Ring Out, Wild Bells / Tennyson

"Ring Out, Wild Bells" is a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Published in 1850, the year he was appointed Poet Laureate, it forms part of In Memoriam, Tennyson's elegy to Arthur Henry Hallam, his sister's fiancé who died at the age of twenty-two.

According to a story widely held in Waltham Abbey, and repeated on many websites (see two examples below), the 'wild bells' in question were the bells of the Abbey Church. According to the local story, Tennyson was staying at High Beach in the vicinity and heard the bells being rung. In some versions of the story it was a particularly stormy night and the bells were being swung by the wind rather than deliberately.

This poem is recited annually at the national New Year's Eve celebration in Sweden every year by actor and singer Jan Malmsjö, who has recited the poem since 31 December 2001. The Swedish tradition of reading 'Ring Out, Wild Bells' began in 1897 when the young Swedish actor Anders de Wahl was asked to perform the poem at the annual New Year's Eve Celebration at Skansen in Stockholm. Anders de Wahl performed 'Ring Out, Wild Bells' (which, in Swedish, is called 'Nyårsklockan') until his death in 1956. The television producers at Sweden's biggest channel SVT decided to broadcast the annual New Years Celebration from Skansen in Stockholm on television, and this was first broadcast on 31 December 1977 when actor Georg Rydeberg read the poem. This turned out to be a major success and Rydeberg recited the poem until his death in 1983. In 1983, actor Jarl Kulle took over this tradition and read the poem until his death in 1996, when actress Margaretha Krook took over this and read the poem every New Year's Eve until her death in 2000. Jan Malmsjö has read it out since 2001.

Poem

 * Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
 * The flying cloud, the frosty light;
 * The year is dying in the night;
 * Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.


 * Ring out the old, ring in the new,
 * Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
 * The year is going, let him go;
 * Ring out the false, ring in the true.


 * Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
 * For those that here we see no more,
 * Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
 * Ring in redress to all mankind.


 * Ring out a slowly dying cause,
 * And ancient forms of party strife;
 * Ring in the nobler modes of life,
 * With sweeter manners, purer laws.


 * Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
 * The faithless coldness of the times;
 * Ring out, ring out thy mournful rhymes,
 * But ring the fuller minstrel in.


 * Ring out false pride in place and blood,
 * The civic slander and the spite;
 * Ring in the love of truth and right,
 * Ring in the common love of good.


 * Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
 * Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
 * Ring out the thousand wars of old,
 * Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Allusions
The Gresham's School chapel bell is inscribed with the last line of the poem, plus an attribution to the donor: "Ring in the Christ that is to be, Donum Dedit J. R. E."

Musical Settings
The second, seventh and eighth stanza were set to music by Karl Jenkins in the finale ("Better is Peace") of The Armed Man.

The first, second and last stanza were set to music by Crawford Gates, and it is included in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints's 1985 hymnal (hymn number 215).

The first, second, third, fifth and seventh stanzas are set to music by Jonathon Dove for the final movement of his "Passing of the Year" song cycle written for Double Choir (SSAATTBB).

James Q Mullholland - set the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th stanzas to music in honor of Gary Schwartzhoff in a commissioned piece by members and friends at First Congregational Church, Eau Claire, WI. 2011. First sung by the UW Eau Claire Concert Choir on Sunday, April 10, 2011. Sung again by the Chancel Choir of First Congregational Church on Sunday, May 22, 2011.