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.
Category: Biography of Hymns
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 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, and the man who wrote the text didn’t want a jaunty melody for it....
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 two pioneers of Christian hymns. GUNTHER SIMMERMACHER looks at the background to the popular...
Biographies of Christmas Carols
Christmas carols: we sing them in church, we hear them piped in the shops, we may have CDs of Josh Groban or Nat King Cole crooning them. GUNTHER SIMMERMACHER explores the history of some...
Biography of Hymns: ‘How Great Thou Art’
Sweden’s gifts to the world of music include pop giants ABBA, the great soprano Birgit Nilson, the classical composer Carl Michael Bellman and one of the world’s most beloved hymn. How Great Thou Art...
Biography of Hymns: It Is Well With My Soul
GUNTHER SIMMERMACHERlooks at the history of the hymn It Is Well With My Soul. The hymns we sing in church, one would think, were written in a spirit of the joy which the faith...
More biographies of Christmas carols
GUNTHER SIMMERMACHER explores the history of some more popular Christmas hymns and songs. O Little Town Of Bethlehem In 1865, the 29-year-old American Episcopalian (US Anglican) minister Phillips Brooks was so touched by the sight...
