Hark the Herald Angels Sing (song)

From Wikichristian.org

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is a Christmas carol written by Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley. It appeared in Hymns and Sacred Poems in 1739. The original opening line was "Hark! how all the welkin rings"; the version known today is the result of alterations by various hands.

The tune that is now used was composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1840, as part of the cantata Festgesang ("Festival Song") honoring printer Johann Gutenberg and commemorating the invention of his printing press. The cantata was presented at the great festival held at Leipzig. Festgesang's second chorus, "Gott ist Licht" ("God is Light"), was adapted in 1855 by William Hayman Cummings.

The most popular arrangement of the Mendelssohn tune for "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is probably that by David Willcocks (published 1961) which adds a descant for the third verse.

The song is a staple in Christmastime movies and TV shows that carry a religious message to some degree, usually as a spirited finale:

• It is the next-to-last song in the film It's a Wonderful Life.
• It is sung by an off-screen choir at the end of the 1951 film A Christmas Carol a.k.a. Scrooge.
• It is sung by the kids at the end of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

It was also cited briefly in Tom Lehrer's song, "A Christmas Carol", satirizing the over-commercialization of the holiday:

"Hark! The Herald Tribune sings,"
"Advertising wondrous things!" 

Lyrics

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn king"
"Peace on earth and mercy mild"
"God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn king"

Christ, by highest heaven adored
Christ the everlasting lord
Late in time behold him come
Offspring of the favoured one
Veiled in flesh the God-head see
Hail the incarnate deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell
Jesus our Emmanuel
Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn king"

Mild he lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Risen with healing in his wings
Light and life to all he brings
Hail the sun of righteousness
Hail the heaven born prince of peace
Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn king"

Quotes

Links

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