Hark The Herald Angels Sing

This is truly one of my favorite Christmas carols. Penned by Charles Wesley, it is a hymn I could sing over and over again!

If the human race were "all the Whos down in Whoville" and the Grinch was (well, you know who), I'd believe this is what we'd sing on Christmas morning! The only gift we need is Christ  - given to us on Christmas Day - and he's the only gift that can't be taken from us.

The inspiration for this particular recording (and subsequent project) came from a piano book my mother purchased for my daughter years ago - a duet book I'm sure she hoped my daughter (who had just started taking piano lessons at the time) and I (as a pianist) would enjoy together. In the intervening years, after receiving the book, my mother had a stroke and due to her inability to travel was never able to hear my daughter & I play from it. Well, this year, my daughter and I made a project of recording these Christmas Carol duets to share with her. This way, through the miracle of computers (since they don't have a piano), we could share the joy of this music with grandma and grandpa when visiting for Christmas. And, we wanted to share it with you, too!

This is not an instrumental arrangement as much as it is a simple (played with an organ at full blast  - as this piece should be!) traditional rendering of the familiar Christmas carol that you can use as a sing-along accompaniment. So, crank up the volume and sing out! That's why we recorded it! (Lyrics below.)

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 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 favored one.

Veiled in flesh, the Godhead 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"

Hail! the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Hail! the Son 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 newborn King"

For more Christmas Carol Sing-Along arrangements see the Christmas Carol page here. 

A Child Is Born In Bethlehem

(A traditional Danish melody)

I can't even begin to tell you how much joy playing this piece gives me!  It's a little raucous, I suppose, because the joy of the announcement is almost impossible to contain. It is such a beautiful arrangement and evokes the sheer joy of the moment. To me, it can't have enough brightness, enough strings, enough joy! 


Hallelujah! A Child is Born in Bethlehem! 
And, nothing is the same....


The piano "noodling" in the middle is my favorite part.... If you were to sing this piece, this is where you'd just rest your voice and let the piano take over... Close your eyes. It evokes this just pure ecstasy that must soar and sort of revel in the movement of the chords..... Once I added the string setting, it just brought tears to my eyes.... I didn't know it could get even better...and then, it did. 


In order to be able to play the middle "noodling" section, because I take it at such a break-neck speed, and I'm no longer a facile young musician (!), I just have to shut my eyes and feel it. Then, let 'er rip! It's so heavenly to play!!!!  I hope you hear that.  


This brings me as close to Christ as I dare to be while on this earth.... That, to me, is truly, the gift of music....  Thank you, Michael Scott for this arrangement!


(And no, the left hand never changes! Isn't that lovely!!!?!)

Fra Angelico 

Lyrics

A child is born in Bethlehem, 

In Bethlehem;

And joy is in Jerusalem,

Alleluia,  alleluia!

A lonely maiden all alone,

So all alone;

Gave birth to God's only Holy Son,

Alleluia, alleluia!

She chose a manger for his bed,

For Jesus' bed;

God's angels sang for joy o'erhead,

Alleluia, alleluia!

Give thanks and praise eternally,

Eternally;

To God the Holy Trinity,

Alleluia, alleluia!

Note: This compilation by Michael Scott (Celebrate the Seasons) is now out of print, sadly. But, I did find a link to this particular piece which can be purchased, here. 

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

(Scroll to bottom of post for .mp3 player)

The Annunciation, Fra Angelico (1387-1455)

Isai­ah 7:14: “Be­hold, a vir­gin shall con­ceive, and bear a son, 

and shall call his name Im­man­u­el.”

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,

Who orderest all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go.

Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save,

And give them victory over the grave.

Refrain

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height

In ancient times once gave the law

In cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,

An ensign of Thy people be;

Before Thee rulers silent fall;

All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind

In one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,

And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Refrain

Christmas Time Is Here...

Charlie Brown: I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I'm not happy. I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel.  

Charlie Brown: I just don't understand Christmas, I guess. I like getting presents and sending Christmas cards and decorating trees and all that, but I'm still not happy. I always end up feeling depressed. 

Linus Van Pelt: Charlie Brown, you're the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem. Maybe Lucy's right. Of all the Charlie Browns in the world, you're the Charlie Browniest. 

A Charlie Brown Christmas: Skating