Three Generations of Burt Family Carols

In the 1920s, Rev. Bates G. Burt, my great-grandfather and a self-taught musician, began composing annual Christmas carols. He wrote both the text and music and sent them as Christmas greeting cards to his parishioners in Marquette -- and later in Pontiac -- Michigan.

1923: Lying in Thy Manger Lowly 1925: When Christ Was Born of Mary Free 1926: Heav'nly Choirs 1928: Gloria tibi domine 1929: All on A Christmas Morning 1930: In a Far Judean City 1931: When All the Earth Was Dark and Dreary 1932: Soft Sings the Mother 1933: Let Christmas Be Merry 1934: Little Child Jesus, Tender and Fair 1935: On Christmas Eve, When Fields Are White

1936: Christus Natus Hodie 1937: When I View the Mother Holding 1938: Come, Youths and Maidens 1939: What Wonder Is Hid in the Heart 1940: Let's Have a Merry Song Tonight 1941: Tell Me, Tell Me, Shepherd, Pray 1946: Good News Breaks from on High (year unknown): Happy Voices Sweetly Singing (yr unknown): Christmas Minuet (yr unknown): Nigh Bethl'hem on a Wintry Night (yr unknown): Now Lightly Falls the Christmas Snow

Many of the carols above are published as "The Family Carols of Bates Burt" (Fred Bock Music Co.)

In 1942, Bates passed the job of composing the music for the annual Christmas carol to his son, Alfred S. Burt, a jazz trumpeter who had just received his music degree from the University of Michigan. Alfred Burt's 15 carols were originally made famous by the Voices of Jimmy Joyce and are now recorded by artists all over the world.

Alfred Burt died in 1954, leaving behind his wife and young daughter. He was 33.

1942: Christmas Cometh Caroling 1943: Jesu Parvule 1944: What Are the Signs 1945: Ah, Bleak and Chill the Wintry Wind 1946: All on A Christmas Morning 1947: Nigh Bethlehem 1948: Christ in the Stranger's Guise 1949: Carol of the Mother (Sleep Baby Mine)

1950: Bright Bright the Holly Berries (This Is Christmas) 1951: Some Children See Him 1952: Come, Dear Children 1953: O, Hearken Ye 1954: Caroling Caroling 1954: We'll Dress the House 1954: The Star Carol

In 2001, fresh out of St. Olaf College with a degree in music composition, I decided to try my own hand at this family tradition. My first carol, a re-setting of Bates Burt's "In a Far Judean City," was given its first reading at a pre-concert talk for a Dale Warland Singers holiday concert. Within days I received a call from Minnesota Public Radio, who was interested in running a feature about the renewed family tradition. Now, nearly every annual carol has premiered to a regional listening audience on Minnesota Public Radio.

Each year, my mom and I collaborate to produce the new Christmas card, which, like Bates and Uncle Al, we send out to family and friends. She creates the design and does all the production, which often includes hand-stamping, pasting, and glittering each card.

Click the titles below for more info about each carol.

2001: In a Far Judean City 2002: He Might Have Come from Clouds of Heav'n 2003: Hail, Christmas Day! 2004: Prayer for Peace 2005: Song of the Pines 2006: Shem Speaks 2007: Run, Toboggan, Run 2008: Behind the Clouds 2009: Be Like the Bird 2010: Carol of the Snow 2011: Come In! Come In!

2012: The Mirthful Heart 2013: Carol of the Stranger 2014: Peace with Me Now 2015: Romance in Waltz Time 2016: (Don't let us) Sing Him to Sleep 2017: Touch Hands: A Table Grace 2018: Little Fir Tree 2019: (had a baby instead) 2020: A Night for Being Silent 2022: I'm Heralding in My Christmas 2023: Chickadee's Song

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Below is the Burt family lineage as it relates to the Christmas carol tradition.



COLLABORATORS

Rev. John H. Burt (1918-2009): Bates's son, Al's brother, Abbie's grandfather
Grandpa wrote a few annual Christmas poems, sending them to his parishioners throughout his years as minister of All Saints Church in Pasadena, California, and then as Bishop of Ohio.

Emily Burt Betinis (b. 1950): John's daughter, Abbie's mother
An artist, my mom designs the cards for our family each year. She creates an image for the cover and does all the production, which often includes hand-stamping, pasting, and glittering.

Diane Bates Burt (b. 1950): Alfred Burt's daughter, Abbie's mom's cousin
Founder of “The Caroling Company” in California, Diane and her husband Nick D'Amico have released a CD entitled "A Christmas Present from The Caroling Company," which includes 8 carols by Alfred Burt (www.alfredburtcarols.com).