The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

On Christmas Night

For Christmas

Words: On Christmas Night All Christians Sing, Attributed to Bishop Luke Waddinge (1628- ca. 1691), Bishop of Ferns, Ireland
A Smale Garland of Pious and Godly Songs (Ghent, 1684)

This is one of many variants of this carol;
See On Christmas Night - Notes and On Christmas Night - Sheet Music.

Source for this version: Lost

 Music: English Traditional
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / XML / PDF

1. On Christmas night true Christians sing
To hear what news the angel bring
News of great joy, cause of great mirth
Good tidings of the Saviour's birth
Good tidings of the Saviour's birth

2. Angels with joy sing in the air,
No music may with theirs compare;
While prisoners in their chains rejoice
To hear the echoes of that voice.
To hear the echoes of that voice.

3. So how on earth can men be sad,
When Jesus comes to make us glad;
From sin and hell to set us free,
And buy for us our liberty?
And buy for us our liberty?

4. Let sin depart, while we His grace,
And glory see in Jesus' face;
For so shall we sure comforts find
When thus this day we bear in mind.
When thus this day we bear in mind.

5. And from the darkness we have light,
Which makes the Angels sing this night:
"Glory to God, His peace to men,
Both now and evermore." Amen.
Both now and evermore." Amen.

Sheet Music from Henry Ramsden Bramley and John Stainer, Christmas Carols New and Old (London: Novello, Ewer & Co., 1878).

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Sheet Music by Arthur H. Brown from Charles R. Hutchins, Christmas Carols Old And New (Boston: Parish Choir, #230)
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF

Sheet Music From Cecil J. Sharp, English Folk-Carols (London: Novello & Co., Ltd., 1911)
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / XML / PDF

R. Vaughan Williams, Eight Traditional English Carols (London: Stainer & Bell, Ltd., 1919), Carol #2, "On Christmas Night" (Sussex), pp. 8-10.

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Sheet Music from Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), #28, p. 49.

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Note: The R. Vaughan Williams arrangement for SATB can be obtained from Stainer & Bell, Ltd., London, either as a part of Eight Traditional English Carols or separately as A Sussex Carol ("On Christmas Night").

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