Behind the Praise - Sunday December 21, 2008

"Angels from the Realms of Glory"

The author of Angels From the Realms of Glory was an Irishman called James Montgomery. He came from a religious family background and sadly his parents, who were missionaries died following their vocation. Angels From the Realms of Glory was written in 1816. The music for Angels From the Realms of Glory was composed by Henry Smart. The lyrics of Angels From the Realms of Glory tell the story of the shepherds, sages and Saints.


Click here for a stirring arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-pb456fN20

Click here for the various arrangements available:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=angels+from+the+realms+of+glory+&search_type=&aq=f


"Go Tell it on the Mountain"

"Go Tell It on the Mountain" is an African-American spiritual dating back to at least 1865 that has been sung and recorded by many gospel and secular performers. It is considered a Christmas carol because its original lyric celebrates the Nativity: "Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere; go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born."

Like many carols, the precise history of “Go Tell It on the Mountain” is a bit fuzzy. Although generally considered an anonymous work, Studwell believes the piece was written by Frederick Jerome Work (1880-1942), a black composer, teacher and scholar. Work was deeply involved in the collection, arrangement and dissemination of black spirituals, so it is possible, says Studwell, that Work only discovered and preserved the song. However, Studwell’s research has led him to believe that Work actually penned the piece, which was then arranged and disseminated by his nephew John Wesley Work.
Studwell places its first publication in the early 1900s, but the piece gained little notice until the 1920s when the Fisk University Singers began performing the song. Even then, it did not make much of a splash.“I looked through hundreds of carol collections and other song books and I could not find it in any collection prior to the 1950s,” says Studwell.
About that time the song steadily began to gain in popularity, winning over listeners with
energetic beat and its enthusiastic call to action.
“Most carols of the 20th century are not so enthusiastic. This is more like some of the older carols, like Joy to the World or Come All Ye Faithful in that regard,” says Studwell. “It shows some real enthusiasm for the Christmas holiday."

Click here to listen to James Taylor sing the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifEUn1AxDYo

Click here to see the various arrangements available:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=go+tell+it+on+the+mountain+&search_type=&aq=f


"A Classical Christmas" Worship Choir



This arrangement is a medley of three classical Christmas anthems
"Hallelujah, Amen", "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" & "For Unto us A child is Born"

"Hallelujah, Amen"
Click here for an arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4URAYnVrSAw

"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"
Click here for an arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPeVIuRjUi4

"For Unto Us A child is Born"
Click here for an arrangement of the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQVQOW1c0DQ

"Hark the Herald Angels Sing"

“Hark the herald angels sing” Christmas Carol was written by Charles Wesley, brother of John Wesley founder of the Methodist church, in 1739. A sombre man, he requested slow and solemn music for his lyrics and thus “Hark the herald angels sing” was sung to a different tune initially. Over a hundred years later Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) composed a cantata in 1840 to commemorate Johann Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. English musician William H. Cummings adapted Mendelssohn’s music to fit the lyrics of “Hark the herald angels sing” already written by Wesley.

Click here to listen to the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDPwNPAV6tAg:

Click here see the various arrangements available:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hark+the+herald+angels+sing&search_type=&aq=f

"Untitled Hymn"

"Untitled Hymn"This song by Chris Rice was on his recording "Run the earth and watch the sky". What a great name for a recording.

Click here to learn more about Chris:
www.christianmusic.com/chrisrice/bio.html

Click here to worship along with the song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=39XD1ImxGWw&mode=related&search=

Click here to listen to worship along with song
www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_4g8_e16dc&mode=related&search=

"Away in a Manger"


Away in a manager is always the first carol that children are taught. Away in a Manger was originally published in 1885. The publication of Away in a Manger was in a Lutheran Sunday school book and this created the misconception that the lyrics of Away in a Manger were actually written by Martin Luther himself. The author is unknown. The music to Away in a Manger was composed by William J. Kirkpatrick in 1895.

Click here to see the various versions available:
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=away+in+a+manger&search_type=&aq=f


Click here to hear celtic arrangement:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOJb6uOF05Q