(Turn your speakers on!)
Hark, the herald-angels sing
glory to the new-born 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 new-born King.
Christ, by highest heaven 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 new-born King.
Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace:
hail, the Sun of Righteousness.
Light and life to all he brings,
risen 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 new-born King.
The musician is our David.
David, Kate and Peter:
what a nice touch…..Bless you all three.
Merry Christmas
He’s not bad – he should consider being a worship leader! Seriously though – merry Christmas to all of you and thank you all for the great job you are doing.
Bless your hearts. Wonderful music. And the Northern Cardinal in the snow? Exquisite!
Thank you as well for keeping Charles Wesley’s original words without trying to modernise them.
There are other words?
Lovely surprise – thankyou – my favourite carol.
I don’t know if there are other words – but I’ve heard a couple of folk [conservative/orthodox] – in a public ‘sermon-like’ setting – state that Jesus was the man born ‘to become’ King. No such nonsense – not only King at birth, and King at conception – but King from before time.
Thank you and God Bless you.
May you and your families have a most Blessed and Holy Christmas.
Fr. Brian+
Yes, Cathy there are. Some people don’t think the language is inclusive enough. The main targets are “sons of earth” and “pleased as man with men to dwell”. Common Praise mangles the latter to “pleased with humankind to dwell”, but I can’t find that version online, and I don’t have a printed copy.
While I can understand this up to a point, my reaction would be if you don’t like it, don’t sing it. Changing the words fundamentally changes the sound of the hymn.
I have something of a bee in my bonnet about this, and I wouldn’t expect everyone to agree with me, but I haven’t sung “O come, all ye faithful” in years (I sing “Adeste, fideles” instead), and if I could remember the words, I would sing “Silent Night” in German.
You know, I didn’t even check to see if the words were modernized! Just did a quick internet search and cut and paste. Could have been a bit of an oops, I suppose.
DEUTSCH
Music: Franz Xaver Gruber, 1818
Words: Joseph Mohr, 1816/1818
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Halleluja,
Tönt es laut von fern und nah:
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb’ aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund’.
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
ENGLISH
Literal English prose
translation by Hyde Flippo
Silent night, holy night
All is sleeping, alone watches
Only the close, most holy couple.
Blessed boy in curly hair,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds just informed
By the angels’ hallelujah,
It rings out far and wide:
Christ the Savior is here!
Christ the Savior is here!
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, oh how laughs
Love out of your divine mouth,
Because now the hour of salvation
strikes for us.
Christ, in Thy birth!
Christ, in Thy birth!
Christopher Parkening, watch out! (Great playing, David. Merry Christmas, all!)
Did you know if you open up multiple windows you get David in stereo
That’s worrying.
Actually didn’t sound too bad (which might be even more worrying)
A wee bit too much sherry in the trifle, there, Peter?
…and it’s only Christmas Eve…
For those well fortified with sherry, I’ve recorded some more carols here
And if you play them all together they sound….OK maybe not so good.
Individually, they’re great though, thanks.
hic
There is a trifle sitting in my fridge waiting for tomorrow evening, and it is taking great force of will to leave it there… yum!
You know you want to eat it – better now than when you’re full tomorrow.
He said, helpfully.
If I lived a little closer I would offer to come over and eat it myself to relieve you of the temptation.
Was the trifle worth the wait?
It certainly was. hic.
It was a nice touch for Christmas, but maybe it’s time to shut off the automatic music?
Oh alright.
I know – I’m never satisfied. But thank you.