The Twelve Days (Before) Christmas

Day 1 - Here we are . . . Christmas Eve, the last day before Christmas. I was SURE what I would present today, yet it's not flashy nor something that has been performed in numerous settings. It IS, however, my favorite tune for THIS Christmas.

The original text, Fröh­lich soll mein Herze spring­en, was written by Paul Ger­hardt in 1656. It was matched up early on with a 1653 tune by Johann Crüger (1598-1662). Soon after, Johann Georg Ebeling (1637-1676) composed a tune for the hymn (in 1667) which has stood the test of time.

Here is some deep background on the author, the various composers who have set the original AND the translated text:
Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) was a German theologian, Lutheran minister and hymnodist. Gerhardt is considered Germany's greatest hymn writer. Many of his best-known hymns were originally published in various church hymn-books, as for example in that for Brandenburg, which appeared in 1658; others first saw the light in Johann Crüger's Geistliche Kirchenmelodien (1647) and Praxis pietatis melica. The first complete collection is the Geistliche Andachten, published in 1666–1667 by Ebeling, music director in Berlin. Johann Georg Ebeling (1637-1676) was a German composer who was born in Lüneburg and died in Stettin. Ebeling is known as editor and composer of hymns by Paul Gerhardt. He published 120 hymns by Gerhardt (in 1667), adding new melodies to many, writing the first melody for 26 of them.

In 1858 Ca­the­rine Wink­worth made an English translation of Fröh­lich soll mein Herze spring­en - All my heart this night rejoices. This translation has inspired many composers to set the words to music. Here's a rundown of composers who have set Gerhardt's original text or Ca­the­rine Wink­worth's English translation:

 - Johann Crüger, 1653 [also harmonized by J.S. Bach]
 - Jo­hann Eb­e­ling, in Geist­liche An­dach­ten, 1666 [this tune is sometimes referred to as "Bonn"]
 - [tune: Briesen] by Jo­hann Frey­ling­hau­sen, 1704
 - C. E. Horsley, 1862
 - Robert Brown Borthwick, 1878
 - [tune: Nativity New] arr. by Fred­er­ick C. Mak­er, 1881
 - A. Esmond, 1890
 - Frank L. Sealy, 1901
 - George Coleman Gow, 1902
 - Edward Vine Hall, 1903
 - Frederick Bridge, 1903
 - Patty Stair, 1907
 - Allen K Blackall, 1911
 - Lucien G Chaffin, 1915
 - J. Booth, 1916 [published in "Carols Old and Carols New"]
 - F.C. Maker, 1916 [published in "Carols Old and Carols New"]
 - [tune: Stella] arr. by Horatio W. Parker, 1916
 - C. Whitney Coombs, 1919
 - Vernon Griffiths, 1920
 - Hamilton Crawford Macdougall, 1920
 - Kenneth A Brown, 1925
 - L. Jewell, 1928
 - Harold Clark, 1931
 - Basil Harwood, 1942
 - Frances McCollin, 1943
 - Carl F. Mueller, 1946
 - Clare Clement, 1948
 - Paul George Bunjes, 1950 [Crüger tune]
 - W. Glen Darst, 1952
 - Carl F. Mueller, 1956
 - Hermann Erdlen, 1958
 - Cecil Sharman, 1958
 - Dale W. Barker, 1958
 - Donald Joseph Cashmore, 1960
 - Douglas Maggs Durston, 1960
 - Cecil Bentz, 1960
 - Sharon Elery Rogers, 1961
 - Lois Myers Emig, 1962
 - Paul C Van Dyke, 1962
 - Jan Bender, 1964
 - Ronald Arnatt, 1966
 - Leo Sowerby, 1966
 - Eric Harding Thiman, 1969
 - Joseph Roff, 1970
 - David H Williams, 1973
 - Stephen Paulus, 1975
 - Warner Hutchison, 1995
 - Gwilym Beechey, 1995
 - Leo Nestor, 1995 [Ebeling tune]
 - Z. Randall Stroope, 2006
 - John Edward Sittard, 2007
 - T. Chemain Evans, 2013
 - Jonathan David, 2018

 Now, here's the text and a few versions of this lovely Christmas hymn.

All my heart this night rejoices
as I hear far and near
sweetest angel voices.
"Christ is born," their choirs are singing
'til the air ev'rywhere
now with joy is ringing.

Hark! a voice from yonder manger,
soft and sweet, doth entreat,
"Flee from woe and danger.
Brethren, come from all ills that grieve you,
you are freed; all your need
I will surely give you."

Come then, let us hasten yonder;
Here let all, great and small,
Kneel in awe and wonder.
Love Him who with love is yearning;
Hail the Star that from far
Bright with hope is burning!

Thee, dear Lord, with heed I'll cherish,
Live to Thee, and with Thee
Dying, shall not perish;
But shall dwell with Thee for ever,
Far on high in the joy
That can alter never.

(there are six more verses . . .)

All my heart this night rejoices - Cambridge Singers

 

All My Heart This Night Rejoices - Kristin Ballance

 

All My Heart this Night Rejoices - St. John Cathedral Choir Cleveland

 

All My Heart This Night Rejoices - Concordia