Each week, you may find information here about the music in the traditional worship services at First United Methodist Church in Lewisville, Texas. Some of this information is original; most of it is copied from other websites such as Wikipedia, GBOD, and hymnary.org. It is my hope that this information will enhance your understanding and enrich your worship experience.
About the Organ Music:
Joy to the World - Matt Limbaugh
(c.2013, Hope Publishing Company)
Our Christmas season would hardly seem complete without Joy to the World, the most joyous of the carols. Yet Isaac Watts, its author, never intended it to be a Christmas carol at all. Rather, it was a part of his Psalms of David Imitated, published in 1719, which contained paraphrases of many of the Psalms in New Testament language.
The story of the hymn, Joy to the World, is the story of the author, Isaac Watts (1675-1748), who is universally acknowledged as "The Father of English Hymnody". He has earned the title, not because he was first to write English hymns, but because he gave impetus to hymnody and established its place in the worship of the English church. For over one hundred years, congregational singing had been strictly limited to the Psalms of the Old Testament in poetic form. Many of these rhymed Psalms were so unnatural that Samuel Wesley, father of the famous brothers Charles and John, called them "scandalous doggerel," and his opinion was shared by many.
The birth of Isaac Watts to a dissenting deacon and the daughter of a Huguenot refugee was followed by fourteen years of persecution and hardships for the entire family. Perhaps this suffering was responsible for Isaac Watts’ ill health, for he grew only to a height of just over five feet and was weak and sickly all his life. Though weak in body, the boy was strong in mind and spirit and early in life showed promise of poetic capability. After one Sunday morning service, Isaac, then fifteen years old, complained of the atrocious worship in song. One of the deacons challenged him: "Give us something better, young man." His answer was to write hundreds of hymns that are still sung today.
Joy to the World is the "imitation" of the last half of Psalm 98. The author transformed the old Jewish psalm of praise for some historic deliverance into a Christian song of rejoicing for the salvation of God that began to be manifested when the Babe of Bethlehem came "to make his blessing flow far as the curse is found." This is one of the most joyous hymns in all Christendom because it makes so real what Christ’s birth means to all mankind.
The tune most widely associated with Watts’ text is ANTIOCH, often poorly attributed in hymnals to either George Frideric Handel or Lowell Mason, neither of which is the proper author. This tune appeared at least four times in short succession around the same date, 1832–1833. Since three of the collections were published without dates, the exact succession is difficult to determine. Possibly the earliest is Charles Rider’s Psalmodia Britannica, vol. 4,, where the tune was called COMFORT (c.1831) with the curious ascription, “Partly from J. Leach.” Another of these early appearances was in Thomas Hawkes’ Collection of Tunes (Watchet: Thomas Whitehorn, 1833, where it was also called COMFORT. The attribution to “Author unknown” suggests that the tune had appeared earlier in another collection or through some other resource yet to be determined. Hawkes’ collection was keyed to A Collection of Hymns for the Use of the People Called Methodists, with a Supplement (London: John Mason, 1831), where the tune appears with Charles Wesley’s “O joyful sound of gospel grace” and Wesley’s “How large the promise, how divine.” Around the same time Hawkes’ collection was published, this tune appeared in Thomas Clark’s Congregational Harmonist, vol. 3 (London: W. Blackman, n.d.), also dubbed COMFORT and paired with Wesley’s “O joyful sound,” without attribution. In this printing, the tunes are associated with the same Methodist collection published by John Mason that Hawkes’ had used for his tunebook.
In William Holford’s Voce di Melodia, ca. 1833–1834, 3rd ed., like the others, this tune was called COMFORT. Here the associated text was “O the delights, the heav’nly joys” by Isaac Watts. Holford seems to be the first to connect this tune with Handel. This tune has never been found among the works of Handel, but it does bear a resemblance to various strains from Messiah. The opening phrase, especially in these early British versions, recalls “Glory to God” and/or “Lift up your heads”, while the third phrase recalls the opening strains of “Comfort ye”. This latter association may very well be why the tune was called COMFORT, but the tune as a whole should not be credited to Handel, except perhaps as the tune’s inspiration.
Shortly thereafter, the tune crossed the Atlantic and was adapted by Lowell Mason (1792–1872) for his collection Occasional Psalm and Hymn Tunes, No. 3 (Boston, 1836). Mason credited the tune as “arranged from Handel” and he initiated its famed pairing with “Joy to the world.”
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;
let ev’ry heart prepare him room and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains, repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love, and wonders, wonders of his love.
This arrangement combines the melody of Joy to the World with the Little Prelude in C Major attributed to J. S. Bach. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He enriched established German styles through his skill in counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organization, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's compositions include the Brandenburg concertos, the Mass in B minor, The Well-Tempered Clavier, two Passions, keyboard works, and more than 300 cantatas, of which nearly 100 cantatas have been lost to posterity. His music is revered for its intellectual depth, technical command, and artistic beauty. Bach's abilities as an organist were highly respected throughout Europe during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognized as a great composer until a revival of interest and performances of his music in the first half of the nineteenth century. During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, Bach was recognized by several prominent composers. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin, Robert Schumann, and Felix Mendelssohn were among his admirers; they began writing in a more contrapuntal style after being exposed to Bach's music. Beethoven described him as "Urvater der Harmonie", the "original father of harmony". He is now generally regarded as one of the main composers of the Baroque period and as one of the greatest composers of all time. A highly devout Christian, Bach signed all of his compositions “soli Deo Gloria” (to God alone be the glory).
The Eight Short Preludes and Fugues (also Eight Little Preludes and Fugues), BWV 553–560, are a collection of works for keyboard and pedal formerly attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach. They are now believed to have been composed by one of Bach's pupils, possibly Johann Tobias Krebs or his son, based on certain unusual characteristics and simplicity unusual to most of Bach's music when played on the organ. However, Philipp Spitta noted that they bore the "stamp of commanding mastery.” Additionally, Sir George Grove wrote that "on stylistic grounds neither [Johann Tobias or Johann Ludwig] seems likely.” These pieces came to be played often on the organ in the 19th and 20th centuries, and were especially useful as teaching pieces for beginners. Subsequent scholarship has suggested that this collection was conceived specifically for the pedal clavichord, thereby making the stylistic claim of inauthenticity far less tenable. Several elements of the pieces, including the rolling of large chords, octave doublings and repeated notes, and the patterns of movement of the fingers and feet, the rhythm, and overall texture are idiomatic on the clavichord. So, whether these pieces were written by Bach for his students or written by his students, perhaps as composition exercises, as they are in a variety of styles and keys, we still do not know. In these times prior to both copyright and publishing, we are often dependent on finding the earliest handwritten copy to verify authorship. For now, we just say “attributed to J. S. Bach”.
Ammon Matthew Limbaugh, III (Matt) was born in Greenville, SC in 1949, one of 9 children of my parents, A.M. (Junior) and Margaret Limbaugh. He began taking piano lessons and playing in church at age 13, and was church organist at age 16.He received the Associate of Arts in Church Music degree from North Greenville University and the Bachelor of Church Music degree from Carson-Newman College. He was the Senior Adult Pastor/Worship Arts Associate/Organist at First Baptist Ch, Mauldin, SC, for 50 years. He has composed organ, piano and choral music for church.
About the Choral Music:
Tidings of Joy, A Celtic Christmas Celebration - Joseph Martin
(c.2020, Hal Leonard - Melwin Music Corp.)
Celtic Orchestration - Stan Pethel
Scriptures from NIV (c.2011, Biblical, Inc.) and NKJV (c.1982, Thomas Nelson)
Christie Wood, Irish flute, flute, piccolo
Chu Yun Lee, violin
Javi Betancourt, cello
Beth McPherson, bass
Brooke Yrigoyen, guitar
Josh Parker, percussion
Saul Sanchez, keyboard bells
Margo Dillard, piano
Paul Burnett, Michele Anderson, Trena Carr-Johnson, Lynn Richardson, soloists
Chancel Choir
Wes Davis, director
Cindy Neander, Trey Volentine, readers
Joseph Martin (b. 1959 ), a native of North Carolina, earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. Subsequently he earned a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance at the University of Texas, Austin. Joseph taught for five years in the Piano Pedagogy Department of the University of Texas.. He is a member of the staff of Shawnee Press as Director of Sacred Publications, with responsibilities for overseeing the editorial and creative direction of the company’s sacred publications and also coordinating the recording and production aspects of future sacred publishing efforts. Joseph has performed solo piano recitals and has been the featured artist with symphony orchestras in the United States and Mexico. As winner of the Nina Plant Wideman Competition, he performed with the Guadalajara Symphony Orchestra. His solo recital in Ex-convento del Carmen was broadcast nationally throughout the country. Though he continues to perform in concert, he now devotes his efforts to playing in churches and for conferences of church musicians Recognized throughout the United States for his many choral compositions, over 1200 compositions are currently in print and the list continues to grow.
The Celtic orchestration is by Stan Pethel. Dr. Stan Pethel is Chair of the Fine Arts at Berry College near Rome, Georgia. He has been on the music faculty there since 1973. In addition to his duties as Chair of Fine Arts at Berry College Dr. Pethel teaches music theory, composition and arranging, world music, and low brass lessons. He is a widely published composer and arranger with over 1000 works in publication with 26 different publishers. His writing includes works for choir, piano, organ/piano duet, symphonic band, jazz ensemble, orchestra, handbells, solo instrument and piano, and various chamber music ensembles. He is a regular recipient of the ASCAP Standard Award.
Joseph Martin wrote this about this work: Christmas brings to the seeker’s heart an extravagant joy that is difficult to express in words alone. Each year, its wonder=filled message decorates our lives with sparkling music and jubilant moments of praise. Christmas speaks to us in miracles and wonders, sings to us in the voices of angels, and whispers to us in shimmering starlight. It awakes in the soul a deep longing for the sacred, daring us to dream beyond our doubts and to believe in the glorious impossible. Christmas joy wraps us in the beautiful, surrounds us with song, and cradles us in arms of promise. Christmas joy is a gift of grace that glistens like silver snow and becomes even more beautiful when shared with others. So then, let the music of joy sound again! Let the voices of Light break through the silence and teach the shadows to dance. Let there be hope in this place and grace for each heart. Let there be singing and glorious celebrations. For behold, we bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people! Christ the Lord, is born!
A Christmas Invitation
The Wexford Carol, one of the oldest surviving Christmas carols. Thought to have been written in Ireland in the 12th century but the melody may be much older, originally sung to celebrate the winter solstice. It originated in Enniscorthy in County Wexford and was handed down orally for centuries. William Grattan Flood (1859–1928), organist and musical director at St. Aidan's Cathedral in Enniscorthy, accompanied Father Commons to a small town nestled between Wexford and Enniscorthy to listen to the carol. As it was being sung, he took it down note for note. Flood then returned to the cathedral where he arranged the carol for the organ and a four-part choir. Every Christmas Eve since, St. Aidan’s Cathedral has played “The Enniscorthy Carol.” Sometime later, Mr. Flood submitted the song to the editors of The Oxford Book of Carols, the gold-standard repository of Christmas songs, which published it in 1928; the same year Mr. Flood died.
A Festival Gathering of Carols
This melody mixes traditional carol texts and original lyrics by Joseph Martin. It incorporates 5 tunes.
"Galician Carol" composed by Jose Pacheco in 1829, has a unique, Irish-jig-like sound and was written by a master of music at a cathedral in Galicia. The broader history of Galician carols includes ancient Celtic roots, a tradition of oral storytelling, and the use of the gaita (Spanish bagpipes). Situated in the northwest corner of modern Spain, Galicia is an autonomous region and distinct nationality under Spanish law. It was Celtic land for about 1000 years until it was incorporated into the Roman Empire in 19 BC. This carol reflects both the Celtic and Hispanic heritage of the Galician people. While the opening tune fairly resembles an Irish jig, it also displays the distinct Hispanic influence. Traditionally the tune is often played on the Galician gaita, the generic term for Spanish bagpipes, which has drone and chanter pipes like its Irish and Scottish cousins.
“I Saw Three Ships” has traditional English origins which go back to the 17th century and possibly to Derbyshire. The more literal-minded will be perplexed by the idea of ships sailing into the land-locked Bethlehem. The three ships may be those which were said to transport the relics of the Biblical magi to Cologne Cathedral in the 12th century. Or perhaps it is a reference to the camels which bore the magi – the “ships of the desert”.
But there is a much older tradition around this song that hints at an early Christian suppressed narrative. The lyrics were first collected and associated with Cornwall and Glastonbury in England, the seat of ancient Celtic and pre-Celtic indigenous communities in Western Britain. A vicar in Glastonbury told songcatcher Rev. H.A. Lewis that “Our Lord is said to have walked along the Pilgrims' Way to Winchester, which was very likely the old tin trade route.”
In Cornwall, folk wisdom recalls when “Christ came to Cornwall.” In the rich tin mine country of Cornwall, they have a tradition among the metal workers (or “tin men”) “that St Joseph of Arimathea, the rich man of the Gospels, made his money in the tin trade between Phoenicia and Cornwall. We have also a story that he made several voyages to Britain in his own ships, and that on one occasion he brought with him the Child Christ and his Mother as passengers, and landed them; at St Michael's Mount in Cornwall." One old woman from the area when interviewed by songcatchers in the 19th century said, “Joseph, was a tin man. Of course, we know Our Saviour preached to the miners. He was very fond of the miners.”
Another oral tradition says that when the real Roman oppression fell on the Holy Land, Joseph of Arimathea and the three Marys (Jesus’ mother, the Magdalene, and the sister of Martha) sailed off to the south of France with the chalice that caught the blood of Christ as he hung from the cross (the Holy Grail) and traveled from there throughout Europe evangelizing. In this tradition the three ships in question are the three Marys, bearing gospel riches in their “holds.”
The "Sussex Carol" is sometimes referred to by its first line "On Christmas night all Christians sing". Its words were first published by Luke Wadding, a late 17th-century poet and bishop of the Catholic Church in Ireland, in a work called Small Garland of Pious and Godly Songs (1684). It is unclear whether Wadding wrote the song or was recording an earlier composition. Both the text and the tune to which it is now sung were discovered and written down by Cecil Sharp in Buckland, Gloucestershire, and Ralph Vaughan Williams, who heard it being sung by a Harriet Verrall of Monk's Gate, near Horsham, Sussex (hence "Sussex Carol"). The tune to which it is generally sung today is the one Vaughan Williams took down from Mrs. Verrall and published in 1919. An earlier version using a different tune and a variation on the first line, "On Christmas night true Christians sing", was published as early as 1878 in Henry Ramsden Bramley and John Stainer's Christmas Carols New and Old.
In dulci jubilo ("In sweet rejoicing") is a traditional Christmas carol. In its original setting, the carol is a macaronic text of German and Latin dating from the Middle Ages. Subsequent translations into English, such as J.M. Neale's arrangement "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" have increased its popularity, and Robert Pearsall's 1837 macaronic translation is a mainstay of the Christmas Nine Lessons and Carols repertoire. The original song text, a macaronic alternation of Medieval German and Latin, is thought to have been written by the German mystic Heinrich Seuse circa 1328. According to folklore, Seuse heard angels sing these words and joined them in a dance of worship. In his biography (or perhaps autobiography), it was written: “Now this same angel came up to the Servant (Suso) brightly, and said that God had sent him down to him, to bring him heavenly joys amid his sufferings; adding that he must cast off all his sorrows from his mind and bear them company, and that he must also dance with them in heavenly fashion. Then they drew the Servant by the hand into the dance, and the youth began a joyous song about the infant Jesus ...”
The tune first appears in Codex 1305, a manuscript in Leipzig University Library dating from c.1400, although it has been suggested that the melody may have existed in Europe prior to this date. In print, the tune was included in Geistliche Lieder, a 1533 Lutheran hymnal by Joseph Klug. It also appears in Michael Vehe's Gesangbuch of 1537. In 1545, another verse was added, possibly by Martin Luther. This was included in Valentin Babst's Geistliche Lieder, printed in Leipzig. The melody was also popular elsewhere in Europe, and appears in a Swedish/Latin version in the 1582 Finnish songbook Piae Cantiones, a collection of sacred and secular medieval songs. The tune appears in Michael Praetorius's Polyhymnia Caduceatrix & Panegyrica collection of 1619.
Arrangements of the traditional carol often incorporate Celtic musical styles, such as an Irish jig or Celtic harp, and sometimes feature Celtic-themed performances. While the original carol is a 14th-century German hymn with Latin and German lyrics, this connection comes from modern musicians and performers adapt the melody to fit Celtic-inspired musical traditions.
"Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing-day" is an English carol usually attributed as "traditional"; its first written appearance is in William B. Sandys' Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern of 1833. However, it is almost certainly of a much earlier date; Studwell (2006) places it in the 16th century. Cahill (2006) based on the phrase "to see the legend of my play" speculates that the text may be based on an earlier version associated with a mystery play of the late medieval period. What is most remarkable about “Dancing Day” is that it narrates the entire story of Christ’s life in Christ’s own voice, and that it describes the story of salvation with the image of a dance. Hymn texts in which Christ himself speaks—a device one commentator refers to as vox Christi—are rare, making a theatrical origin for “Dancing Day” even more likely.
It seems possible that ‘Tomorrow shall be’ was devised to be sung and danced at the conclusion of the first day of a three-day drama . . . The actor portraying Christ would have sung the verses and the whole company and audience the repeats of the refrains. Mystery plays were one of the three distinctive medieval forms of theater, the other two being miracle plays and morality plays. All three types evolved out of short scenes performed in church by the clergy as an adjunct to the liturgy and depicting biblical subjects such as the Creation, Adam, and Eve, or the Last Judgment. Mystery plays eventually moved out of church premises into the village square, often traveled from town to town on wagons, and became increasingly elaborate.
Upon the Wind, There Comes a Song
This text was written by Joseph Martin and set to the Irish melody The Moreen. "The Minstrel Boy" is an Irish song written by Irish poet Thomas Moore (1779–1852) and published as part of his Irish Melodies. The melody to which the song is set, The Moreen, first appeared in 1813 with Moore's publication of it, which states that it is a traditional Irish air. The Irish Melodies were immensely popular in Ireland and Great Britain when they were published, reaching a diverse audience, and "The Minstrel Boy" was one of the most famous songs from that collection.
From the Prophet Comes a Promise
Martin combined original text with the lyrics of “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” for this movement. It incorporates 2 tunes: The Kerry Dance and Clonmel.
One of Charles Wesley’s most enduring Christmas hymns, “Come, Thou long expected Jesus” was first published in Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord (1745). The first edition was printed on 17 December 1745, in time to be distributed for Christmas that year. The collection was relatively small—just 18 hymns—but it was printed 27 times through 1791. This hymn, in its original form, consisted of only two stanzas of eight lines, without music, and without a title or heading.
“The Kerry Dance” is a sentimental Irish ballad composed in the late 19th century by James Lynam Molloy, with lyrics also penned by Molloy. Published around 1879, the song evokes nostalgia for rural Irish gatherings and celebrations that were disappearing during a time of significant cultural change and emigration. The song’s poignant lyrics recall the joyful memories of traditional dances held in the Kerry countryside, lamenting that “the merry folk are scattered far and wide” as communities were broken apart by economic hardship, particularly following the Great Famine. Molloy, born in King’s County (now County Offaly), was an accomplished composer who worked primarily in London but maintained deep connections to Irish musical traditions. “The Kerry Dance” became immensely popular both in Ireland and among Irish diaspora communities, and has remained a standard in the Irish musical repertoire.
The hymn tune "Clonmel" is a traditional Irish melody named after the town of Clonmel, which is known for its history. The tune is often paired with texts like "We Praise You with Our Minds, O Lord" and has appeared in various hymnals. Its history is connected to the historical significance of Clonmel, with the name itself meaning "meadow of honey" in Irish.
A Song of Joy
Martin adapted this text from the Magnificat and set it to the melody Kelvingrove.
The tune Kelvingrove was originally Oh the Shearin's No' for You after an older song about the rape and impregnation of a young girl. The story of the words "Let us haste to Kelvin grove, bonnie lassie O" is surrounded by scandal and litigation regarding the copyright. When first published in The Harp of Renfrewshire the author was given as John Sim. After Sim's death, Thomas Lyle claimed to have written it. It appears as though Lyle wrote the first draft and gave it to Sim; Sim altered and added to it. After litigation, the copyright was awarded to Lyle and appeared in Lyle's volume Collected Poems and Songs (1837). The song's setting is an area of woodland, beside the river Kelvin, which was a favorite spot for young lovers to meet.
The tune was later published as Kelvin Grove with a text that is a beautiful Scottish love ballad in The Scottish Minstrel, by Robert Archibald Smith. In 1987 the tune was used as a hymn with new words written by John Bell and Graham Maule of the Iona Community titled 'The Summons.’
Thus, one tune has progressed from bawdy song to love ballad to hymn to Christmas carol.
The Silent Stars Go By
“O Little Town of Bethlehem” was written by Phillips Brooks (1835–1893), an Episcopal priest, Rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia. He was inspired by visiting the Palestinian city of Bethlehem in 1865. “After an early dinner, we took our horses and rode to Bethlehem,” he wrote home in Christmas week of 1865. “It was only about two hours when we came to the town, situated on an eastern ridge of a range of hills, surrounded by its terraced gardens. It is a good-looking town, better built than any other we have seen in Palestine. . . . Before dark, we rode out of town to the field where they say the shepherds saw the star. It is a fenced piece of ground with a cave in it (all the Holy Places are caves here), in which, strangely enough, they put the shepherds. The story is absurd, but somewhere in those fields we rode through the shepherds must have been. . . . As we passed, the shepherds were still “keeping watch over their flocks or leading them home to fold.” Three years later, he wrote the poem.
"Star of the County Down" is an Irish ballad set near Banbridge in County Down, Northern Ireland. The tune is traditional, and may be known as "Dives and Lazarus" or (as a hymn tune) “Kingsfold". The melody was also used in an Irish folk song called "My Love Nell”. Lucy Broadwood wrote that the musicologist Alfred James Hipkins had known the tune for years and called it "Lazarus", but did not know the lyrics. An elderly woman in Westminster, London, in 1892 reportedly recognized the tune Hipkins knew as belonging to a song about the Lazarus parable. Broadwood matched a typical version of the lyrics to "Dives and Lazarus" with this tune attested by Hipkins and the lady from Westminster, stating that "they suit it so well that there is a great probability of their having at one time been associated together”. Broadwood then published the Hipkins tune with those lyrics in English Country Songs (1893) under the name “Lazarus".
Ralph Vaughan Williams first used the tune in his arrangement of the hymn tune "Kingsfold" (1906), to which two sets of words are commonly sung: "O sing a song of Bethlehem", and "I heard the voice of Jesus". Vaughan Williams claimed to have found the tune himself in the village of Kingsfold, near Horsham in West Sussex. He quoted the tune in his popular English Folk Song Suite (1923) and later used it as the basis of his Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus (1939).
The tune has been used various times for different hymns, including the Quaker hymn "When Jesus Walked Upon This Earth" in the Quaker songbook Worship in Song: A Friends Hymnal, the Lutheran hymn "Come, Join the Dance of Trinity”, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints hymn "If You Could Hie to Kolob".
Comfort and Joy
Though its roots are somewhat ambiguous, “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen” seems to have been well known by the time Charles Dickens published his famous A Christmas Carol (1843); when Ebenezer Scrooge heard it being sung outside the door of his office on Christmas Eve. Exact origins of the carol are difficult to trace, as it has appeared in collections from many places in England including broadsides as early as 1760 – large pieces of paper printed only on one side enabling a publisher to disseminate information quickly. Broadsides were commonly used as posters to publicize events and make announcements as well as publishing popular songs and ballads. A precisely datable reference to the carol is found in the November 1764 edition of the Monthly Review. Some sources claim that the carol dates as far back as the 16th century.[7] The most common version with eight stanzas appeared in Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (London, 1833) by William Sandys (1792-1874), the source upon which most hymnals have based their selection of stanzas. His collection included, according to the subtitle, “the most popular [carols] in the West of England, and the airs to which they are sung.”
The tune GOD REST YOU MERRY was an instrumental variation by Samuel Wesley (1757-1834), the younger son of Charles Wesley (1707-1788), titled The Christmas Carol, Varied as a Rondo, for the Piano Forte (London, n.d.). It appears that the work was composed in the second decade of the nineteenth century, as a review of it was published in 1815.
Look to the Silver Sky
This text by Joseph Martin is is set to 3 tunes: Skye Boat Song, I Saw Three Ships, and Adeste Fidelis.
"The Skye Boat Song" is a late 19th-century Scottish song adaptation of a Gaelic song composed c.1782 by William Ross, entitled Cuachag nan Craobh ("Cuckoo of the Tree”). The song is set in the style of a iorram, a Gaelic rowing song. According to Andrew Kuntz, a collector of folk music lore, MacLeod was on a trip to the isle of Skye and was being rowed over Loch Coruisk (Coire Uisg, the "Cauldron of Waters") when the rowers broke into a Gaelic rowing song "Cuachag nan Craobh" ("The Cuckoo in the Grove"). MacLeod set down what she remembered of the air and shared it with Sir Harold Boulton, who wrote the Skye Boat Song, a Jacobite lament describing how Bonnie Prince Charlie, disguised as an Irish woman, was rowed over the Minch to the island of Skye to hide from the British soldiers.
"Adeste Fideles” has been from time to time attributed to various groups and individuals, including St. Bonaventure in the 13th century or King John IV of Portugal in the 17th, though it was more commonly believed that the text was written by Cistercian monks – the German, Portuguese or Spanish provinces of that order having at various times been credited. A parody of the chorus ("venite apotemus") was current before 1542, when it appears in chapter 41 of Rabelais' "Gargantua". In modern English hymnals, the text is usually credited to John Francis Wade, whose name appears on the earliest printed versions. Wade, an English Catholic, lived in exile in France and made a living as a copyist of musical manuscripts which he found in libraries. He often signed his copies, possibly because his calligraphy was so beautiful that his clients requested this. In 1751 he published a printed compilation of his manuscript copies, Cantus Diversi pro Dominicis et Festis per annum. This is the first printed source for Adeste Fideles.
Besides John Francis Wade, the tune has been attributed to several musicians, from John Reading and his son, to Handel, and even the German composer Christoph Willibald Gluck. The Portuguese composer Marcos Portugal as well as King John IV of Portugal have also been credited. Thomas Arne, whom Wade knew, is another possible composer.
Sing of a Merry Christmas
Joseph Martin wrote this text and set it to The Galway Piper. "The Galway Piper," also known as "Piping Tim," is a well-known traditional Irish folk song, commonly categorized as a drinking song, as its lyrics, which tell of a great piper, make for a rousing sing-along. As is the case with so many wonderful old tunes, the person or people who wrote "The Galway Piper" are forgotten to history. We don't actually know what sort of pipe the Galway piper played. This song was known to have been published at least by 1740, though possibly earlier. The "uilleann pipes", which are a type of Irish bagpipe were definitely around by 1743, but they too may have been around in earlier years. Or is it possible "pipes" could have also referred to instruments like the tin (penny) whistle.
Glad Tidings of Great Joy
This finale combines familiar carols and words by Martin with 6 different tunes: Joy of My Life, Antioch, The First Nowell, Gloria, In Dulci Jubilo, and I Saw Three Ships.
The Joy of My Life is a traditional Irish jig, often called Donnybrook Fair, named after a fair that used to be held in Donnybrook, Dublin from the 13th century until the 1850s.
“Joy to the World” is the "imitation" of the last half of Psalm 98. Isaac Watts transformed the old Jewish psalm of praise for some historic deliverance into a Christian song of rejoicing for the salvation of God that began to be manifested when the Babe of Bethlehem came "to make his blessing flow far as the curse is found." This is one of the most joyous hymns in all Christendom because it makes so real what Christ’s birth means to all mankind. The tune most widely associated with Watts’ text is ANTIOCH, often poorly attributed in hymnals to either George Frideric Handel or Lowell Mason, neither of which is the proper author. This tune appeared at least four times in short succession around the same date, 1832–1833. Since three of the collections were published without dates, the exact succession is difficult to determine. Possibly the earliest is Charles Rider’s Psalmodia Britannica, vol. 4,, where the tune was called COMFORT (c.1831) with the curious ascription, “Partly from J. Leach.” Another of these early appearances was in Thomas Hawkes’ Collection of Tunes (Watchet: Thomas Whitehorn, 1833, where it was also called COMFORT. The attribution to “Author unknown” suggests that the tune had appeared earlier in another collection or through some other resource yet to be determined.
“The First Noel” is believed to have had its rise in France during the fifteenth century. Noel is a French word originating from Latin meaning "birthday." The song is thought to have been brought across the channel to England before 1823 by the wandering troubadours. The carol under the English form, "Nowell," became a great favorite for Christmas Eve, especially in the west of England. This was when the entire village gathered for singing and celebrating the bringing in of the Yule log. At this time carols were thought of as popular religious songs meant to be sung outside the church rather than within. While the tune THE FIRST NOEL is also a folk song, it did not appear in print until William Sandys's Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern in 1833, with this text. The tune has its origin in Cornwall, England. The melody is unusual among English folk melodies in that it consists of one musical phrase repeated twice, followed by a refrain which is a variation on that phrase. All three phrases end on the third of the scale. Based on a set of church gallery parts discovered in Westmorland, the tune may have had its origin as a treble part to another carol "Hark, hark what news the angels bring”, passed down orally and later remembered as the melody rather than a harmony.
"Angels We Have Heard on High" is a Christmas carol of French origin in the public domain. The song commemorates the story of the birth of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel of Luke, in which shepherds outside Bethlehem encounter a multitude of angels singing and praising the newborn child. People began to chant the phrase "Gloria in excelsis Deo" in Christmas Eve worship services as early as 130 A.D. In medieval times, French shepherds had a Christmas Eve tradition of shouting "Gloria in excelsis Deo" to each other as they watched over their sheep flocks on their respective hills in southern France. A Latin chorale version may have inspired the traditional French Christmas carol 'Les Anges dans nos Campagnes,' which Edward Shippen Barnes used in the 1800s to arrange the first version of 'Angels We Have Heard on High'. The most common English version that was translated in 1862 by James Chadwick, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, northeast England. 'Angels We Have Heard on High' was first published in English as part of an 1862 book called Crown of Jesus Music. But the version that has become popular worldwide was published later, in 1916, in the book Carols Old and Carols New. The "Gloria" tune is from the 18th-century French carol, "Les Anges dans nos campagnes" (The Angels in our Countryside). The exact composer is unknown, but the melody first appeared with French text in Languedoc, a region of southern France settled by Celts around 400 BC.
A Christmas Invitation
Good people all, this Christmas time, consider well and bear in mind
what our good God for us has done, in sending His beloved Son.
With all our hearts and souls and minds, to God we pray this Christmas time.
In Bethlehem, upon that morn, there was a blessed Messiah born.
With all our hearts and souls and minds, to God we pray this Christmas time.
In Bethlehem, upon that morn, there was a blessed Messiah born.
Christ, the Lord, is born!
Narration:
“Draw near, all ye nations. Let the earth, and all it contains, listen and learn!
Fear not; for I bring you glad tidings of great joy!”
(Isaiah 34:1, Luke 2:10 paraphrased)
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. God has increased our joy! For unto us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom from that time and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
(Isaiah 9:2, 6-7)
A Festival Gathering of Carols
Arise and shine, your Light will come on Christmas day, on Christmas day!
Arise and shine, your Light will come on Christmas day in the morning!
Rejoice, rejoice, prepare the way for Christmas day, for Christmas day.
Rejoice, rejoice, prepare the way for Christmas day in the morning!
On Christmas day, the people sing to share the news the angels bring.
Arise and shine, your Light will come on Christmas day, on Christmas day!
On Christmas day, the people sing to hear the news the angels bring!
News of great joy and of great mirth, news of our blessed Savior’s birth!
All people now rejoice with heart and soul and voice.
Share with all the joyful news: Jesus Christ is coming soon.
Let the world prepare the way! Joy will come on Christmas day!
Christ is coming soon! Christ is coming soon
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day!
Let the heavens ring! Rise and greet the King!
All creation rejoice and sing!
Narration:
From ancient times, the prophets encouraged the people with promises of a coming Messiah. They spoke of a great King who would rule with justice and wisdom, who would, at last, bring peace to the world. Hope lived in the hearts of the people, and they lived in expectation of God’s fulfillment of these prophetic visions.
then came the centuries of silence. The faith of the people wandered in desperation, searching for restoration. Devout people prayed with urgency, longing for God’s voice in the night. When would God speak to His people? When would the Messiah come? When would the silence end?
Then, upon the refreshing winds of the Spirit, came the reminder of God’s faithfulness. From the Scriptures rang out glad tidings of great joy!
“The Lord God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
(Zephaniah 3:17)
Upon the Wind, There Comes a Song
Upon the wind, there comes a song, a theme that will set the world to singing,
a long-expected hymn of hope, a dream that, from long ago, was ringing!
From ancient times, great prayers would rise, the silent stars imploring,
Gut now the music of a thousand harps, above our doubt, is soaring.
Upon the wind, there comes a song, from heaven’s heart is flowing.
Like sacred snow, it falls on all, God’s gentle peace bestowing.
And every scar becomes a star, and every wound finds healing.
Each flawless phrase is rich with grace, God’s perfect love revealing.
Awake, awake, your song has come. Arise and tune your heart for service.
For with the rising of the sun, your life at last will find its purpose.
The night is done, the day begun, the dawn is gold with glory!
For God is singing to the world His love, and calls us all to share the story.
Upon the wind, there comes a song, a them that will set the world to singing!
Narration:
As the time for Christ’s birth approached, the people sought comfort in God’s word. They would search the night sky for signs that the time was drawing near… “A star will come out of Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel….”
(Numbers 24:17)
They remembered how God had delivered them from the shadows of the past, and they began to reach for a new dawning of peace and love. “The Lord is my Light and my salvation”
(Psalm 27:1)
The people looked to the horizon with hope, and began to believe a new day was coming. “Arise, shine, your Light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.”
(Isaiah 60:1)
Once again, God was speaking glad tidings of great joy!
From the Prophet Comes a Promise
From the prophet comes a promise, glorious stars of truth and right,
gleaming from the heart of heaven, leading through the gloom of night.
Sparking from the realms of glory, beams a beacon for the soul.
Living lamp of golden graces, come with fire and take control!
Alleluia, alleluia! Come Emmanuel!
From the prophet shines a promise, blazing boldly, burning bright;
reaching, teaching, always leading, showing us the path of Light!
Thy Word is like a starry host, a thousand rays of light;
bright stars to guide the traveler and make their pathway bright.
O may we love Your precious Word, Your promises divine,
and pray the light of glory will on our journey shine.
Come, Thou long expected Jesus, born to set Your people free.
From our fears and sins release us. Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israels’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art;
dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.
Alleluia, alleluia! Come, Emmanuel!
From the prophets shines a promise, blazing boldly, burning bright;
reaching, teaching, always leading, showing us the path of Light!
Everlasting path of Light! The path of Light!
Narration:
In the fullness of time, the great Christmas miracle began its journey of joy to the world. Hear this astounding account from the gospel of Luke:
“God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you are to call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.’
‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered, ‘May your word be fulfilled in me.’”
(Luke 1:26-38)
A Song of Joy
My soul now magnifies the Lord and sings His praise!
For His mercy reaches out to me with hope and grace.
O the glory of His light. O the power of His might.
My soul now magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God!
Let us magnify the Lord and all His praises sing!
For He gives to us a Son who will be born a King.
He will bring from heaven above a new covenant of love.
Our souls now magnify the Lord. Our spirits rejoice in God!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Let the dance begin!
For the music of the stars is sounding clear again!
Let us join our hearts as one; ponder all that God has done!
Our souls now magnify the Lord. Our spirits rejoice in God!
My soul now magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God.
My spirit rejoices in God. My spirit rejoices in God.
Narration:
And so Mary and Joseph began their incredible adventure. Simple people with a supreme purpose, they had been chosen to be instruments for God’s grace to the world. They were fearless and faithful, obedient to the instruction of God’s messengers and, working together, they prepared themselves for the coming of the Christ child.
Listen to this account from scriptures:
“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a Child. While they were there, the time came for the Baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, Son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because ther ewas no guest room available for them.”
(Luke 2:4-7)
The Silent Stars Go By
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see Thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.
Yet in they dark streets shineth the everlasting Light.
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given.
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in.
O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray.
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the grateful tidings tell.
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord, Emmanuel!
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord, Emmanuel!
Our Lord God, Emmanuel.
Noel, noel, noel.
Narration:
The seasons of silence and sorrow were over. Joseph named His son Jesus. This name would be a name above all other names, and He would be the Savior of the world. It would not take long for the news of this miracle to begin changing the world with wonder. Soon, great tidings of joy would dazzle the night sky with jubilant celebration. From Luke, we hear this account:
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a Baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’
Suddenly a great company of the heaven host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’”
(Luke 2:8-14)
Comfort and Joy
O God rest you merry, merry, men. O God rest you merry, merry men.
God rest you merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay;
for Jesus Christ, our Savior, was born on Christmas day,
to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.
O God rest you merry, merry men.
From God, our heavenly Father, the blessed angel came,
and unto certain shepherds, brought tidings of the same,
how that, in Bethlehem, was born the Son of God by name.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy.
O tidings of comfort and joy!
On this day, the world rejoices! Love has come to set us free.
Lift your songs and joyful noises! This, the day of jubilee!
Alleluia! Glory in the highest! Alleluia! Glory in the highest!
Glory in the highest! Leap with the shepherds, dance for joy!
Shout with the angels, greet the boy!
Shine with the stars and share God’s glory!
Now to the Lord sing praises, all you within this place,
and with true love and brotherhood, each other now embrace.
The holy tide of Christmas is heaven’s gift of grace.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy.
O tidings of comfort and joy.
Merry, merry Christmas. Merry, merry Christmas.
Merry, merry Christmas Day!
Sing merry, merry Christmas. Merry, merry Christmas
Merry, merry Christmas day!
Sing out you merry, merry gentlemen. Rejoice this Christmas day!
Narration:
The skies continued to share good news of great joy by hosting a bright new star that was a reflection of God’s glory and majesty. This silver star was a sign that heaven had remembered the promises of old, and was a visible sign to all creation that Light had come to the earth. The brilliant nova also caught the eye and imagination of a group of astrologers from the East. From the gospel of Matthew, we read these words:
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star and have come to worship Him’”
(Matthew 2:1-2)
Look to the Silver Sky
Follow the star that leads to the Light! Look to the silver sky!
Follow the star that beams in the night! Look to the silver sky!
Follow the star. Look to the sky. Seekers of truth, this is your proof.
See you it shows the way! Shows the way!
This is the sign, the promise divine, dazzling with hope and grace!
Follow the star, the miracle sign. Look to the silver sky!
Follow the star, such glory divine! Look to the silver sky!
I saw three kings upon the way to Bethlehem, to Bethlehem.
They marched along, in fine array, to Bethlehem to see Jesus.
Noel, nouvelet! Singing! Noel, nouvelet! Dancing! Noel, nouvelet! Onward to Bethlehem
A silver star hefore them shone to Bethlehem, to Bethlehem.
Noel, nouvelet! Praising! Noel, nouvelet! Shouting! Noel, nouvelet! To see Jesus!
With gifts of praise, they traveled on to Bethlehem to see Jesus!
Rise and shine; your Light has come! Look to the silver sky!
Rise and shine! Follow the star! Seekers, look to the silver sky!
Go and see what God has done! Look to the silver sky!
Rise and shine! Follow the star! Seekers, look to the silver sky!
Follow in faith! Trust and obey! Reach for the guiding light!
Bethlehem waits, shining with grace! Come see the Lord of life!
Follow the star that leads to the Light! Look to the silver sky!
Follow the star that leads to the Light! Look to the silver sky!
Follow the star! Follow the star! Follow the star! Follow the star! Follow.
Narration:
These brave seekers, blessed with wisdom, left behind their old ways of thinking, and embarked on a great journey of faith. Across deserts of doubt, seeking a treasure of truth, they trusted in God and were faithful. The gifts they brought to the Child have, through the ages, inspired the world to give their best to the Savior.
“Behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary, His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
(Matthew 2:9-11)
Sing of a Merry Christmas
Golden bells are sounding merrily, and cheerful choirs are gaily caroling,
and we can say with all sincerity, and sing of a merry Christmas!
Every steeple chime is ringing. In the city square, the crowds are singing
with a joyful song of glad thanksgiving. Sing of a merry Christmas.
Come make a joyful, happy noise! Come to the music, lift your voice!
Now let the world, as one, rejoice! Sing of a merry Christmas!
Let the stars break forth with jubilation, shouting out the news to every nation,
calling all to join the celebration. Sing of a merry Christmas!
All creation shares the story of the Child of light who came in glory
to restore the hope for peace and joy!
Glory, glory, hallelujah. Glory, glory, glory.
Sing of a merry Chriastmas!
Come make a joyful, happy noise! Come to the music, lift your voice!
Now let the world, as one, rejoice! Sing of a merry Christmas!
Ring the bells, let hearts be jolly. Let the house be filled with boughs of holly.
Put away your tears and melancholy. Sing of a merry Christmas!
Shout for joy with friends and family with all the pomp and yuletide pageantry,
and make your heart a sanctuary.
Shout hosanna! Sing for joy! Sing hosanna!
Sing of a merry Christmas!
Come make a joyful, happy noise! Come to the music, lift your voice!
Now let the world, as one, rejoice! Sing of a merry Christmas!
Sing of a merry, merry Christmas!
Narration:
“Draw near, all ye nations. Let the earth, and all it contains, listen and learn! Fear not; for I bring you glad tidings of great joy!
(Isaiah 34:1, Luke 2:10 paraphrased)
Jesus, the Savior of the world, is born! All of the promises of God are “YES’ in Christ. In Him, the great “AMEN” has been spoken. In Christ, the glory of God has fully been revealed.
This is the good news of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. And this gospel will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to everyone. Now, we must be God’s instrument of hope and joy to all people. In all we say and do, may our lives be the joy of Christ!
Glad Tidings of Great Joy
Let us sing tidings of great joy! Let us sing tidings of great joy! Great joy! Great joy! Great joy!
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing!
Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns. Let men their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy!
The first Noel, the angel did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay;
in fields where they lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel.
Gloria! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
People, now, rejoice with heart and soul and voice! Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today! All the world before Him bows, and he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today! Christ is born today! Christ is born today! Christ is born today!
Alleluia! Arise an sing a song of joy on Christmas day, on Christmas day
Arise and sing a song of joy on Christmas day in the morning!
Rejoice! Rejoice, for Christ is born on Christmas day, on Christmas day!
Rejoice! Rejoice, for Christ is born on Christmas day in the morning!
Glad tidings of great joy! Glad tidings of great joy! Great joy! Great joy! Great joy!
About the Hymns:
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" was written by Edmund Sears, pastor of the Unitarian Church in Wayland, Massachusetts. It first appeared on December 29, 1849, in the Christian Register in Boston. Sears is said to have written these words at the request of his friend, William Parsons Lunt, pastor of United First Parish Church, Quincy, Massachusetts.
This may be the only commonly sung Christmas carol in our hymnals that does not mention the birth of Christ! The focus is rather on the song of the angels, “Peace on the earth, good will to men,” taken from Luke 2:14. The hymn’s central theme contrasts the scourge of war with the song of the angels’ “peace to God’s people on earth.” This is one of the earliest social gospel hymns written in the U.S. Sears’ context was the social strife that plagued the country as the Civil War approached. This hymn comes from a Boston publication, Christian Register, published on Dec. 29, 1849. The original stanza three, missing from our hymnals, sheds light on the poet’s concerns about the social situation in the U.S. in the mid-19th century.
Richard Storrs Willis (1819-1900) was an American composer, notably of hymn music. His tune CAROL is the setting for "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" (1850). Willis was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and attended Chauncey Hall, the Boston Latin School, and Yale College where he was a member of Skull and Bones in 1841. Willis then went to Germany, where he studied six years under Xavier Schnyder and Moritz Hauptmann. While there, he became a personal friend of Felix Mendelssohn. After returning to America, Willis served as music critic for the New York Tribune, The Albion, and The Musical Times, for which he served as editor for a time. He joined the New-York American-Music Association, an organization which promoted the work native of naturalized American composers. He reviewed the organization's first concert for their second season, held December 30, 1856, in the Musical World, as a "creditable affair, all things considered”. Willis began his own journal, Once a Month: A Paper of Society, Belles-Lettres and Art, and published its first issue in January 1862.
It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to men, from heaven's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurled,
and still their heavenly music floats o'er all the weary world;
above its sad and lowly plains, they bend on hovering wing,
and ever o'er its Babel sounds the blessed angels sing.
But with the woes of sin and strife The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not The love-song, which they bring:
O hush the noise, ye men of strife, And hear the angels sing!”
And ye, beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow,
look now! for glad and golden hours come swiftly on the wing.
O rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing!
For lo! the days are hastening on, by prophet seen of old,
when with the ever-circling years shall come the time foretold
when peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling,
and the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing.
Of the Father’s Love Begotten
Of the Father's Love Begotten is a Christmas carol based on the Latin poem Corde natus by the Roman poet Aurelius Prudentius, from his Liber Cathemerinon (hymn no. IX) beginning "Da puer plectrum" The ancient poem was translated and paired with a medieval plainchant melody Divinum mysterium. Divinum mysterium was a "Sanctus trope" - an ancient plainchant melody which over the years had been musically embellished. An early version of this chant appears in manuscript form as early as the 10th century, although without the melodic additions, and "trope" versions with various melodic differences appear in Italian, German, Gallacian, Bohemian and Spanish manuscripts dating from the 13th to 16th centuries. Divinum mysterium first appeared in print in 1582 in the Finnish song book Piae Cantiones, a collection of seventy-four sacred and secular church and school songs of medieval Europe compiled by Jaakko Suomalainen and published by Theodoric Petri. In this collection, Divinum mysterium was classified as "De Eucharistia" reflecting its original use for the Mass.
The text of the Divinum mysterium was substituted for Prudentius's poem when it was published by Thomas Helmore in 1851. In making this fusion, the original meter of the chant was disturbed, changing the original triple meter rhythm into a duple meter and therefore altering stresses and note lengths. A later version by Charles Winfred Douglas corrected this using an "equalist" method of transcription, although the hymn is now found in both versions as well as a more dance-like interpretation of the original melody.
Of the Father’s love begotten, Ere the worlds began to be,
He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He,
Of the things that are, that have been, And that future years shall see,
Evermore and evermore!
At His Word the worlds were framèd; He commanded; it was done:
Heaven and earth and depths of ocean In their threefold order one;
All that grows beneath the shining Of the moon and burning sun,
Evermore and evermore!
He is found in human fashion, Death and sorrow here to know,
That the race of Adam’s children Doomed by law to endless woe,
May not henceforth die and perish In the dreadful gulf below,
Evermore and evermore!
O that birth forever blessèd, When the virgin, full of grace,
By the Holy Ghost conceiving, Bare the Savior of our race;
And the Babe, the world’s Redeemer, First revealed His sacred face,
Evermore and evermore!
This is He whom seers in old time Chanted of with one accord;
Whom the voices of the prophets Promised in their faithful word;
Now He shines, the long expected, Let creation praise its Lord,
Evermore and evermore!
O ye heights of heaven adore Him; Angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him, And extol our God and king!
Let no tongue on earth be silent, Every voice in concert sing,
Evermore and evermore!
Righteous judge of souls departed, Righteous king of them that live,
On the Father’s throne exalted None in might with Thee may strive;
Who at last in vengeance coming, Sinners from Thy face shalt drive,
Evermore and evermore!
Thee let old men, thee let young men, Thee let boys in chorus sing;
Matrons, virgins, little maidens, With glad voices answering:
Let their guileless songs re-echo, And the heart its music bring,
Evermore and evermore!
Christ, to Thee with God the Father, And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,
Hymn and chant with high thanksgiving, And unwearied praises be:
Honor, glory, and dominion, And eternal victory,
Evermore and evermore!
Canticle of Light and Darkness
Response 2
Richard Proulx (1937-2010), composer, conductor, and teacher, was director of music at the Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois (1980-1997); before that he was organist and choirmaster at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church in Seattle, Washington. He contributed his expertise to the Roman Catholic Worship III (1986), The Episcopal Hymnal 1982, The United Methodist Hymnal (1989), and the ecumenical A New Hymnal for Colleges and Schools (1992). He was educated at the University of Minnesota, MacPhail College of Music in Minneapolis, Minnesota, St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, and the Royal School of Church Music in England. He composed more than 250 works.
You are the light of the world;
be light in our darkness, O Christ.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
(c.1981, Church Pension Fund; c.1989, United Methodist Publishing House)
Each of the verses of “O come, O Come, Emmanuel” is a paraphrase of one of the O Antiphons.
The chorus was added at an unknown later date, The hymn has its origins over 1,200 years ago in monastic life in the 8th or 9th century. The refrain may have been added when the Latin metrical form of the hymn was composed as early as the 12th century.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel..
First United Methodist Church, Lewisville, Texas
A Community of Everyday People Learning to Love Like Jesus
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