(Traditional Catalonian)
This song is a traditional Catalonian Christmas carol and lullaby which is also known as The Song of the Birds or Carol of the Birds. A different carol also called Carol of the Birds was later written by the composer John Jacob Niles and will be covered separately.
The text of the song refers to the joy of the birds learning of Jesus Christ’s birth in Bethlehem.
It was written in Catalan and has been translated into English and the tune was brought to fame by an instrumental version performed by the cellist Pau (Pablo) Casals, who performed it at all of his concerts after he was exiled in 1939. It is his version which is often seen as a symbol identified with Catalonia.
There have been many other performances and recordings made of the carol with some of them including versions by Joan Baez, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Robert Shaw Chamber Singers.
Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia Recordings
Conductor – Peter Breiner
Naxos 8.550670 (Christmas Goes Baroque II)
Mannheim Steamroller recordings
American Gramaphone records AG 1984 (CD: Christmas)
Robert Shaw Chamber Singers Recordings
Soprano – Janice Chandler
Conductor – Robert Shaw
Arranger- Alice Parker/Robert Shaw
Telarc 80461 (CD- A Robert Shaw Christmas/Angels on High)
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_cant_dels_ocells
- https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/carol_of_the_birds.htm
- https://www.thestrad.com/featured-stories/pablo-casals-performs-the-song-of-the-birds/10365.article
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No%C3%ABl_(Joan_Baez_album)
- https://www.allmusic.com/composition/el-cant-dels-ocells-song-of-the-birds-for-cello-piano-mc0002413674
- https://www.discogs.com/search?q=Carol+Of%20The%20Birds%20(El%20Cant%20Dels%20Ocells)&type=all