Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

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"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is a Christmas hymn or carol written by Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley. It appeared in Hymns and Sacred Poems in 1739. The original opening line was "Hark! how all the welkin rings"; the version known today is the result of alterations by various hands. One of the original tunes that "Hark! How all the welkin rings" was sung to was also used as a tune for "Amazing Grace". Many hymns in the 18th century were just printed words without music. It was left to choir directors to choose an appropriate tune based on the metre of the verse.

Hark! the herald angels sing! Glory to our 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 hosts proclaim "Christ is born in Bethlehem!

Hark! the herald angels sing! Glory to our newborn King!

The tune that is now used was composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1840, as part of the cantata Festgesang ("Festival Song") honoring printer Johann Gutenberg and commemorating the invention of his printing press. The cantata was presented at the great festival held at Leipzig. Festgesang's second chorus, "Gott ist Licht" ("God is Light"), was adapted in 1855 by William Hayman Cummings. Mendelssohn said of the song that it could be used with many different choruses but that, ironically, it should never be used for sacred music. [link]

The most popular arrangement of the Mendelssohn tune for "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is probably that by David Willcocks (published 1961) which adds a descant for the third verse.

Singer Mariah Carey recorded a version of the hymn for her holiday album Merry Christmas (1994).

Popular media

The song is a staple in Christmastime movies and TV shows that carry a religious message to some degree, usually as a spirited finale:

It is the penultimate song in the film It's a Wonderful Life.
It is sung by the kids at the end of A Charlie Brown Christmas.
It is sung by all the Springfield residents at the end of The Simpsons episode "Tis The Fifteenth Season."

It was also cited briefly in Tom Lehrer's song, "A Christmas Carol", satirizing the over-commercialization of the holiday:

"Hark! The Herald Tribune sings,"

"Advertising wondrous things!"

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