St. Olaf Choir, Sep 23, 2015
Provided to YouTube by CDBaby
African Noel · St. Olaf Choir
Songs From My Heart : Choral Music Of André Thomas
℗ 2004 Andre Thomas
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This post presents three YouTube examples of the Christmas song "Sing
Noel" ("African Noel"; Sing We All Noel") arranged by Andre J. Thomas. one of the arrangers of different renditions of that song. The melody for all of those renditions of this song is consistent, but the lyrics and tempo depends on the particular arranger.
Some information about the origin of "Sing Noel" (also known as "Sing We All Noel" and "African Noel") is included in this post along with the lyrics for Andre J. Thomas' arrangement of that song.
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the unknown composer/s of the melody for this song
and thanks to Andre J. Thomas for his arrangement of this song. Thanks to all
those who are quoted in this post, and thanks also to the singers and musicians
who are featured in these videos. And thanks to the publishers of these videos
on YouTube.
-snip-
Click
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/12/sing-noel-african-noel-videos-lyrics.html
for a 2014 pancocojams post entitled
"Sing Noel" (African Noel) videos & lyrics
SOME INFORMATION ABOUT ANDRE J. THOMAS
Excerpt #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_J._Thomas [retrieved December 12, 2024]
"André Jerome Thomas (born 15 August 1952) is an American composer and conductor. He served as a professor of music at the College of Music at Florida State University and the artistic director for the Tallahassee Community Chorus. In addition to his conducting and composition credits, Thomas is a published author, having written Way Over in Beulah Lan': Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual, and numerous journal articles."...
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Excerpt #2
From https://lorenz.com/composers-and-authors/meet-our-composers/andre-j-thomas [retrieved December 12, 2024]
"Dr. André J. Thomas served on the faculty of Florida State University from 1984 until his retirement in 2020 as Owen F. Sellers Professor of Music, Director of Choral Activities, and Professor of Choral Music Education. He was appointed Professor of Choral Conducting and Interim conductor of the Yale Camerata for the 2020–2021 academic year. He previously served on the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Thomas received the baccalaureate degree in Music Education from Friends University, the Masters Degree in Piano Performance from Northwestern University, and the Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Illinois.
He is frequently in demand as a choral adjudicator, clinician and director of Honor Choirs and All‑State Choirs throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. He has conducted choirs at the state, division and national conventions of Music Educators National Conference (MENC) and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). He has served as a conductor and clinician for the International Federation of Choral Musicians. In 1998, Dr. Thomas conducted the World Youth Choir in the Republic of China and the Philippines, and returned in 1999–2000 to conduct the winter residency of the World Youth Choir in Europe. In 1999, he and the Florida State University Singers performed in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, at the invitation of the Vietnamese government."...
-snip-
André Jerome Thomas is African American.
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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT "AFRICAN NOEL" ("SING NOEL" ; "SING
WE ALL NOEL")
"Sing Noel" is a Christmas song that is also known
by the titles "African Noel" and "Sing We All Noel". The
melody of this song is based on a song entitled "Banuwa Yo"(also
given as "Banuwa"). "Banuwa" is commonly referred to as a
Liberian (West Africa) folk song. However, that song's African origin has not
been proven.
**
Here's the result of a Google search that I did on December
12, 2012 for the question "What is the origin of the song "Sing
Noel?"
Google search – Origin of the song “Sing Noel”
"AI Overview
African Noel - Beth's Notes
The song “African Noel” is based on a Liberian folk song called “Banuwa”. The original lyrics of “Banuwa” translate to “Don't cry, little girl, don't cry”. Over time, new lyrics were written for the same melody, including “Sing Noel, Sing Noel, Sing We Noel”.
“African Noel” can be used to celebrate both Christmas and
Kwanzaa, and is often performed in schools."
-snip-
"Beth Notes" is an internet site that presents lyrics and musical notes for children's songs.
**
Here's a comment that I wrote and posted in the discussion
thread for a 2014 pancocojams post about the song "Banuwa". I've made minor changes to two sentences in this comment. The link for that pancocojams post is given above.
Azizi Powell, November 28, 2023
"Anonymous, in addition to watching a number of YouTube
videos of "Banuwa Yo" and reading comments from the discussion
threads for a few that had comments, I happened upon this 2012 article from a
blog by Jim Moran entitled "Comparative Video 101"
https://compvid101.blogspot.com/2012/09/lost-somewhere-in-translation-banuwa.html.
The article's title is "Lost Somewhere In Translation: "Banuwa" and that title speaks to the opinion that folk musician/writer and folk music radio host Jim Moran has that the song "Banuwa" may have a different meaning than it has been given since it burst on the folklorist scene in the 1950s.
Jim Moran points out that in 2012 there are no renditions of this song -on YouTube or elsewhere by Liberians or by other West Africans and most of the videos of the song are by White people throughout the world (I'm paraphrasing what he wrote. That's still the case in 2023.
I've looked and haven't found any information about which Liberian tradition (which ethnic group in Liberia) this song comes from. Also, which language is the word "banuwa" and the other words in that song originally from?
I think that it's not all that surprising that "Sing Noel" is based on "Banuwa Yo" since the African connection that both of these songs have is suspect (to me if not to anyone else.)
No matter how nice it sounds, I'd rather showcase and sing a
traditional African song whose roots can be traced and at the very least, whose
language can be identified."
-snip-
I reprinted the above comment and added it to the 2024
pancocojams post entitled "Seven Video Examples Of The Liberian Folk Song
"Banuwa" In The United States & In Some Other Countries"
https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/seven-video-examples-of-liberian-folk.html.
I still agree with what Jim Moran (and I wrote) about the so-called "Liberian" song "Banuwa". As of December 12, 2024, I still haven't come across any Liberian performances of "Banuwa" or any information about traditional Liberian sources for that song.
**
I haven't come across any information about when the Christmas song "Sing Noel" was first arranged in English or who was the first arranger of that song. I've found a copyright notice for 2004 for Andre J. Thomas, but I don't know if this was the earliest time that he copyrighted his arrangement of "African Noel" (Sing Noel").
If you have any memories of singing or hearing the song "Sing Noel" (African Noel"; "Sing We All Noel" prior to the 2000s please share that information in the discussion thread below. Also, if you have any information about this song, please share that information in this post's discussion thread. Thanks!
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LYRICS - AFRICAN NOEL ("SING NOEL")
(Arr. Andre J. Thomas)
(piano) Sing Noel, sing Noel, Noel, Noel
(mezzo piano) Sing Noel, sing Noel, Noel, Noel
(mezzo forte) Sing Noel, sing Noel, Noel, Noel Sing we all
Noel (x4)
(pianissimo) Sing Noel, sing Noel, Noel, Noel (x 2)
(piano) Sing Noel, sing Noel, Noel, Noel
(mezzo piano) Sing Noel, sing Noel, Noel, Noel
Sop1 & Alto Sing we all Noel
Sop 2 Sing we all Noel (x4)
Sop1 & Alto Oh Sing __________________________ (x2)
Sop 2 Sing Noel, sing Noel, Noel, Noel (x2)
(All) Oh Come, ye people gather here
To hear the news of good cheer.
The King of Kings, the Lamb of God
Is born today in Bethlehem
Sop1 & Alto Sing Noel ____
Sop 2 Sing Noel Noel, sing Noel, Noel, Noel
Sop1 & Alto Sing Noel ____
Sop 2 _____Sing Noel, sing Noel, Noel, Noel
Sop1 & Alto Sing Noel
(All) Oh sing Noel Noel Sing Noel Noel Sing!
https://menza.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/African-Noel-Lyrics-1.pdf
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2 -
Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir, Dec 25, 2017 Good Tidings! A Good
Noise Gospel Christmas, December 2017
Gail Suderman, Artistic Director
Elliot Polsky - Percussion **** Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
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