my boyfriend gave me a christmas card many years ago this song was on it i still have the christmas card and i still play it after all this time i still cry when ever i play it cant help it i love the song and i always will my boyfriend passed away in 1996 i still miss him a lot and always will thank god i had a lot of happy years with him he had MS
I am of the opinion that in the pop song ‘Hallelujah,’ this is the ‘secret chord’ and the ‘David’ mentioned is *not* the psalmist but is, in fact, Sir Willcocks.
SamAlexa I fervently agree! Sir David's arrangements and the King's College Choir made an Anglophile out of me in 1994. BTW today is his birthday. I sent a balloon to heaven for him.
@@robholloway6829 The Church of England is heading quickly toward oblivion... What will it be next? A mosque, perhaps? That will be a real show of diversity.
Stephen Cleobury RIP wonderful Choir and Master 1982-2019. SC 1948-2019. Wonderful he will be missed by those who knew him in Kings and the City of Cambridge.
And by those who knew him outside Cambridge as well. I was honored with shaking hands with Dr. Cleobury and Dr. Jessop during the former’s endearing, unforgettable visit to Logan, UT. The friendship between the two Maestros made this happen, and I was blessed to be there ❤
Just stunning, for almost 30 years I have never got to the end of this arrangement without shedding a tear or being covered in goose pimples. The harmony in the penultimate verse is beyond perfect and fills me with emotion every single time. Nothing touches the soul like beautiful music.
Hannah Raven it takes me back to school too where I first sang it as a boy treble. Even today as a Director of Music at Church, I have a terrible job not singing the descant and makes me cry as well.
Mikee758 I agree! All of Sir David's arrangements are too good for just the Christmas season. And BTW I feel that way about O Little Town of Bethlehem (tune FOREST GREEN) as well.
I really likes this choir, very wonderful voices. They are singing a song for our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless all of you. Merry Christmas. From Eddy Anak Laga Anglican Church Diocese of West Malaysia. Malaysia.
My parents sadly gone now listen to this for decades every Christmas from when they were small in 1920s until they passed away Dad 2009 and Mum 2018 it is a family tradition to listen and later watch the Carols from Kings i shall again on the 24th Dec love the service the carols and the readings.
A lovely story about your parents David. I lost my dear dad & mum in 2013 and in 2017 respectively. Christmas is such a bitter sweet time but we carry those lovely memories, like the ones you have written about, with us and hopefully leave behind the same for our children, family and friends - like your mum and dad did with you. Merry Christmas.
God is in my life and whether he is in yours is something for you to decide but for sure much beautiful music was inspired by the love of God and the lessons that Jesus taught us. I love the descant to this hymn I used to sing it.
Very poignant and beautiful comment Edward.. God is certainly in my life, and one can only think that these beautiful hymns have been inspired by divinity and true faith.
@@donaldedward4951 here's an idea. Sing it in falsetto. My favorite choir director can sing falsetto. BTW I am female, but sometimes I get hoarse because of reflux and I drink extra water when I am going to sing a descant.
bornforbanning I can't fly because my ears pop badly. Otherwise I would have been to Cambridge in 2015 for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in memory of Sir David. It was his arrangements that made me an Anglophile. I have been an Anglophile since 1994, and a pipe dreamer (enthusiastic amateur organist) since 1994.
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; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord. Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens Of heaven above; Glory to God, Glory in the highest; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord. Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning, Jesus, to Thee be All glory given; Son of the Father, Now in flesh appearing; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord.
Growing up in a Canadian Low Anglican church the one thing I loved about Sunday Services were the hymns and the organ and singing but I didn't realize how special it was till I grew up and married a Catholic . What a difference . I sure was much luckier than I realized at the time .
Soy uruguayo, sudamericano. No domino el idioma inglés. Soy cristiano católico. Y debo decirles que en ninguna liturgia católica he visto ni oído una asamblea que cantara como en esta Misa en la Abadía de Westminster. Es maravilloso cómo el coro de los niños completa el canto de la feligresía con una melodía armónica con la melodía principal. Es bellísimo todo, y con un video muy artístico. Fraternales saludos desde Uruguay.
Afortunadamente en mi comunidad (también soy cristiana católica) se han rescatado demasiadas piezas y Adeste Fideles es una de ellas. De hecho soy parte del coro y me enorgullece ofrecer mi canto en este tipo de liturgias.
simply a beautiful piece of music that hits you in the heart and sole and makes you feel good all over and makes life worth living each and every single day...
All of Sir David's arrangements make me feel that way, hit me in the heart and soul and give me a reason for living. That's why I'm an Anglophile (even though I am American and have no English relatives.) The hymn tune FOREST GREEN makes me feel that way too. And organ music does too. BTW my favorite female organist was named Fran. (Fran McDaniel 10/13/42 to 11/28/94.) I miss her so much.
+Burke Reed It is wonderful. I play the descant on D Trumpet every year at Midnight Mass. Choir and congregation in full voice, Organ with all the stops out and the Trumpet sounding the descants... gets me every time.
Martin Putt Ever since I first heard the King's College Choir on the radio (in 1994), I am always geared up for Christmas, regardless of the time of year. And they made an Anglophile out of me. The King's College Choir and Sir David's arrangements are the best!👍👍
My favorite things about anglican church music: the descant and interesting last verse reharmonizations. A good organist can really have fun with the latter.
Music. All day today. Of course I'm singing Alto, soprano, tenor and bass...my old lady voice can now hit the low bass....and i try to hit the high soprano notes....but nothing comes out for that highest note...Sure do miss my mom n dad n brothers n sisters n grandparents...who gave us the gift of music. I think music is the highest expression of God! 12-08-2019
All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning, O Jesus! for evermore be Thy name adored. Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
Brilliant, inspiring and uplifting. The true inspirational sound of Christmas. Willcox's superb arrangement captivates it perfectly. Peace and goodwill to all
Richard Clifford it surely is thrilling! BTW we sang it in the local Episcopal parish on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. When we sang it, I pretended we all were visiting King's College Chapel.
Oh, come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant! Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold him Born the king of angels: Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. Highest, most holy, Light of light eternal, Born of a virgin, A mortal he comes; Son of the Father Now in flesh appearing! Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. God of gods, light of light Lo, He abhors not the Virgin's womb Very God, Begotten not created Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. See how the shepherds, Summoned to His cradle, Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze We too will thither Bend our hearts' oblations Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation, Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God In the highest: Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. Yea, Lord, we greet thee, Born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be glory given! Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing! Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Oh, come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord. I wish #MeavNiMhaolchatha, #ChloeAgnew, #LisaKelly, #OrlaFallon, #MaireadNesbitt, #HayleyWestenra, #SarahBrightman, #KatherineJenkins, #AledJones, #EllenWilliams, #CarmenMonarcha, #MirusiaLouwerse, #CarlaMaffioletti, #AnnaMajchrzak, #RussellWatson, #AndreRieu, #SimonRattle #LondonSymphonyOrchestra, #BerlinerPhilharmoniker and the #CelticWoman team will be singing #OComeAllYeFaithful.
Oh Come All Ye Faithful, 2me is the Very Heart of the Very EVE OF CHRISTMAS, I grew up with this FAVORITE CHRISTMAS EVE' Hymn. I'm an OLD TYMER but this is MY FAVORITE OF ALL EVE OF CHRISTMAS HYMNS.
As an American, many of our choirmasters try for a british sound and I agree it is incomparable. However, whether British or broad, the music sustains itself on its own terms. The choir and that magnificent organ, which I heard being tuned many years ago, cannot be equaled.
Interestingly this chant isn't British at all! It's Portuguese and the composer is King John IV of Portugal, a highly renowned composer in his days! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR ;-)
Correct! In Germany this "anthem/hymn" gets a "germanic touch", in Russia a "russian one" and maybe in China it's performed with a certain "chineseness"! So...? It's still Portuguese, regardless of any "nesses" of and in each country/culture performing it! Happy Christmas
Jon Goldney Not at all! Whether exclamation marks "are necessary" or not is a personal matter only! Now look who's making remarks about how one writes? Feeling tackled? B.t.w.: the sound isn't British at all! It's mere choral arrangement technique - a very good one, one must add! What's wrong is when the song is chracterised as "traditional" (i.e. no one knows wherefrom), which is WRONG!
@1ExtraChrispy1 The younger members of the choir are educated in King's College School and receive scholarships from King's College. The younger boys are there to sing the soprano and alto parts of the songs as girls are not recruited into the choir (by tradition). King's College is one of the 31 colleges that forms the University of Cambridge.
Hard to Imagine even the Angels of Bethlehem singing more beautifully (I know the Angels did, but hard to imagine what that would even sound like, all these hymns, including this, are so good!)
Istenem; e falak között állhattam több éve, vagy 2 órán át, s hallgathattam e kórust. "Testben-e, vagy testen kívül, -nem tudom," mert szédületes élmény volt. Most ezt újra átélhettem...
I am an American Anglophile. Thanks to the late Sir David Willcocks, whose birthday is today. I sent a balloon to heaven for him. His arrangements and descants make my heart soar, too.
Merry Christmas, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, Your whole family, friend, acquaintances & all of the U.K. for the beautiful choirs of Your Highness, Queen Elizabeth Ii, the Traditional Love in the birth of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.+++
If Katherine Jenkins was a Celtic Woman fanatic, she can sing O Come All Ye Faithful on BBC’s Songs Of Praise which broadcasts on Sunday 19th December. Do you agree?
"Adeste Fideles" was once known as the Portuguese Hymn, after the Duke of Leeds heard it being sung at the Portuguese embassy in London in 1795. However, the translation he heard was very different from the hymn that John Francis Wade had published over 40 years earlier, in 1751. There have been several claims as to the hymn's beginnings, the earliest being Italian Franciscan monk, St Bonaventure, in the 13th century. Wikipedia: "Besides John Francis Wade, the tune has been purported to be written by several musicians, from John Reading and his son to Handel and even Gluck, including the Portuguese composers Marcos Portugal or the king John IV of Portugal himself. Thomas Arne, whom Wade knew, is another possible composer... it can be hard to determine whether these were written in imitation of the hymn, the hymn was based on them, or they are totally unconnected."
You aren't kidding. Our new hymnal, for some reason, eliminated this verse and ends on the descant verse. The unison verse with "the chord" always gives me chills and brings a tear or two to my eye. I play this on the piano almost every day during advent, and I promise I have the harmonies of the 4th verse completely ingrained. Including "the chord."
I listened to the live feed from Cambridge this morning in New York. They used this arrangement and this decant for the third verse today -- I think it is my favorite. It just struck me for the first time -- and after years of being a child chorister myself, long ago -- those sixteen little boys are holding that descant alone against the choir men, the whole congregation, and that vast organ roaring in the vaulted acoustic space. It sounds like one model of courage itself.
