Hark! The Herald Angels Sing! is a beautiful and captivating Christmas carol sung by Christians throughout the world. Internationally, its tune and lyrics are well loved and enjoyed by millions. But where does the origin of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing come from?
The melody and music of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing! is from the second chorus of a cantata created by the illustrious composer Felix Mendelssohn. Written in 1840 to recognize Johann Gutenberg and the influential invention of his printing machine, the melody had secular beginnings. Mendelssohn’s song was originally called Festgesang or “Festival Song.” It was a cheerful, celebratory piece to recognize one of the greatest inventions of that century.
The words of the Christmas carol themselves were written in 1739 by a man named Charles Wesley. Wesley had a brother named John who was responsible for founding the Methodist Church. John was instrumental in bringing the Methodist Church to the masses in the Church of England. It can be assumed that Charles’ influence was just as far-reaching as his brothers and his Christmas carol would have gained instant recognition among his community.
Wesley’s original words were “Hark, how the welkin (heaven) rings.” However, despite protest from the author, a fellow colleague named Calvinist Whitefield substituted the words to better suit the text and eventual song. These text words are what we know and lovingly sing today.
In 1855, both Wesley and Mendelssohn had passed away. By then, Dr. William Cummings combined the text and the melody celebrating the printing press invention. Mendelssohn had never intended the music to be used in a religious context whatsoever. However, the combination of the melody and the text worked beautifully. Let it be noted that Mendelssohn would have definitely disapproved of the combination, applying his secular music to the Christmas carol.
In fact, Mendelssohn specifically said that he did not believe this particular piece of music would be appropriate in any church setting or for use as a hymn. Wesley, on the other hand, had given a specific request that his serious words be set to a very solemn and slow melody to complement the words. It’s fair to say that neither man would have been very cheered by the eventual outcome of this cherished song.
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788; alt. by George Whitefield and others
Music: Felix Mendelssohn; arr. by William H. Cummings
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 th’ 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 th’ incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh 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 we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the new born King!”
A lovely Christmas Carol We Hum Throughout The Season
Although the original song was vastly different from what we know of the song today, the combination of these three men created a song that is cheerful and incredibly popular today. If Wesley or Mendelssohn each had been solely responsible for the fate of this Christmas carol, it might never have been chosen as one of the most popularly played songs during the holiday season. Thankfully, however, Cummings had the foresight and musical brilliance to combine this music with the text and create a lovely Christmas carol we hum throughout the season.