Beech Tree News Network

With Christmas just a few days away, I figured I’d break down some of my favorite Christmas songs/hymns. 

“Do You Hear What I Hear” was written in October of 1962 with lyrics by Noel Regney and music by Gloria Shayne Baker.  The pair, married at the time, wrote it as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Bing Crosbys 1963 recording brought the song to the attention of many.

“Hark The Herald” is a Christmas carol that first appeared in 1739 in the collection Hymns and Sacred Poems.  The lyrics of the song had been written by Charles Wesley.  Wesley had requested and received slow and solemn music for his lyrics, not the joyful tune expected today.  Wesley(Dec. 1707-March 1788) was an English leader of the Methodist movement, most widely known for writing more than 6,000 hymns, 

“Silent Night(German Stille Nacht) was composed in 1818 by Franz Xavier Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in the small town of Obendorf bei Salzburg, Austria.  It was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011.  The song has been recorded by a large number of singers from every musical genre.  The version sung by Bing Crosby is the third best-selling single of all time. 

“O Holy Night” is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem Minuit, chretiens by wine merchant and poet Placide Cappeau.  In both the French original and the two familiar English versions of the carol, as well as many other languages, the text reflects on the birth of Jesus and humanity’s redemption.  The song has been sung by all genres, from Josh Groban to Mariah Carey, John Berry to Straight No Chaser.  It’s my favorite Christmas song.  It was my grandmother’s favorite.  It was sung a Capella at her funeral and I’ll be playing it at church on the morning of Christmas Eve. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this background of my “Fave Four” as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.  Merry Christmas and I’ll be back next week!