Christmas music

[Anita]

Merry Christmas everyone!


Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) wrote the poem "Christmas Bells" on December 25, 1864 later set to music.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
 And wild and sweet
 The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

After “Paul Revere’s Ride,” “Christmas Bells” is probably Longfellow’s best-known poem today. Set to music early on, the poem became part of the Christmas carol canon. The words have been paired with both traditional melodies and new compositions too numerous to list, in styles ranging from sacred to pop. Two tunes are most familiar today: the hymnal version set to “Waltham,” first used in the 1870s, and the popular version written by Johnny Marks in the 1950s and recorded by artists from Bing Crosby to Harry Belafonte to The Carpenters (amongst many others).

Go here to read the history of the poem https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historycu...-bells.htm
Here's one of many recordings. This one is by the Irish Tenors https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=1FOI2OGZXjU