The creation of the familiar Christmas carol "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," a work more than 100 years in the making, involved the efforts of three men, none of whom knew each other. The words originated with the well-known hymn writer Charles Wesley (brother of Ur-Methodist John Wesley), who in 1739 penned "Hark, how the welkin (i.e., heaven) rings." Just over a century later,
wrote the cantata Festgesang (1840), a paean to Johannes Gutenberg (ca. 1390 - 1468), the man credited with the invention of movable type. In 1856, nearly a decade after Mendelssohn's death, the British musician William Cummings effected a marriage of Wesley's text, which by that time had evolved into its present form, and the music from the second number ("Vaterland, in deinen gauen") of Mendelssohn's cantata. Ironically, despite the carol's enduring popularity, both Wesley and Mendelssohn would likely have expressed disapproval: The devout Wesley made clear his desire for a slow, dignified musical setting for his words, while Mendelssohn, who never approached the compostion of sacred music lightly, had produced this brisk, exuberant music expressly for a decidedly secular work.
~ All Music Guide
| 15 Christmas Classics: A Yuletide Concert |
1998 |
| 25 Christmas Favorites |
2000 |
| 40 Most Beautiful Christmas Classics |
2007 |
| 50 Most Loved Christmas Carols |
2005 |
| 50 Most Loved Christmas Carols |
2005 |
| A Brass & Organ Christmas in Grace Cathedral |
2000 |
| A Cathedral Christmas |
1997 |
| A Celebration of Christmas Carols through the Ages |
1993 |
| A Choirboy's Christmas: The Gold Collection |
1999 |
| A Choral Christmas |
2002 |
| A Christmas Album |
|
| A Christmas Angel |
2005 |
| A Christmas Celebration |
1996 |
| A Christmas Celebration |
1986 |
| A Christmas Celebration |
2005 |
| A Christmas Collection |
2005 |
| A Christmas Fantasy |
2001 |
| A Christmas Festival |
1999 |
| A Christmas Festival |
2008 |
| A Christmas Festival of Songs |
2005 |
| A Christmas Flourish |
1997 |
| A Christmas Pastorale |
1999 |
| A Christmas Traditional Treasury |
2002 |
| A Christmas Tribute to Mannheim Steamroller |
2003 |
| A Classic Christmas |
2000 |
| A Classic Christmas |
2007 |
| A Classic Christmas: Songs of Praise |
2000 |
| A Classic Irish Christmas [DVD Video] |
2007 |
| A Classical Baroque Christmas |
1996 |
| A Classical Guitar Christmas |
|
| A Feast of Christmas Carols |
2000 |
| A Feast of Christmas Carols |
2000 |
| A Festival Of Carols |
|
| A Festival Of Carols In Brass |
|
| A Festival of Christmas |
|
| A Festival of Lessons and Carols from King's |
1990 |
| A Festival of Lessons and Carols from King's |
1996 |
| A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols |
1999 |
| A Gift of Sacred Music |
2006 |
| A Hometown Christmas, Vol. 1 |
2003 |
| A Joyous Christmas |
|
| A King's Christmas |
|
| A Magical Christmas |
|
| A Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas |
2000 |
| A Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas [Hybrid SACD] |
2001 |
| A Norman Rockwell Christmas |
|
| A Pan Flute Christmas |
1998 |
| A Postcard Christmas: Choirs of Christmas |
2001 |
| A Reader's Digest Christmas: The Joy of Christmas |
2003 |
| A Romantic Sax Christmas |
1998 |
| A Royal Christmas (Limited Edition Commemorative Album) |
2002 |
| A Silver Christmas |
2004 |
| A Traditional Christmas |
2002 |
| A Traditional Christmas |
2007 |
| A Traditional Christmas Carol Collection |
2006 |
| A Traditional Christmas Collection |
|
| A Treasury of Christmas |
1998 |
| A Very Special Christmas [Box Set] |
2006 |
| A Victoria Christmas In Song |
1993 |
| A Victorian Christmas |
1984 |
| A Virgil Fox Christmas |
1996 |
| A Winter Wonderland Christmas |
2002 |
| Adeste Fiddles [B&N Exclusive] |
2008 |
| Adeste Fideles: Christmas Music from Westminster Cathedral |
1993 |
| Advent and Christmas Music from Lichfield Cathedral |
2007 |
| All Time Christmas Favorites |
|
| All Time Christmas Favorites (Box Set) |
1998 |
| All-Star Christmas Album |
|
| An American Christmas |
1988 |
| An American Christmas |
2008 |
| An Olde English Christmas |
2007 |
| Angelic Christmas |
1995 |
| Angels We Have Heard on High |
2006 |
| Angels of Christmas |
|
| Angels: Christmas with the Great Sopranos |
2008 |
| Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas [Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture] |
|
| Bells at Christmas |
|
| Best Carols 100 |
2007 |
| Best Loved Christmas Carols |
2004 |
| Best-Loved Christmas Carols |
2000 |
| Blessed Christmas: A Traditional Christian Christmas |
2004 |
| Bläser Weihnacht |
2007 |
| Brass: Favorite Christmas Carols |
1995 |
| Candlelight Carols |
1990 |
| Canterbury Carols |
|
| Carol Album 2 |
1993 |
| Carol Collection |
|
| Carolina Brass Christmas |
|
| Carols For A Victorian Christmas |
1998 |
| Carols From Canterbury |
1995 |
| Carols From King's College Cambridge |
1997 |
| Carols From Trinity |
1988 |
| Carols at Christmas |
|
| Carols at Christmas |
2003 |
| Carols for Christmas, Vols. 1 & 2 |
1985 |
| Carols for North America and Europe |
2004 |
| Carols from the Old and New Worlds |
|
| Carols: Sandy Owen-Solo Piano |
1984 |
| Catholic Christmas Classics |
2003 |
| Celebration: Christmas Fanfares & Carols |
1991 |
| Celestial Christmas, Vol.4 |
|
| Chamber Orchestra Christmas |
|
| Children Sing for Children: 25 Christmas Songs |
2002 |
| Chorale Christmas |
2002 |
| Christmas |
2000 |
| Christmas |
|
| Christmas |
2009 |
| Christmas All Over The World |
2002 |
| Christmas Angels: A Thousand Voices Sing the Finest Christmas Music in Lincoln Cathedral |
1994 |
| Christmas Around the World |
2004 |
| Christmas Around the World |
2004 |
| Christmas Bells |
2001 |
| Christmas Box |
2006 |
| Christmas Candlelight |
1999 |
| Christmas Carols |
|
| Christmas Carols |
|
| Christmas Carols |
1984 |
| Christmas Carols |
1995 |
| Christmas Carols |
2002 |
| Christmas Carols |
2002 |
| Christmas Carols |
1993 |
| Christmas Carols |
1997 |
| Christmas Carols |
1997 |
| Christmas Carols |
2007 |
| Christmas Carols |
2006 |
| Christmas Carols [3D Pop-Up] |
2005 |
| Christmas Carols and Motets |
2008 |
| Christmas Carols by the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin |
|
| Christmas Carols from King's College |
|
| Christmas Carols from St John's |
2003 |
| Christmas Carols from St. John's |
|
| Christmas Carols from Wells & Salisbury |
2004 |
| Christmas Carols from York Minster |
2000 |
| Christmas Celebration (Box Set) |
2002 |
| Christmas Celebration (Box Set) |
2002 |
| Christmas Choir |
1998 |
| Christmas Choir |
1998 |
| Christmas Classics |
1991 |
| Christmas Classics |
2001 |
| Christmas Classics |
1994 |
| Christmas Classics |
2008 |
| Christmas Classics [Box Set] |
|
| Christmas Classics for Guitar |
|
| Christmas Cookies: A Holiday Celebration |
2003 |
| Christmas Echoes, Vol. 2 |
1992 |
| Christmas Escapes |
2003 |
| Christmas Eve: An Orchestral Journey For This Special Time of Year |
2006 |
| Christmas Fanfare |
1993 |
| Christmas Featuring Lance Gibbon |
1996 |
| Christmas Gala |
2006 |
| Christmas Gift: A Dorian Holiday Celebration |
1997 |
| Christmas Goes Baroque 2 |
1993 |
| Christmas Guitar |
2005 |
| Christmas Hymns and Carols |
2000 |
| Christmas Joy, Vol. 2 |
|
| Christmas Joy, Vol. 3 |
|
| Christmas Magic (Box Set) |
2002 |
| Christmas Memories |
|
| Christmas Memories [Box Set] |
2008 |
| Christmas Memories, Vol. 1 |
2008 |
| Christmas Music from St. Paul's |
1998 |
| Christmas Past & Present |
2004 |
| Christmas Song |
1999 |
| Christmas Songs |
1987 |
| Christmas Stars |
|
| Christmas Strings |
1996 |
| Christmas Through The Ages |
2001 |
| Christmas Treasures |
|
| Christmas Treasures |
1999 |
| Christmas Violin |
2008 |
| Christmas With Marilyn Horne |
1997 |
| Christmas With the Academy |
1994 |
| Christmas at King's College (Box Set) |
|
| Christmas at King's College (Box Set) |
|
| Christmas at St. Giles' |
|
| Christmas at Trinity |
2001 |
| Christmas at Windsor |
|
| Christmas by the Bay |
1998 |
| Christmas from Buckingham Palace |
2008 |
| Christmas from Covent Garden |
1994 |
| Christmas from English Cathedrals |
1998 |
| Christmas from the Vatican |
2006 |
| Christmas in New England |
1993 |
| Christmas in the Morning: A Celebration in Brass |
2001 |
| Christmas with Chicago Chamber Brass |
|
| Christmas with Kiri Te Kanawa: Carols from Coventry Cathedral |
1994 |
| Christmas with Leontyne Price |
2004 |
| Christmas with Mario Lanza |
1987 |
| Christmas with Solid Brass |
1989 |
| Christmas with The Pops |
1990 |
| Christmas with The Westminster Choir |
1991 |
| Christmas with the Choral Scholars |
1998 |
| Christmas with the Dale Warland Singers |
2002 |
| Christmas with the Giannini Brass |
1997 |
| Christmas with the Mantovani Orchestra |
1998 |
| Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir |
1998 |
| Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir [CD + DVD] |
2006 |
| Christmas with the Norman Luboff Choir |
|
| Christmas with the Robert Shaw Chorale |
1994 |
| Christmas with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
1998 |
| Christmas with the Stars |
1997 |
| Christmas with the Stars, Vol. 2 |
1998 |
| Christmas' Greatest Voices |
|
| Christmas: A Gift for You [Box Set] |
2008 |
| Christmas: A Gift for You [Box Set] |
2008 |
| Christmas: Greatest Voices |
1995 |
| Christmastide |
|
| Classic Carols for Christmas |
2008 |
| Classic Christmas |
1991 |
| Classic Christmas |
2008 |
| Classic Christmas Carols |
2007 |
| Classic Christmas [DVD Audio] |
2001 |
| Classic Christmas [DualDisc] |
2004 |
| Classical Christmas |
2002 |
| Classical Christmas |
2006 |
| Classical Christmas (Box Set) |
2001 |
| Classical Christmas (Box Set) |
2001 |
| Classical Christmas (Box Set) |
2001 |
| Classical Christmas (Box Set) |
2001 |
| Classics Collection: Felix Mendelssohn |
2000 |
| Classics for Christmas |
2003 |
| Comfort & Joy |
2001 |
| Concordia Carols: Songs of the Season from Concordia |
2007 |
| Contemporary Piano and Cello Christmas Classics |
1999 |
| Currier & Ives: Christmas Treasures |
1999 |
| Currier & Ives: Spirit of the Season (Box Set) |
2000 |
| Dagen Är Kommen |
1996 |
| Dale Warland Singers-Carols For Christmas |
1996 |
| Dedicated to Peace: Requested Holiday Favourites |
2006 |
| Desember |
2008 |
| Devotional Christmas |
2000 |
| Dream a Dream |
2000 |
| En klassisk Jul |
|
| Enchanted Carols |
1981 |
| Enchanted Carols |
|
| Essential Carols: The Very Best of King's College Choir, Cambridge |
2005 |
| Essential Carols: The Very Best of King's College Choir, Cambridge |
2005 |
| Family Carols |
2003 |
| Favorite Christmas Carols |
|
| Favourite Carols from King's |
1996 |
| Gabriel's Message: One Thousand years of Carols |
1999 |
| Gaudete / Härlig är Jorden |
1993 |
| Gifts: The Joys of Harp |
2008 |
| Gloria! The Music of Christmas |
|
| Great Orchestral Music of Christmas |
2008 |
| Greatest Christmas Carols |
2001 |
| Greatest Christmas Show On Earth |
|
| Greatest Hits of Christmas |
1995 |
| Gruber, Mendelssohn and Gauntlett |
|
| Guitar Night Dreams |
|
| Hallelujah Christmas |
1999 |
| Hark! A Thrilling Voice |
2001 |
| Have Yourself a Choral Little Christmas |
2007 |
| Heavenly Host |
1995 |
| Holiday Favorites |
1999 |
| Holiday Favorites (Box Set) |
2002 |
| Holiday Favorites (Box Set) |
2002 |
| Holiday Homecoming |
2003 |
| Holiday Joy |
2002 |
| Holiday Sounds |
1997 |
| Holiday Sounds (Box Set) |
1997 |
| Holiday Sounds (Box Set) |
1997 |
| Holiday Sounds of the Manhattan Strings [includes DVD] |
2004 |
| Holiday Splendor |
|
| Home for Christmas |
2002 |
| Home for Christmas with the 101 Strings Orchestra |
2000 |
| Home for the Holidays |
2001 |
| Home for the Holidays |
2002 |
| Home for the Holidays |
2002 |
| Home for the Holidays: Greatest Songs for the Season |
2003 |
| In Celebration Of Christmas |
1991 |
| In Dulci Jubilo: Festive & Christmas Music |
1994 |
| In the Heart of Winter |
1995 |
| In the Mood for Christmas |
|
| Jingle Sax |
|
| Joy To The World |
1987 |
| Joy To The World |
2002 |
| Joy of the Season, Vol. 2 |
2000 |
| Joy to the World |
|
| Joy to the World |
2000 |
| Joy to the World |
2002 |
| Joy to the World |
2004 |
| Joy to the World |
2002 |
| Joy to the World-Music of Christmas |
|
| Joy to the World: A Garland of Christmas Music |
1997 |
| Joy to the World: Carols from Worcestershire Cathedral |
2003 |
| Joyful and Triumphant: The Music of Christmas |
|
| Les plus beaux Noëls |
1999 |
| Let All the World Sing: Hymns for Many Occasions |
1996 |
| Life with Mikey [from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] |
1993 |
| Liona Boyd: Christmas Dreams |
|
| Love Came Down at Christmas |
2005 |
| Mad About Christmas |
1994 |
| Mandolin Christmas |
1998 |
| Many Moods of Christmas |
2004 |
| Mario Lanza: A Tenor's Christmas |
|
| Memories of Christmas: Regina Music Box |
|
| Mendelssohn: Herr Gott, dich loben wir [Hybrid SACD] |
2008 |
| Merry Christmas |
1988 |
| Merry Christmas |
1999 |
| Merry Christmas |
1989 |
| Merry Christmas (Fröhe Weihnachten) |
|
| Met Stars at Christmas |
1988 |
| Miracle in Bethlehem |
1997 |
| Morman Tabernacle Choir / Vienna Boys' Choir [Box Set] |
1999 |
| Music For All Seasons |
|
| Music of Christmas |
|
| Nativitas |
|
| Noel: Voices of Christmas |
2008 |
| Norman Rockwell: A Merry Little Christmas |
2005 |
| Noël (Three-Disc Set) |
|
| Noël aux instruments |
2008 |
| Noël! |
2001 |
| Noël: 25 Hymns of Christmas |
2005 |
| Noël: Christmas at King's |
1995 |
| Nutcracker Christmas |
|
| O Come, All Ye Faithful: Christmas Carols of Many Lands from Across Many Centuries |
2005 |
| O Holy Night |
2002 |
| O Holy Night |
2005 |
| O Holy Night |
1998 |
| On Christmas Day |
1989 |
| On Christmas Night |
|
| One Voice |
2005 |
| Operatica: Christmas Classics |
2003 |
| Our First Nowell |
1991 |
| Peace On Earth |
1999 |
| Portrait |
1993 |
| Quintessence Goes Christmas |
|
| Sacred Christmas |
2007 |
| Sacred Hymns |
2004 |
| Santa Claus Is Coming To Town |
2002 |
| Save the Children: Christmas Carols and Festive Songs |
1988 |
| Season's Greetings |
1999 |
| Season's Greetings! |
1987 |
| Sharing the Holidays: Holiday Dreams |
|
| Silent Night (Box Set) |
2002 |
| Silent Night, Holy Night & Other Organ Favorites |
|
| Silent Night: A Christmas program |
|
| Simple Gifts |
2005 |
| Simply Christmas |
2003 |
| Sing Choirs of Angels |
1998 |
| Sing Joy the Day: Christmas Carols from Ely Cathedral |
|
| Sing Noel! |
2004 |
| Sing We Noël: Choral Music from St. John's Episcopal Cathedral, Denver |
1992 |
| Sing a Song of Christmas: The World's Best Carols |
1998 |
| Sing in Exultation! |
2001 |
| Sleigh Ride |
2002 |
| Songs of Christmas, Vol. 2 |
1998 |
| Songs of Good Cheer! |
2003 |
| Sounds of the Season |
|
| Spirit of the Season |
2007 |
| Superstar Christmas at the Vatican |
2006 |
| Sweet Night |
|
| Swing Ye Noël: Spectacular Big Band Arrangements of Holiday Classics |
|
| Te Deum - A Celebration In Song |
1994 |
| The #1 Christmas Album |
2001 |
| The Best Carols in the World...Ever! |
1998 |
| The Best of Christmas |
1995 |
| The Best of Christmas |
1994 |
| The Best of Christmas |
2002 |
| The Best of Christmas |
2002 |
| The Best of Christmas |
2006 |
| The Best of Christmas (Box Set) |
|
| The Best of Christmas [Includes Candles] |
2005 |
| The Best of Christmas: 50 Holiday Favorites |
2003 |
| The Best of Felix Mendelssohn |
1994 |
| The Best of Mendelssohn |
2007 |
| The Brighouse & Rastrick Band Christmas Album |
2000 |
| The Carols Album |
2007 |
| The Charlotte Church Collection [Box Set] |
2007 |
| The Christmas Album |
1995 |
| The Christmas Album |
1998 |
| The Christmas Album |
2000 |
| The Christmas Album |
1990 |
| The Christmas Angels Series (Box Set) |
1993 |
| The Christmas Angels Series (Box Set) |
1993 |
| The Christmas Collection |
1997 |
| The Christmas Collection [Box Set] |
2007 |
| The Christmas Song |
1998 |
| The Christmas Spirit |
1996 |
| The Christmas Spirit |
1992 |
| The Christmastide |
2004 |
| The Classical Child's Christmas |
1997 |
| The Complete New English Hymnal, Vol. 12 |
|
| The First Nowell: Carols from Westminster Cathedral |
2001 |
| The Glorious Sound of Christmas |
|
| The Glorious Sounds of Christmas |
2008 |
| The Great Gift |
2000 |
| The Great Voices of Christmas |
1994 |
| The Greatest Voices of Christmas |
1994 |
| The HMV Classics Collection: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
1994 |
| The Heart of Christmas |
2007 |
| The Holly & Ivy |
1998 |
| The Holly and the Ivy |
2006 |
| The Holy & the Holly |
|
| The Ice Harvest [Soundtrack] |
2005 |
| The Incredible Christmas Album |
2003 |
| The Joy of Christmas |
|
| The Joy of Christmas |
2001 |
| The Joy of Christmas (Box Set) |
2002 |
| The Little Drummer Boy |
|
| The Magic of Christmas |
1994 |
| The Magic of Christmas |
1999 |
| The Mendelssohn Experience |
2008 |
| The Most Wonderful Time of the Year |
1998 |
| The Musical Advent Calendar |
2008 |
| The Mystery of Christmas |
1997 |
| The Naxos Book of Carols: An Advent Sequence in Music |
2003 |
| The Promise of Ages |
1998 |
| The Riverside Years, Vol. 2: The Choir |
|
| The Sounds of Christmas: Christmas Voices |
2008 |
| The Spirit Of Christmas Present |
1996 |
| The Spirit of Christmas |
2002 |
| The Spirit of Christmas |
2003 |
| The Sugo Holiday Collection, Vol. 1 |
1994 |
| The Ultimate Christmas Album |
1995 |
| The Ultimate Christmas Album |
2002 |
| The Ultimate Christmas Album [CD+DVD] |
2008 |
| The Ultimate Classical Christmas Album of All Time |
2002 |
| The Ultimate Classical Christmas Album of All Time |
2002 |
| The Very Best of Christmas |
2006 |
| The Voice of Christmas |
2002 |
| Tidings of Joy |
1996 |
| Traditional Christmas Carols |
2006 |
| Traditional Christmas Favorites |
2001 |
| Traditional English Christmas Carols |
|
| Traditions: The Time Life Treasury of Christmas |
2009 |
| Treasury of Christmas [Box Set] [Collector's Tin] |
2006 |
| Trombones Under the Tree |
1993 |
| Victorian Christmas |
|
| Victorian Christmas for Brass |
2006 |
| Voices of Angels |
2008 |
| Voices of Christmas |
|
| Voices of Christmas |
1997 |
| Welcom Yule! |
1997 |
| Welcome All Wonders! Christmas at Washington National Cathedral |
2004 |
| Welcome to Our World: A Musical for Christmas |
2000 |
| What Child Is This? |
1999 |
| What a Wonderful Christmas |
|
| While Shepherds Watched |
2008 |
| White Christmas |
1999 |
| White Christmas |
2007 |
| White Christmas & Other Yuletide Favorites |
1998 |
| White Christmas in Jerusalem |
2006 |
| Winds of the Season |
|
| Winter Wonderland |
1998 |
| Winter Wonderland |
2007 |
| You Do Something To Me / Christmas Hymns and Carols |
2004 |
| Zamfir: A Christmas Portrait |
|
