Hark The Herald Angels Sing

(traditional)

Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations, rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark! The herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
In excelsis Deo
In excelsis Deo

Hail the Heaven born Prince of Peace
Hail the Son of Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth

Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
In excelsis Deo
In excelsis Deo

This appears on Christmas with You.

Documentation

"Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" (1855)
Words by Charles Wesley, 1707-1788
Music by Felix Mendelssohn, 1809-1847 Adapted by William Hayman Cummings from "Festgesang" (24 Jun 1840)
Tune: Mendelssohn from the 2nd mvt. of the cantata "Vaterland, in deinen Gauen brach der gold'ne Tag einst an")

“Hark the herald angels sing” 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.

source - http://www.carols.org.uk