and you shall hearHow all those wonders came to pass;Why Christ was born to suffer scorn,And lodged between an ox and ass.

Have you not heard the sacred story,How man was made those seats to fill,Which the fallen angels lost in gloryBy their presumption, pride and will?They thought us mean for to obtainSuch glorious seats and crowns in heaven,So through a cheat they got Eve to eatThe fruit, to be avenged on man.

Thus we were lost, our God offended,The devils triumphing in our shame.What recompense could be pretended?No man could ever wipe off the stain.Till God alone from His high throneBecoming Man did us restoreLet us rejoice in tuneful voice,Let Satan tremble and adore,

If by a woman we were wounded.Another woman brings the cure;If by a fruit we were confounded.A tree our safety would procure.They laughed at man, but if they canLet Satan with his hellish swarmsRefuse to knee1 and honour yieldTo the lovely Babe in Mary’s arms.

We like beasts lay in a stable,Our senses blind and dead by sinTo help ourselves we not able,But He brings grace and life again.Thus conquered hell, confined the devil,To free our souls from endless harmsHis life He gave and now you haveThe God of Love in Mary's arms.

Ye faithful hearts be not offendedTo own your God though seeming meanBy this from Hell you were defended,Your joys were purchased by His pain.The Lord of all comes to a stall,And to attend Him sends for KingsWho by a star are called from far,To see and hear those joyful things.

Oh, God! although man did offend Thee,Here is a Man that must Thee please;Though to compassion none could bend Thee,Thy anger now must surely cease.And when our crimes in aftertimesMay Thee to anger justly move,Pray grant us peace, seeing the faceOf this Thy Son and God of Love.

Ye blessed angels join our voicesLet your gilded wings beat fluttering over,Whilst every soul set free rejoices,And every devil must adore.We'll sing and pray that He always mayOur Church and clergyman defend,God grant us grace in all our days,A merry Christmas and a happy end.