Handel: Joy to the World! (John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers)

Disclaimer: I do not own this!

The words are by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on Psalm 98 in the Bible. The song was first published in 1719 in Watts' collection; The Psalms of David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and worship. Watts wrote the words of "Joy to the World" as a hymn glorifying Christ's triumphant return at the end of the age, rather than a Christmas song celebrating his first coming as a babe born in a stable. Only the second half of Watts' lyrics are still used today.
The music was adapted and arranged to Watts' lyrics by Lowell Mason in 1839 from an older melody which was then believed to have originated from Handel, not least because the theme of the refrain (And heaven and nature sing...) appears in the orchestra opening and accompaniment of the recitative Comfort Ye from Handel's Messiah, and the first four notes match the beginning of the choruses Lift up your heads and Glory to God from the same oratorio. However, Handel did not compose the entire tune.
As of the late 20th century, "Joy to the World" was the most-published Christmas hymn in North America.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• joy
• to
• the
• world
• handel
• john
• rutter
• cambridge
• choir
• christmas

[mjvonh1]

rutter is an absolute genius and so are the cambridge singers

[thethikboy]

Only Handel could make a simple descending scale into a bright joyous melody.

[80216ify]

Grazie per questa magnifica esecuzione, veramente molto bella. Grande Handel.

[KoPT01]

I sang this in Carnegie Hall with John Rutter as our conductor. What an experience that was.

[miatthas]

Amazing! I was wondering is this an arrangement or an original. I know that Handel wrote the medley, and it says that Isaac Watts wrote the song as we know it. Is this performance Watts' original, or is it changed at all? If possible, I was wondering if it was possible to find a score, midi file of something of which I can get notes from. Thank you very much for taking your time to read this. Fingers crossed.

[bodybwan2be1]

This is the only surviving chorus from Handel's lost oratorio "Antioch" ;)

[reverendjackdunn]

This is simply beautiful. I am an Anglican Priest, and this adds to the Christmas Spirit. Thank you all for this.

God Bless... and Merry Christmas

Reverend Jack

[zanuxiite]

me and my choir are going to sing this song on a Christmas concert. This song is translated to latvian language! :)