Hark! the Herald Angels Sing for Woodwind Trio
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SKU: A0.1329078
Composed by Traditional. Arranged by James M. Guthrie. Chamber,Christian,Christmas,Holiday,Traditional. 6 pages. Jmsgu3 #917049. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.1329078)."Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is a well-known Christmas carol with exciting facts surrounding its creation and evolution. Here are some intriguing details about the song:
The original song was published as "Hark, How All the Welkin Rings" in the 1739 Wesley hymnal, Hymns and Sacred Poems. The second line, as written by Charles Wesley, read "Glory to the King of kings," not "Glory to the newborn King." The change from "welkin" to "herald angels" was made by George Whitfield, altering the meaning of Wesley's metaphor.
The tune we usually associate with "Hark! The Herald" was written by Felix Mendelssohn in 1840 and was not intended as a sacred song. Mendelssohn wrote it to commemorate the four-hundredth anniversary of Gutenberg's printing press.
The song was initially intended to be sung to the same tune as Charles Wesley's Easter hymn, "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today."
In 1855, British musician William Hayman Cummings adapted Mendelssohn's secular music to fit the lyrics of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" by Charles Wesley.
The hymn highlights the virgin birth, the universal application of the coming of "the incarnate Deity" to all nations, and the significance of Christ's birth in Bethlehem.
These facts shed light on the historical and musical significance of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," adding depth to its enduring popularity as a Christmas carol.
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