Stille Nacht (“Silent Night, Holy Night”)
This German text was composed by Fr. Josef Mohr, a Catholic priest who died in 1848. He should not be confused with a Jesuit priest, Fr. Josef Hermann Mohr (d. 1892), who published many German hymnals. The English translation (“Silent Night”) was composed by John Freeman Young.
Tune: “Stille Nacht” • 66 88 66
“My Song Is Love Unknown” by Samuel Crossman
Tune: “Love Unknown” • 66 66 44 44
“Joy To The World” by Isaac Watts
Tune: “Antioch” • 86 86 (CM)
“God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen”
The meaning of “God rest you merry” is “God keep you merry.” Note the archaic use of the word rest (“keep”)—indeed, this carol probably dates from the 16th century.
Tune: “God Rest You Merry” • 86 86 86 R
“Gabriel Saluting, Heaven Thee Recruiting” by Fr. Dominic Popplewell
Tune: “Reginald” • 66 76 R
Huron Carol of St. Jean de Brébeuf (“Upon the birth of Jesus”)
Translation: Fr. Dominic Popplewell
Tune: “Une Jeune Pucelle” • 86 86 88 R
This famous Christmas carol was possibly written around 1642AD, when Saint Brébeuf was in Quebec, recuperating from a broken collarbone, which had left him in excruciating pain for many months.
Instantis Adventum Dei (“The coming of our God”)
Translation: Fr. Charles Coffin
Tune: “Seán 8M” • 66 86 (SM)
A “text only version” is included at page bottom, providing melodic flexibility.
47 snippets found