CAROLS SUNG IN EVERY CLIME

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 64, 18 December 1946, Page 8 (Supplement)

CAROLS SUNG IN EVERY CLIME

SILENT NIGHT The parish priest of the little church of Arnsdorf, Austria, wrote the words for this beautiful Christmas song' on the day before Christmas Eve in 1818. Mice had eaten at the bellows of the church organ. The priest and organist were sadly troubled by the lack of music for midnight .mass, but when the organist, Franz Gruber, heard the words, he set them to the lovely music now so familiar to all of us. Silent night, Holy night, . All is calm, all is bright. ’Round yon Virgin Mother and Child Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace— Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight.. Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavn’ly hosts sing Alleluia; Christ the Saviour is born, Christ the Savious is born. Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth. O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL This hymn has become popular in the English translation by Frederick Oakeley, made in 1841. The author of the music is, unknown. It may be of Italian or Portugese origin, but it is generally credited to John Reading, an English organist at Winchester in l the latter half of the 17th century. Few hymns are SO' universally known.

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem: Come and behold Him; born the ‘ King of angels, ...^ Refrain: O come, let us adore Him, O come, •let us adore Him, V O come, let 'us adorn Him, Christ the Lord. • . ... $ Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, O sing, all ye bright hosts of heav’.n above; Glory to God, all glory in the highest; Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning, Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv’n; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM 'One of the few carols by American writers, .this lovely hymn was composed by Phillips Brooks in 1868, while he was rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Philadelphia. His Sunday School classes asked him for a Christmas song, and after writing this, he took it to his church organist for a tune. The organist, Lewis H. Redner, says he heard this melody in a dream on Christmas Eve and finished the arrangement in time for the service next day.

O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by; Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting Light; The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of'Mary, And gathered all above, While mortals sleep, the angels keep Their watch of wondering love. O morning stars, together Proclaim the holy birth; And praises sing to God the King, And peace to men on earth!

How silently, how silently, The wondrous gift is giv’n! So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heav’n. No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin, Where meeks souls will receive Him still The dear Christ enters in. O, THOU JOYFUL DAY

The author of the words ,and music of this old carol is unknown, but it comes frgm Sicily, home of many Christmas songs and customs. It is sung by Sicilian mariners who, on December 6, take the image of St. Nicholas in a procession of boats far out to sea. When they return at night, they build bonfires and sing from house to house and

shrine to shrine before taking ithe' image back to its usual place in the church. O thou joyful day, O thou blessed day, Gladsome peaceful Christmas tide. Earth’s hopes awaken, Christ life hath taken, Praise Him, O praise Him on ev’ry side. O thou joyful day, O thou blessed day, Gladsome peaceful Christmas tide. Christ’s light is beaming, Our souls redeeming, Praise Him, O praise Him on ev’ry side. '