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The Original Lyrics to “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”

13 points by honoredb 3y ago

justinludwig 3y ago
The _tune_ we now commonly use for "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" was composed by Felix Mendelssohn in the 1840s (for the Gutenberg Cantata that this blog post talks about) -- but the _lyrics_ were originally written in the 1730s by noted English Methodist Charles Wesley (who wrote many, many Christian hymns). The Wikipedia article on this song has a more accurate synopsis of its history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hark!_The_Herald_Angels_Sing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hark!_The_Herald_Angels_Sing
- hitekker 3y ago
  Thanks for posting the actual history. This article is a ramble. The introduction is a mess of concepts and irrelevant links, the background is rushed and weakly researched, and the lyrics they fabricated are so removed from the original that it makes the headline clickbait. Kind of confused why it was even posted.
mannyv 3y ago
That's some poor research. I mean Jesus, spend 10 minutes with a search engine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3M2DMzXPqo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3M2DMzXPqo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festgesang https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festgesang https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=1.%20Choral%0ABegeht%20mit%20heil’gem%20Lobgesang%0Adie%20große%20Freudenstunde%2C%0Akommt%2C%20singet%20tausendstimmig%20Dank%0Adem%20Herrn%20mit%20Herz%20und%20Munde.%0AEr%20hat%20uns%20diesen%20Tag%20gemacht%2C%0Aer%20hat%20aus%20dicht%20verhüllter%20Nacht%0Adas%20Licht%20hervorgerufen.%0A%0AJahrhunderte%20schon%20freuen%20sich%0Ain%20seinem%20hellen%20Strahle%2C%0Aund%20immer%20weiter%20gießt%20es%20sich%0Abis%20in%20die%20fernsten%20Tale.%0AWo%20Finsternis%20und%20Gram%20einst%20lag%2C%0Ada%20glänzt%20nun%20sonnenhell%20der%20Tag.%0AO%20preist%20den%20Gott%20der%20Liebe!%0A%0A2.%20Lied%0AVaterland%2C%20in%20deinen%20Gauen%0Abrach%20der%20goldne%20Tag%20einst%20an.%0ADeutschland%2C%20deine%20Völker%20sahn%0Aseinen%20Schimmer%20niedertauen.%0AGutenberg%2C%20der%20deutsche%20Mann%2C%0Azündete%20die%20Fackel%20an.%0A%0ANeues%2C%20allgewaltges%20Streben%0Awogt%20im%20Land%20des%20Lichtes%20auf%2C%0Aseinem%20raschen%20Siegeslauf%0Afolgt%20ein%20allbeglückend%20Leben.%0AGutenberg%2C%20der%20große%20Mann%2C%0Ahat%20dies%20hehre%20Werk%20getan.%0A%0AOb%20die%20Finsternis%20sich%20wehrt%2C%0Aob%20sie%20führet%20tausend%20Streiche%2C%0Aob%20sie%20wütet%2C%20sich%20empört%2C%0Asie%20erblasst%2C%20sie%20sinkt%20als%20Leiche%2C%0Adoch%20gekrönt%20als%20Siegesheld%2C%0Asteht%20das%20Licht%20vor%20aller%20Welt.%0AGutenberg%2C%20du%20wackrer%20Mann%2C%0Adu%20stehst%20glorreich%20auf%20dem%20Plan.%0A%0A3.%20Allegro%20molto%0ADer%20Herr%2C%20der%20sprach%3A%20Es%20werde%20Licht!%0AEr%20half%20im%20harten%20Streite%2C%0Aer%20stand%20mit%20Trost%20und%20Zuversicht%0Abeschützend%20dir%20zur%20Seite.%0A%0ADer%20Glaube%20an%20sein%20heilig%20Wort%0Awar%20deine%20Wehr%2C%20dein%20Schild%2C%20dein%20Hort%2C%0Aso%20musstest%20du%20gewinnen.%0A%0AHeil%20dir%2C%20nun%20krönt%20Unsterblichkeit%0Adich%2C%20frommer%20Held%2C%20mit%20Herrlichkeit%0AHeil%20dir%2C%20Heil%20uns%20in%20Ewigkeit.%0A%0A4.%20Choral%0AHeil%20ihm!%20Heil%20uns!%20So%20schallt%0Azu%20deinen%20heilgen%20Thronen%2C%0AHerr%2C%20unser%20Gott%2C%20hinauf%0Ader%20Ruf%20von%20Millionen%2C%0Aund%20brünstig%20flehen%20wir%3A%0Alass%20in%20des%20Lichtes%20Schein%0Ader%20ganzen%20Menschheit%20Heil%2C%0AHerr%2C%20immermehr%20gedeihn.&op=translate https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=1.%20Choral...
NoZebra120vClip 3y ago
One thing about church music is that many melodies can be interchangeable. There is often a Metrical Index in your hymnal, and tunes are identified often by names (ALL CAPS) and metrical numbers. So it is often the case (Ode to Joy) that there are three sets of lyrics set to the same tune, as well as several different tunes to sing a single text (Mass parts take this to an extreme: how many ways to sing the Kyrie or Pater Noster?)
HocusLocus 3y ago
Hark! The herald angels sing, Joe's Diarrhea Pills are just the thing! Peace on Earth and mercy mild, Two for adult and one for child.
- guffawsquared 3y ago
  Guffaw! Snort! Now, THAT is refeshing.
ZeroGravitas 3y ago
The article talks about songs about inventions, a couple that spring to mind: Lily the Pink by The Scaffold (about a medicinal drink) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_the_Pink_(song) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_the_Pink_(song) The album "Making of a New World" by Field Music is about the lasting impact of World War I and several of the songs are about inventions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Making_a_New_World#Technological_and_medical_advances https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Making_a_New_World#Technologic... Including sonar/ultrasound, skin grafts, sanitary napkins. And Stainless Style by Neon Neon is a concept album about John Delorean's efforts to build the DMC DeLorean. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_Style https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_Style

13 points by honoredb 3y ago

The _tune_ we now commonly use for "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" was composed by Felix Mendelssohn in the 1840s (for the Gutenberg Cantata that this blog post talks about) -- but the _lyrics_ were originally written in the 1730s by noted English Methodist Charles Wesley (who wrote many, many Christian hymns). The Wikipedia article on this song has a more accurate synopsis of its history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hark!_The_Herald_Angels_Sing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hark!_The_Herald_Angels_Sing

hitekker 3y ago
Thanks for posting the actual history. This article is a ramble. The introduction is a mess of concepts and irrelevant links, the background is rushed and weakly researched, and the lyrics they fabricated are so removed from the original that it makes the headline clickbait. Kind of confused why it was even posted.

mannyv 3y ago

That's some poor research. I mean Jesus, spend 10 minutes with a search engine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3M2DMzXPqo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3M2DMzXPqo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festgesang https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festgesang https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=1.%20Choral%0ABegeht%20mit%20heil’gem%20Lobgesang%0Adie%20große%20Freudenstunde%2C%0Akommt%2C%20singet%20tausendstimmig%20Dank%0Adem%20Herrn%20mit%20Herz%20und%20Munde.%0AEr%20hat%20uns%20diesen%20Tag%20gemacht%2C%0Aer%20hat%20aus%20dicht%20verhüllter%20Nacht%0Adas%20Licht%20hervorgerufen.%0A%0AJahrhunderte%20schon%20freuen%20sich%0Ain%20seinem%20hellen%20Strahle%2C%0Aund%20immer%20weiter%20gießt%20es%20sich%0Abis%20in%20die%20fernsten%20Tale.%0AWo%20Finsternis%20und%20Gram%20einst%20lag%2C%0Ada%20glänzt%20nun%20sonnenhell%20der%20Tag.%0AO%20preist%20den%20Gott%20der%20Liebe!%0A%0A2.%20Lied%0AVaterland%2C%20in%20deinen%20Gauen%0Abrach%20der%20goldne%20Tag%20einst%20an.%0ADeutschland%2C%20deine%20Völker%20sahn%0Aseinen%20Schimmer%20niedertauen.%0AGutenberg%2C%20der%20deutsche%20Mann%2C%0Azündete%20die%20Fackel%20an.%0A%0ANeues%2C%20allgewaltges%20Streben%0Awogt%20im%20Land%20des%20Lichtes%20auf%2C%0Aseinem%20raschen%20Siegeslauf%0Afolgt%20ein%20allbeglückend%20Leben.%0AGutenberg%2C%20der%20große%20Mann%2C%0Ahat%20dies%20hehre%20Werk%20getan.%0A%0AOb%20die%20Finsternis%20sich%20wehrt%2C%0Aob%20sie%20führet%20tausend%20Streiche%2C%0Aob%20sie%20wütet%2C%20sich%20empört%2C%0Asie%20erblasst%2C%20sie%20sinkt%20als%20Leiche%2C%0Adoch%20gekrönt%20als%20Siegesheld%2C%0Asteht%20das%20Licht%20vor%20aller%20Welt.%0AGutenberg%2C%20du%20wackrer%20Mann%2C%0Adu%20stehst%20glorreich%20auf%20dem%20Plan.%0A%0A3.%20Allegro%20molto%0ADer%20Herr%2C%20der%20sprach%3A%20Es%20werde%20Licht!%0AEr%20half%20im%20harten%20Streite%2C%0Aer%20stand%20mit%20Trost%20und%20Zuversicht%0Abeschützend%20dir%20zur%20Seite.%0A%0ADer%20Glaube%20an%20sein%20heilig%20Wort%0Awar%20deine%20Wehr%2C%20dein%20Schild%2C%20dein%20Hort%2C%0Aso%20musstest%20du%20gewinnen.%0A%0AHeil%20dir%2C%20nun%20krönt%20Unsterblichkeit%0Adich%2C%20frommer%20Held%2C%20mit%20Herrlichkeit%0AHeil%20dir%2C%20Heil%20uns%20in%20Ewigkeit.%0A%0A4.%20Choral%0AHeil%20ihm!%20Heil%20uns!%20So%20schallt%0Azu%20deinen%20heilgen%20Thronen%2C%0AHerr%2C%20unser%20Gott%2C%20hinauf%0Ader%20Ruf%20von%20Millionen%2C%0Aund%20brünstig%20flehen%20wir%3A%0Alass%20in%20des%20Lichtes%20Schein%0Ader%20ganzen%20Menschheit%20Heil%2C%0AHerr%2C%20immermehr%20gedeihn.&op=translate https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&text=1.%20Choral...

NoZebra120vClip 3y ago

One thing about church music is that many melodies can be interchangeable. There is often a Metrical Index in your hymnal, and tunes are identified often by names (ALL CAPS) and metrical numbers. So it is often the case (Ode to Joy) that there are three sets of lyrics set to the same tune, as well as several different tunes to sing a single text (Mass parts take this to an extreme: how many ways to sing the Kyrie or Pater Noster?)

HocusLocus 3y ago

Hark! The herald angels sing, Joe's Diarrhea Pills are just the thing! Peace on Earth and mercy mild, Two for adult and one for child.

guffawsquared 3y ago
Guffaw! Snort! Now, THAT is refeshing.

ZeroGravitas 3y ago

The article talks about songs about inventions, a couple that spring to mind: Lily the Pink by The Scaffold (about a medicinal drink) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_the_Pink_(song) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_the_Pink_(song) The album "Making of a New World" by Field Music is about the lasting impact of World War I and several of the songs are about inventions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Making_a_New_World#Technological_and_medical_advances https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Making_a_New_World#Technologic... Including sonar/ultrasound, skin grafts, sanitary napkins. And Stainless Style by Neon Neon is a concept album about John Delorean's efforts to build the DMC DeLorean. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_Style https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_Style