The Story behind ‘Away in a Manger’
Günther Simmermacher’s biography of a Christmas carol – Everybody knows the carol “Away In A Manger”, but nobody knows who wrote...
Biography of Hymns
The Story Behind ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’
One of the most beloved — and most Catholic — Christmas carols in the English language is also well-known by...
The Story of ‘While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks’
One might say that the much-loved “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks” was the first Anglican Christmas carol: before its appearance...
The Story of ‘We Three Kings’
Günther Simmermacher’s annual Biography of a Christmas carol Many of our beloved Christmas carols have come from the United States,...
The History of ‘Silent Night’
Translated into 140 languages, it may be the most famous Christmas hymn in the world. Günther Simmermacher looks at the history of ‘Silent Night’.
The History of a Famous Christmas Carol
‘Once In Royal David’s City’ was written as a catechism for children; today it is one of the most beloved...
The history of ‘God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen’
Once a folk carol sneered at by purists, ‘God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen’ has a profound Christian message. Günther Simmermacher looks at the carol’s history.
The story behind ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’
The composer of the melody of one of the most popular Christmas carols didn’t want it used for sacred purposes,...
The story behind ‘Joy to the World’ carol
At Christmas we sing ‘Joy To The World’, an accidental Christmas carol written over two centuries in two continents by...
