Tuesday 14 December 2021
Tune of the Day: Besançon Carol
Traditional Christmas carol, arranged for three flutes
This old melody, named after the city of Besançon in eastern France, may well date back to the 17th century. One of its earliest known appearances is, as “Berger, secoue ton sommeil profond” (“Shepherd, shake off your drowsy sleep”), in a collection titled Recueil de Noëls anciens au patois de Besançon (1842). Today, the melody is better known as the vehicle for the Advent carol “People, Look East”, which was written in 1928 by English author Eleanor Farjeon.
Many thanks to Mark for contributing this arrangement for flute trio!