Angels We Have Heard on High
Encyclopedia
"Angels We Have Heard on High" is a Christmas carol
. The song commemorates the story of the birth of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel of Luke
, in which shepherds outside Bethlehem
encounter
a multitude of angels singing and praising the newborn child.
carol known as Les Anges dans nos campagnes (literally, "Angels in our countryside") composed by an unknown author in Languedoc
, France. That song has received many adjustments or alignments including its most common English version that was translated in 1862 by James Chadwick
, the Roman Catholic bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, north east England. The carol quickly became popular in the West Country
, where it was described as 'Cornish' by R.R. Chope, and featured in Pickard-Cambridge's Collection of Dorset Carols.
There is also a Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) translation of the carol which is known as Ainglean chuala sinn gu h-ard (literally, "Angels We Have Heard on High"). This was translated into Gaelic by Iain MacMilan from James Chadwick's English translation.
"Gloria", as arranged by Edward Shippen Barnes
. Its most memorable feature is its chorus:
where the sung vowel sound "o" of "Gloria" is fluidly sustained through a lengthy rising and falling melisma
tic melodic sequence:
"Gloria in Excelsis Deo
" is the first line of the song of the angels in the Gospel according to Luke.
The phrase also appears melismatically in the Latin
version of the carol "O Come All Ye Faithful
", though somewhat less extended:
In England, the words of James Montgomery's "Angels from the Realms of Glory
" are sung to this tune, except with the "Gloria in excelsis Deo" refrain. It is from this usage that the tune sometimes is known as Iris, the name of Montgomery's newspaper.
In the English version of "O Come All Ye Faithful", that phrase is poetically translated as Glo-ry to Go-od, Glo-ry in the High-est, (or, "Glo-ry to Go-od, In-- the-- High-est"), reducing the melisma
to no more than two notes per word.
CHORUS:
Gloria in excelsis Deo (Bis)
Gloria in excelsis Deo (Bis)
Gloria in excelsis Deo (Bis)
Gloria in excelsis Deo (Bis)
SEISD (CHORUS):
CHORUS:
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
. The song commemorates the story of the birth of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel of Luke
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
, in which shepherds outside Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
encounter
Annunciation to the shepherds
The Annunciation to the shepherds is an episode in the Nativity of Jesus described in the Bible in Luke 2, in which angels tell a group of shepherds about the birth of Jesus...
a multitude of angels singing and praising the newborn child.
Translations
The words of the song are based on a traditional FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
carol known as Les Anges dans nos campagnes (literally, "Angels in our countryside") composed by an unknown author in Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
, France. That song has received many adjustments or alignments including its most common English version that was translated in 1862 by James Chadwick
James Chadwick (bishop)
James Chadwick was an Anglo-Irish Roman Catholic priest, and second Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle.-Life:...
, the Roman Catholic bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, north east England. The carol quickly became popular in the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
, where it was described as 'Cornish' by R.R. Chope, and featured in Pickard-Cambridge's Collection of Dorset Carols.
There is also a Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) translation of the carol which is known as Ainglean chuala sinn gu h-ard (literally, "Angels We Have Heard on High"). This was translated into Gaelic by Iain MacMilan from James Chadwick's English translation.
Tunes
"Angels We Have Heard on High" is most commonly sung to the hymn tuneHymn tune
A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm , and no refrain or chorus....
"Gloria", as arranged by Edward Shippen Barnes
Edward Shippen Barnes
Edward Shippen Barnes was an American organist.He was a graduate of Yale University where he studied with Horatio Parker and Harry Jepson...
. Its most memorable feature is its chorus:
- Gloria in Excelsis Deo! (LatinLatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "Glory to God in the highest")
where the sung vowel sound "o" of "Gloria" is fluidly sustained through a lengthy rising and falling melisma
Melisma
Melisma, in music, is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referred to as melismatic, as opposed to syllabic, where each syllable of text is matched to a single note.-History:Music of ancient cultures used...
tic melodic sequence:
- Glo-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-O-o-o-o-o-O-ri-a in Ex-cel-sis De-o!
"Gloria in Excelsis Deo
Gloria in Excelsis Deo
"Gloria in excelsis Deo" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology and the Angelic Hymn. The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.It is an example of the psalmi idiotici "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest")...
" is the first line of the song of the angels in the Gospel according to Luke.
The phrase also appears melismatically in the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
version of the carol "O Come All Ye Faithful
Adeste Fideles
"Adeste Fideles" is a hymn tune attributed to English hymnist John Francis Wade . The text itself has unclear beginnings, and may have been written in the 13th century by John of Reading, though it has been concluded that Wade was probably the author.The original four verses of the hymn were...
", though somewhat less extended:
- Glo-o-o-O-ri-a in Ex-cel-sis De-o.
In England, the words of James Montgomery's "Angels from the Realms of Glory
Angels from the Realms of Glory
"Angels from the Realms of Glory" is a Christmas carol written by English poet James Montgomery. It was first printed in the Sheffield Iris on Christmas Eve 1816, though it only began to be sung in churches after its 1825 reprinting in the Montgomery collection The Christian Psalmist and in the...
" are sung to this tune, except with the "Gloria in excelsis Deo" refrain. It is from this usage that the tune sometimes is known as Iris, the name of Montgomery's newspaper.
In the English version of "O Come All Ye Faithful", that phrase is poetically translated as Glo-ry to Go-od, Glo-ry in the High-est, (or, "Glo-ry to Go-od, In-- the-- High-est"), reducing the melisma
Melisma
Melisma, in music, is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referred to as melismatic, as opposed to syllabic, where each syllable of text is matched to a single note.-History:Music of ancient cultures used...
to no more than two notes per word.
English
- AngelAngelAngels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s we have heard on high - Sweetly singing o’er the plains
- And the mountains in reply
- Echoing their joyous strains
CHORUS:
- Gloria, in excelsis Deo!Gloria in Excelsis Deo"Gloria in excelsis Deo" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology and the Angelic Hymn. The name is often abbreviated to Gloria in Excelsis or simply Gloria.It is an example of the psalmi idiotici "Gloria in excelsis Deo" (Latin for "Glory to God in the highest")...
- Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
- Shepherds, why this jubilee?
- Why your joyous strains prolong?
- What the gladsome tidings be
- Which inspire your heavenly song? Chorus
- Come to BethlehemBethlehemBethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank of the Jordan River, near Israel and approximately south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism...
and see - Him Whose birth the angels sing;
- Come, adore on bended knee,
- Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Chorus
- See Him in a manger laid
- Jesus Lord of heaven and earth;
- Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
- With us sing our Savior's birth. Chorus
French
- Les anges dans nos campagnes
- Ont entonné l'hymne des cieux,
- Et l'écho de nos montagnes
- Redit ce chant mélodieux
Gloria in excelsis Deo (Bis)
- Bergers, pour qui cette fête ?
- Quel est l'objet de tous ces chants ?
- Quel vainqueur, quelle conquête
- Mérite ces cris triomphants :
Gloria in excelsis Deo (Bis)
- Ils annoncent la naissance
- Du libérateur d'Israël
- Et pleins de reconnaissance
- Chantent en ce jour solennel
Gloria in excelsis Deo (Bis)
- Cherchons tous l'heureux village
- Qui l'a vu naître sous ses toits
- Offrons-lui le tendre hommage
- Et de nos cœurs et de nos voix
Gloria in excelsis Deo (Bis)
- Bergers, quittez vos retraites,
- Unissez-vous à leurs concerts,
- Et que vos tendres musettes
- Fassent retentir les airs
Scottish Gaelic
- Ainglean chuala sinn gu h-ard,
- Seinn cho milis feadh an àit',
- Na beanntannan co - sheirm an ciùil,
- 'S Mac talla freagairt bòidheach ciùin.
SEISD (CHORUS):
- Seinn moladh agus glòir, Moladh agus glòir
- Moladh agus glòir do Dhia, An Dàrna Pearsa naomh den Trian.
- Seinn moladh agus glòir, Moladh agus glòir
- Moladh agus glòir do Dhia, An Dàrna Pearsa naomh den Trian.
- Chìobairean, carson ur duan?
- Carson a tha e àlainn buan?
- Innsibh dhuinn ur naidheachd-ghaoil
- Dhùisg sibh suas gu ceòl cho naomh. Seisd (Chorus)
- Thig gu Bethlehem, thig is chì,
- Chì thu'n Tighearna Dia do Righ;
- Lùb do ghlùin 's thoir adhradh dhà,
- Crìosda rugadh dhuinn na phàisd'. Seisd (Chorus)
Portuguese
- Vinde cristãos, vinde à porfia,
- Hinos cantemos de louvor,
- Hinos de paz e de alegria,
- Que os anjos cantam ao Senhor.
CHORUS:
- Glória, a Deus nas alturas! (bis)
- Foi nesta noite venturosa,
- Em que nasceu o Salvador,
- Que anjos com voz harmoniosa
- Deram a Deus o seu louvor.
- Vinde juntar-vos aos pastores,
- Vinde com eles a Belém,
- Vinde correndo pressurosos,
- Pois o Senhor enfima nos vem.
Media
External links
- Free sheet music of Angels We Have Heard on High for SATB from Cantorion.org
- Christian Classics Ethereal Hymnary: Gloria -- Tune: 000095
- Cyber Hymnal
- Les chansons en français" http://fr.lyrics-copy.com/chants-de-noel/les-anges-dans-nos-campagnes.htm