| AKA | |
| First published | 1810 |
| Lyrics | Reginald Spofforth | Music | Reginald Spofforth | Roud | RN1346 |
| Music Hall performers | Charles Rice |
| Folk performances | Source Singers: The Fountain singers, 1973, Yorks., England William Burt, 1970s, Northants, England Castleton residents, 1989, Castleton, England Little John Singers, 1992, Hathersage, England Royal Hotel Singers, 1995, Dungworth, England Modern performances: Melrose Quartet 2019 Still sung as carol in various pubs in Sheffield/ North Derbyshire. |
Hail smiling morn, smiling morn, That tips the hills with gold, that tips the hills with gold, Whose rosy fingers ope the gates of day, Ope the gates, the gates of day, Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail! Who the gay face of nature doth unfold, Who the gay face of nature doth unfold, At whose bright presence darkness flies away, flies away, Darkness flies away, darkness flies away, At whose bright presence darkness flies away, flies away, Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail!
This is a song that was popular in the taverns and early music halls, which has remained popular in the folk tradition 200 years later.
Music Hall evolved out of, amongst other things, the tavern singing of the early 19th century. According to Charles Rice, a singer attempting to establish himself as a semiprofessional in the 1840s, this was a popular song in his repertoire. There is also evidence that others sang it in the tavern singing rooms and early music halls, where audience participation was key.
I know it as one of the Sheffield carols, sung in pubs around Sheffield and North Derbyshire.
The song was composed in 1810 by Reginald Spofforth, a composer, organist and conductor from Nottinghamshire. This is often described as the most popular glee in the entire repertory. (A glee is a type of song designed to be sung in three or more voices, usually unaccompanied – they were extremely popular in England in the late 18th and early 19th century).
Sources:
Charles Rice Tavern Singing
As sung at The Royal Dungworth:
Last Updated on October 22, 2020 by John Baxter | Published: February 18, 2020
