ANGELS' SONG (Mendelssohn)

Composer: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (b. Hamburg, Germany, 1809; d. Leipzig, Germany, 1847) was the son of banker Abraham Mendelssohn and the grandson of philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. His Jewish family became Christian and took the Bartholdy name (name of the estate of Mendelssohn's uncle) when baptized into the Lutheran church. The children all received an excellent musical education. Mendelssohn had his first public performance at the age of nine and by the age of sixteen had written several symphonies. Profoundly influenced by J. S. Bach's music, he conducted a performance of the St. Matthew Passion in 1829 (at age 20!) – the first performance since Bach's death, thus reintroducing Bach to the world. Mendelssohn organized the Domchor in Berlin… Go to person page >

Arranger: E. J. Hopkins

Dr Edward John Hopkins MusDoc United Kingdom 1818-1901. Born at Westminster, England, the son of a clarinetist with the Royal Opera House orchestra, he became an organist (as did two of his brothers) and a composer. In 1826 he became a chorister of the Chapel Royal and sang at the coronation of King William IV in Westminster Abbey. He also sang in the choir of St. Paul’s Cathedral, a double schedule requiring skill and dexterity. On Sunday evenings he would play the outgoing voluntary at St. Martin’s in-the-field. He left Chapel Royal in 1834 and started studying organ construction at two organ factories. He took an appointment at Mitcham Church as organist at age 16, winning an audition against other organists. Four years later… Go to person page >

Tune Information

Title: ANGELS' SONG (Mendelssohn)
Composer: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Arranger: E. J. Hopkins
Meter: 8.6.8.6 D
Incipit: 43211 76564 53543
Key: E♭ Major
Copyright: Public Domain

Texts

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,
from angels bending near the earth
to touch their harps of gold:
"Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven's all-gracious King."
The world in solemn stillness lay,
to hear the angels sing.

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Calm On the Listening Ear of Night

Calm on the listening ear of night
Come heaven's melodious strains,
Where wild Judea stretches far
Her silver-mantled plains.
Celestial choirs from courts above
Shed sacred glories there;
And angels, with their sparkling lyres,
Make music on the air.

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This is the day the Lord hath made; Be glad, give thanks, rejoice

Timeline

Arrangements

Organ Solo

  • 36 Hymn Preludes: For Two Manuals and Pedal
    Composer/Editors Adrienne Tindall; Austin Cole Lovelace
    Published By: Darcey Press (1996) pp. 6

Instances

Instances (1 - 8 of 8)

Christian Science Hymnal (Rev. and enl.) #342

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Heart and Voice #217a

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Hymns of the Church #138a

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Pilgrim Songs (Number Two) #65

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The Carol #140

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The Pilgrim Hymnal #98

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The Pilgrim Hymnal #104

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The Westminster Abbey Hymn-Book #68b

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