HARK! WHAT MEAN THOSE HOLY VOICES?
For Christmas
Song of the Angels of Bethlehem
Words: John Cawood (1775-1852), in Thomas Cotterill's Selection of Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Use, 1819
Compare: Hark! What Mean Those Thrilling Voices
Music: "Stuttgart"
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
"St. Oswald," John B. Dykes,
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
"Angel Choir," John H. Gower, 1895
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
"Wilmot," Carl M. von Weber
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
And Others Below
Meter: 87, 87
1. Hark! what mean those holy voices,
Sweetly sounding through the skies?1a
Lo! the angelic host rejoices
Heavenly hallelujahs rise.1b
2. Listen to the wondrous story,
Which they chant in hymns of joy;2
"Glory in the highest, glory;
Glory be to God most high!
3. "Peace on earth, good will from heaven,
Reaching far as man is found;
Souls redeemed, and sins forgiven;
Loud our golden3 harps shall sound.
4. "Christ is born, the great Anointed;
Heaven and earth His praises sing:
O receive whom God appointed,
For your Prophet, Priest and King.
5. "Hasten, mortals4 to adore Him;
Learn His Name and taste His joy;5
Till in heaven you sing before Him,
Glory be to God most high!"
6. Let us learn the wondrous story
Of our great Redeemer's birth;
Spread the brightness of His glory
Till it cover all the earth.
Notes
1. Ithamar Conkey (1815-1867) led the choir at the Central Baptist Church, Norwalk. Return
1a. Or: 'from' or 'in' the skies? Return
1b. Or: 'Loudest Alleluias' rise. Return
Cherubs tell the wondrous story,
Joyous Seraphim, reply; Return
3. Or: 'grateful.' Return
4. Or: 'children.' Return
5. Or: Learn His Name 'to magnify.' Return
Sheet Music by George B. Arnold from Rev. Charles Lewis Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916), Carol #36
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
Sheet Music by C. W. Pearce from Charles L. Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916), Carol #570
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
Sheet Music from Rev. Richard R. Chope, Carols For Use In Church (London: William Clowes & Sons, 1894), Carol #41
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
In this version, the first verse also acts as the chorus.
Sheet Music from St. Basil's Hymnal, 12th Edition. New York, Benziger Brothers, ND.
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
In this version, the second verse is used as the chorus to all other verses. Verse 6 is omitted.
Sheet Music by W. Eade (Redruth or Illogan) from Ralph Dunstan, The Cornish Song Book (London: Reid Bros., Ltd., 1929), p. 113, under the title "Holy Voices."
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
Sheet Music from John Clark Hollister, ed., The Sunday-School Service and Tune Book (New York: E. P. Dutton and Company, 1863, 1865), #5, p. 19.
Sheet Music by Adam Geibel from Christmas Carols, 1884
Adam Geibel and Pemberton Pierce
Published by Pemberton Pierce, Pennsgrove, N. J.
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
Source: Library of Congress, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, America Singing: Nineteenth-Century Song Sheets.
(American Memory, Performing Arts-Music)
Sheet music "Herald" from A. B. Goodrich, ed., A New Service And Tune Book For Sunday Schools (New York: Gen. Prot. Episc. S. S. Union and Church Book Society, 1863, New Edition, Enlarged, 1866), #4, p. 26.
Sheet Music Composed By H. P. Danks
New York: Pond, Wm. A. & Co., 1881.
Source: Library of Congress, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, America Singing: Nineteenth-Century Song Sheets.
(American Memory, Performing Arts-Music)
Note: Sir Arthur Sullivan also wrote a musical setting for this hymn in 1883. For more information, plus a MIDI file and a printable score, see A Sullivan Christmas.
(links open in a new window at an exterior site).
