A-Soalin': This guitar-intensive carol was made known by Peter, Paul & Mary during the golden age of folk. This rather complex arrangement has a quodlibet written into the last verse; the four different tunes sounding simultaneously are: both the verse and refrain melodies of "A-Soalin' "; "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen"; and "Masters In This Hall," a 16th. c. Eng. carol.

 

"A-soalin' " was a 17th c. custom in England in which homeless street urchins would go door-to-door a few days before Christmas asking for food, including soal cakes - a simple pastry. The quodlibet echos the different sets of orphans on the street, each singing a carol in order to entice homeowners to give them something from "the barrel in the cellar." The waifs would also accept a penny or even a ha' penny.