Hark the Herald Angels Sing
- Þorkell Daníel Jónsson
- Jan 6, 2022
- 2 min read
Music: Felix Mendelsshon Lyrics: Charles Wesley
These four are responsible for the music and lyrics as it is performed today.
The hymn Hark the Herald Angels Sing was written in 1739 by one of the founders of the Methodist Church, George Wesley. The hymn was composed as a Christmas hymn and was to be performed to a slow and solemn song Wesley had written. The lyrics most frequently recited today have undergone some changes from the lyrics Wesley wrote. The first changes were made by Wesley's partner in George Whitefield's Methodist Church in 1753, but several more changes have since been made. hymn
The music originally composed with the lyrics is long forgotten, It was replaced by the second section of the cantata Festgesang, written by Felix Mendelsohn in 1840. In 1855, William H Cummings adapted Mendelsohn's music to the lyrics, and that is the version we know with the lyrics today.
The text is based on Luke chapter 2, which tells of the coming of the Savior. The text begins with the word Hark, which at the time was a sort of opening word to get the attention of those who were supposed to listen. The opening sentence of the English text would therefore translate: "Listen to the song of the angels." As I was writing up and learning how to play the version accompanying this article, I started looking for Icelandic text instead of English text. Couldn't find anyone, so I ask the music teacher at the school I work if he knew of any Icelandic lyrics for the song. He did. Ingólfur Jónsson from the farm Prestbakki wrote Icelandic lyrics for the song, called Friður, friður frelsarans (Peace, peace of the savior).
Sheed music if you want.
Enski og íslenski textinn
Enski textinn
Íslenski textinn
Covidtextinn
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