Venite adoremus
Venite adoremus
Venite adoremus Dominum!
After enjoying some classic holiday tunes, let’s return to Christmas Around the World to celebrate the global tradition of Christmas caroling.
Before they were polished church hymns, carols were vibrant folk dances and songs – and they remain one of the few holiday traditions shared across nearly every culture. Carols not only help tell the story of the season, they provide an opportunity to gather as a group in song – even going door to door throughout a neighborhood to spread Christmas cheer.
A Grand Symphonic Suite
To honor this legacy, A Christmas Carol Suite weaves together four carols from Europe:
- From England, the cheerful, driving melody of The Sussex Carol (On Christmas Night All Christians Sing) comes from the English folk tradition, and today is a staple of the annual Lessons and Carols service from King’s College, Cambridge.
- O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree) is based on a German folk song from the mid-1500s. While the lyrics may not be expressly religious, the German Christmas tree is the quintessential symbol of the holiday.
- The joyful French carol Il Est Né le Divin Enfant (He is Born, the Divine Christ Child) originated in the Burgundy / Provence region of France; its lively, infectious tune has made it popular worldwide.
- Finally, the grand Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful) is one of the most enduring and widely sung Christmas hymns of all time.
As these carols are all sung in their original languages, I’ve collected the lyrics as well as an English translation for each of these carols – you can find those here.
A Grand Symphonic Sound
While it’s common to sing these carols a capella outside on a doorstep or in a church with keyboard or organ, they are arranged here for a full, grand orchestra. I wanted the sound of this piece to reflect the centuries of tradition and the unifying message these carols present as they are sung around the world.
🎁 Looking for More?
You can hear A Christmas Carol Suite on my new album, Christmas Around the World, which is streaming now on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more.
Next week, please join me for the finale of this series and a special Christmas Day message as we explore one of my favorite carols. Merry Christmas!🎶