Dec

The Story Behind "Hark The Herald Angels Sing"

Posted on December 18, 2015

Do you know which Christmas Carol originally began, "Hark low all the welkin rings, glory to the King of Kings?" Welkin actually means vault of heaven. Charles Wesley, the author of more than 6000 hymns, wrote those words in 1739 while meditating on the birth of Christ. Over the years, the poem underwent a series of changes until finally it was settled by Reverent George Whitfield. He changed the welkin part to read, "Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King.

The tune to the words came from a Christian Jew named Felix Mendelssohn. This tune had originally been composed in 1840 to celebrate the anniversary of the printing press. More than 100 years later, the tune and Wesley's poem were linked together to form the great carol we know today.

Now you can browse through dozens of unique arrangements of this classic carol. Hark The Herald carries an upbeat rhythm, with a tune that is recognizable by all.