A Very Vintage Christmas post #3
It is December 6th, so it is officially 19 days until Christmas!
It is also Thursday, so it is time to get into the Christmas spirit with some music!
The classic Christmas carol Hark! The Herald Angels Sing was written in the 1700s by Charles Wesley. He intended for the words he had penned to be a song, but we probably would not recognize it if we heard the original version. Charles was a very serious and straightforward kind of man, and he specially requested that the music or tune that would accompany his lyrics be slow and solemn.
The version of the song with the much more upbeat tune that we know and recognize today did not come about until the mid-1800s. Felix Mendelssohn was composing a cantata at the time for the celebration of the invention of the printing press, and then William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn's cantata music to fit the lyrics of the old hymn originally written by Charles Wesley.
"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 heav'n adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord!
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark!The herald angels sing,
'Glory to the newborn King!'
Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace
Hail the Son of Righteousness
Light and Life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
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
Hark!The herald angels sing,
'Glory to the newborn King!'"
In the classic or oldies music realm, Hark!The Herald Angels Sing has been sung by scores of people, including Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra.
But today I give to you the version by that famous crooner, Nat King Cole:
If you like Nat King Cole and you love Christmas music, or if you know someone who does, then you can price/buy his Christmas album if you click this link:
Stay tuned for another special post this Saturday.
A very merry and A Very Vintage Christmas to you!
No comments:
Post a Comment