The National Trust property at Brockhampton have done a wonderful Christmas display showing Christmases through the ages. Although the rooms were not always in chronological order as you walked through the house, I have put them in order for this video. I have chosen Christmas music that would have been popular at the time of each time period.
The first piece of music is 'Masters in the Hall' by Linn Barnes and Allison Hampton from the album 'A Midwinter Celebration' 1995
Medieval Feasting would last 12 days, the Yule log would be burnt for the 12 days and then a piece of it kept for the following Christmas.
The next room was the easiest to decorate as it represents the period between 1647 - 1659 when an Act of Parliament banned the celebrations of Christmas. The 25th December was a day for fasting and prayer.
The music chosen for the A Georgian Ball room is 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra - Crouch End Festival Chorus
The Bartholmew's, who have recently finished construction of their new mansion, Brockhampton House, at the top of the estate are preparing for a Twelfth Night Ball which will celebrate the end of the Christmas season to show off their new house. Brockhampton is now in the hands of tenant farmers.
The next room represents a Quiet Christmas for Joseph and Ann Cureton who have been given residence of this manor house. The music is 'Good King Wenceslas' Choir of St. John's College Cambridge.
The area representing Victorian Extravagance has a beautiful Christmas Tree - a custom newly arrived in Britain brought by Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert. Christmas cards were fashionable, gift giving and Christmas Crackers were invented in 1846 by London confectioner, Tom Smith. The music chosen for this area is 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' Lichfield Cathedral Choir.
The Kitchen represents the preparations for the Christmas Day meal and the Boxing Day shooting party for 1910. Thank goodness the cider wasn't drunk before Christmas. The music is 'In the Bleak Midwinter' Choir of King's College, Cambridge. The poem was written by Christina Rossetti 1872, although there is a version nearer to the date of this kitchen composed by Harold Drake in 1909, this is the version sung by most families and I believe the most popular, composed by Gustav Holst (a local man to where I live) in 1906.
The Soldier's Room shows parcels for the World War I trenches. In 1914 Princess Mary, 17 at the time, began a campaign to send out gift boxes to every soldier and sailor fighting in the war. Although at the time she intended to pay for them out of her own personal allowance, due to the scale of the campaign she requested help from the British people and so launched a public fund. In 1915 the women at Brockhampton decided to follow suit and sent out gift boxes to the men from Brockhampton. I chose 'Silent Night' by The Choir of Lichfield Cathedral as this represents the Christmas Day Truce of 1914 when Welsh and German soldiers played a football match.
The 1936 room is another quiet family Christmas with Colonel Lucky and his two sisters Ethel and Gertrude. There will be no radio Christmas message this year due to Edward VIII's abdication. Ethel and Gertrude are excited to try out the new cocktails. The music chosen is Ted Weems - Winter Wonderland.
The final room is Christmas Eve 1958, rationing has been over for four years so people can now enjoy plenty of Christmas food. As you can see, stockings are hanging up ready for Father Christmas to call. The music chosen is Dick Haymes - White Christmas.
Happy Christmas everyone, I am lucky that the music used hasn't affected my RU-vid channel. The choirs from the music used have their own RU-vid channels, if you wish to support them please subscribe to their channels. Most of the music used is available for purchase.
23 дек 2023
