Trinity Church Christmas Eve Chimes

Event Information

Venue(s):
Trinity Church

Performance Forces:
Instrumental

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
25 April 2025

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

24 Dec 1873, 11:30 PM

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)

LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)

Participants: James E. Ayliffe

2)

Ringing the changes on eight bells

3)

"Christmas tree, The [Ogilby]"

Composer(s): Ogilby

4)

"See the morning star is dwelling"

Composer(s): Monk

Text Author: Wood

5)

"Angels from the realms of glory"

6)

Composer(s): Unknown composer

7)

"Merry, merry Christmas"

Composer(s): Walling

8)

"Christ was born on Christmas day"

Citations

1)

Announcement: New York Post, 24 December 1873, 3.

2)

Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 25 December 1873, 5.

Brief. “Christmas music ran out from the chimes last evening.”

3)

Review: New York Herald, 25 December 1873, 6.

“Near midnight, last night, Mr. James Ayliffe, the old bell ringer of Trinity church [sic], started the chimes, Through the still night air the euphonic brazen tonguers articulated the following music:—[lists carols].

Few were near to hear the music which marked the 1,874th anniversary of the birth of the Redeemer of the world. Perhaps many an unfortunate woman or dissolute man heard the music, and it awakened in him or her the recollection of ‘what had been and what might be,’ but none of all the busy throng that crowd the street upon which the old tower keeps watch all day long were there to hear the tale of solace and of hope that the old bells tolled.”