Henry Ramsden Bramley
Encyclopedia
Henry Ramsden Bramley was an English clergyman and hymnologist perhaps best known for his collaborations with the composer Sir John Stainer
. Along with earlier 19th century composers such as William Sandys
and John Mason Neale
, Bramley and Stainer are credited with fuelling a Victorian revival of Christmas carols with their 1871 publication of Christmas Carols, New and Old, which popularised carols such as "The First Nowell", "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" and "The Holly and the Ivy
".
in Yorkshire
. He studied at Oriel College, Oxford and was later made a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford
in 1857. He was ordained as a deacon
in 1856, and priest in 1858. He served as Vicar of Horspath
in Oxfordshire between 1861 and 1889, and was later Canon and Precentor of Lincoln Cathedral
between 1895-1905. Theologically, he is described in Professor Jeremy Dibble's biography of John Stainer as a "High Church
conservative".
Bramley became acquainted with John Stainer
after the composer was appointed organist at Magdalen College in 1860. Indeed it was Bramley, as a fellow of the college, who presented Stainer with his doctoral robes
. In 1871, they decided to collaborate on a collection of Christmas carol
s called Christmas Carols, New and Old, which was revised and expanded at regular intervals over the next few years. Bramley acted as the textual editor, contributing a number of new Latin translations and original verses to the publication, while Stainer dealt with the music, writing a number of new arrangements.
By the collection's last edition of 1878, the collection contained 70 carols. Amongst these were a number of now-standard carols which the collection helped to popularise including "The First Nowell", "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen", "The Seven Joys of Mary
", "See, Amid the Winter's Snow
", "Once In Royal David's City
", "The Apple Wassail
", "The Holly and the Ivy
" and "What Child Is This?
".
William Studwell
and Dorothy Jones note that the book, with an informative preface, an index with information on the origin of the carol texts and illustrations by the Brothers Dalziel caught the mood of the time, and was both "an artistic and commercial success". Percy Dearmer
, writing in the preface to the Oxford Book of Carols
of 1928, goes further, noting that the publication was largely responsible for the 19th century Victorian revival of the Christmas carol:
Studwell and Jones note that despite his numerous appointments, Christmas Carols, New and Old was Bramley's only influential publication. His only other publication of any substance was his translation of The Psalter: or Psalms of David and Certain Canticles of 1884, itself based on a work by 13th century Bible translator Richard Rolle
. His other published works (with the exception of a few publications related to Oxford University administration) include a hymn, "The Great God of Heaven is Come Down to Earth", included in the English Hymnal
of 1906, and his new translation and expansion of the Latin carol "The Cradle Song of the Blessed Virgin
", with music by Joseph Barnby
.
John Stainer
Sir John Stainer was an English composer and organist whose music, though not generally much performed today , was very popular during his lifetime...
. Along with earlier 19th century composers such as William Sandys
William Sandys
William Sandys may refer to:*William Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys of the Vyne, 16th century English diplomat*William B. Sandys, 19th century English antiquarian and Christmas carol collector...
and John Mason Neale
John Mason Neale
John Mason Neale was an Anglican priest, scholar and hymn-writer.-Life:Neale was born in London, his parents being the Revd Cornelius Neale and Susanna Neale, daughter of John Mason Good...
, Bramley and Stainer are credited with fuelling a Victorian revival of Christmas carols with their 1871 publication of Christmas Carols, New and Old, which popularised carols such as "The First Nowell", "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" and "The Holly and the Ivy
The Holly and the Ivy
"The Holly and the Ivy" is an English traditional Christmas carol. The carol contains intermingled Christian and Pagan imagery, with holly and ivy representing Pagan fertility symbols. Holly and ivy have been the mainstay of Christmas decoration for church use since at least the fifteenth and...
".
Biography
Henry Ramsden Bramley was born at AddinghamAddingham
Addingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of West Yorkshire. It is situated on the A65, west of Ilkley, north west of Bradford and around north west of Leeds. It is located in the valley of the River Wharfe and is only from the Yorkshire Dales National Park...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. He studied at Oriel College, Oxford and was later made a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
in 1857. He was ordained as a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1856, and priest in 1858. He served as Vicar of Horspath
Horspath
Horspath is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire about east of the centre of Oxford, England.-Archaeology:The parish's western boundary largely follows the course of a Roman road that linked Dorchester on Thames and Alchester Roman Town. In the Romano-British period there were pottery...
in Oxfordshire between 1861 and 1889, and was later Canon and Precentor of Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 249 years . The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt...
between 1895-1905. Theologically, he is described in Professor Jeremy Dibble's biography of John Stainer as a "High Church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
conservative".
Bramley became acquainted with John Stainer
John Stainer
Sir John Stainer was an English composer and organist whose music, though not generally much performed today , was very popular during his lifetime...
after the composer was appointed organist at Magdalen College in 1860. Indeed it was Bramley, as a fellow of the college, who presented Stainer with his doctoral robes
Academic dress
Academic dress or academical dress is a traditional form of clothing for academic settings, primarily tertiary education, worn mainly by those that have been admitted to a university degree or hold a status that entitles them to assume them...
. In 1871, they decided to collaborate on a collection of Christmas carol
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
s called Christmas Carols, New and Old, which was revised and expanded at regular intervals over the next few years. Bramley acted as the textual editor, contributing a number of new Latin translations and original verses to the publication, while Stainer dealt with the music, writing a number of new arrangements.
By the collection's last edition of 1878, the collection contained 70 carols. Amongst these were a number of now-standard carols which the collection helped to popularise including "The First Nowell", "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen", "The Seven Joys of Mary
The Seven Joys of Mary (carol)
"The Seven Joys of Mary" is a traditional carol about Mary's happiness at moments in the life of Jesus, probably inspired by the trope of the Seven Joys of the Virgin in the devotional literature and art of Medieval Europe...
", "See, Amid the Winter's Snow
See, Amid The Winter's Snow
"See, Amid The Winter's Snow", also known as "Hymn For Christmas Day", is a Christmas carol. It was written by Edward Caswall , with music composed by Sir John Goss ....
", "Once In Royal David's City
Once In Royal David's City
Once In Royal David's City is a Christmas carol originally written as poem by Cecil Frances Alexander. The carol was first published in 1848 in Miss Cecil Humphreys' hymnbook Hymns for little Children. A year later, the English organist Henry John Gauntlett discovered the poem and set it to music...
", "The Apple Wassail
Apple Wassail
The Apple Wassail is a traditional form of wassailing practiced in the cider orchards of South West England during the winter. There are many well recorded instances of the Apple Wassail in the early modern period. The first recorded mention was at Fordwich, Kent, in 1585, by which time groups of...
", "The Holly and the Ivy
The Holly and the Ivy
"The Holly and the Ivy" is an English traditional Christmas carol. The carol contains intermingled Christian and Pagan imagery, with holly and ivy representing Pagan fertility symbols. Holly and ivy have been the mainstay of Christmas decoration for church use since at least the fifteenth and...
" and "What Child Is This?
What Child Is This?
"What Child Is This?" is a popular Christmas carol written in 1865. At the age of twenty-nine, English writer William Chatterton Dix was struck with a sudden near-fatal illness and confined to bedrest for several months, during which he went into a deep depression...
".
William Studwell
William Studwell
William Emmett Studwell was an American librarian who became known for his knowledge of carols.-Biography:William Studwell was born in Stamford, Connecticut and he studied history at the University of Connecticut....
and Dorothy Jones note that the book, with an informative preface, an index with information on the origin of the carol texts and illustrations by the Brothers Dalziel caught the mood of the time, and was both "an artistic and commercial success". Percy Dearmer
Percy Dearmer
Percy Dearmer, was an English priest and liturgist best known as the author of The Parson's Handbook, a liturgical manual for Anglican clergy. A lifelong socialist, he was an early advocate of the public ministry of women and concerned with social justice...
, writing in the preface to the Oxford Book of Carols
Oxford Book of Carols
The Oxford Book of Carols was published in 1928 by Oxford University Press. Its influence derives from its anthologists Percy Dearmer, Martin Shaw and Ralph Vaughan Williams and their choice of carol tunes, provision of new words for old tunes and the continuing reinvigoration of English church...
of 1928, goes further, noting that the publication was largely responsible for the 19th century Victorian revival of the Christmas carol:
"The influence of this book was enormous: it placed in the hands of the clergy...a really practicable tool, which came into general use, and is still in use after nearly sixty years. The great service done by this famous collection was that it brought thirteen traditional carols, with their proper music, into general use at once...It is…mainly to Bramley and Stainer that we owe the restoration of the carol."
Studwell and Jones note that despite his numerous appointments, Christmas Carols, New and Old was Bramley's only influential publication. His only other publication of any substance was his translation of The Psalter: or Psalms of David and Certain Canticles of 1884, itself based on a work by 13th century Bible translator Richard Rolle
Richard Rolle
Rolle is honored in the Church of England on January 20 and in the Episcopal Church together with Walter Hilton and Margery Kempe on September 28.-Works in print:*English Prose Treatises of Richard Rolle of Hampole, Edited by George Perry...
. His other published works (with the exception of a few publications related to Oxford University administration) include a hymn, "The Great God of Heaven is Come Down to Earth", included in the English Hymnal
English Hymnal
The English Hymnal was published in 1906 for the Church of England under the editorship of Percy Dearmer and Ralph Vaughan Williams. The preface to the hymnal began with the statement, "A collection of the best hymns in the English language." Much of the contents was used for the first time at St...
of 1906, and his new translation and expansion of the Latin carol "The Cradle Song of the Blessed Virgin
The Virgin's Cradle Hymn
"The Virgin's Cradle Hymn" is a short lullaby text. It was collected while on a tour of Germany by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and published in his Sibylline Leaves of 1817. According to his own note, Coleridge copied the Latin text from a "print of the Blessed Virgin in a Catholic...
", with music by Joseph Barnby
Joseph Barnby
Sir Joseph Barnby , English musical composer and conductor, son of Thomas Barnby, an organist, was born at York. He was a chorister at York Minster from the age of seven, was educated at the Royal Academy of Music under Cipriani Potter and Charles Lucas, and was appointed in 1862 organist of St...
.
External links
- Facsimile of Christmas Carols New and Old at Christian Classics Ethereal LibraryChristian Classics Ethereal LibraryThe Christian Classics Ethereal Library is a digital library that provides free electronic copies of Christian scripture and literature texts....