Re: [Worship] Christmas carols

["Bruce L. Johnson" <bjohnson@worshipmap.com>]

Carl P.Ashley writes:
>My pastor would like to do a series of sermons during Advent on the most
>"popular" (whatever that means--most sung?  most published?) Christmas
>carols (not secular, of course).  Would any of you out there happen to
>have a resource giving the top four carols of all time?


Well, I'm not quite sure how one calculates the top four of all time.  By
just about any measure, though, number one is "Silent Night, Holy Night".

After that where exactly do you go?   Maybe since you are mentioning "of all
time" you need to include at least a couple that have been around for
centuries, such as the medeival Latin carol we know as "Good Christian Men,
Rejoice" [In dulci jubilo] or an old traditional carol (at least pre 1700),
such as.... "What Child is This?" or "The First Noel" (English),  Angels We
Have Heard on High (French),  or  "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"(German).
Many that are still popular are post 1800, but there's still "Hark! The
Herald Angels Sing" (Charles Wesley, 1739,1753), "While Shepherds Watched
Their Flocks By Night" (Nahum Tate--to the tune "Christmas" [Handel])  and
"Joy to the World" (Watts).  The latter is actually a setting of Psalm 96
and a (second)Advent hymn, but that might be very appropriate for such a
series.

Let's see; that's eight.  I suspect "numbers 2-4"  are in this list.
Unless you can find pretty solid numbers, my suggestion would be to pick a
diverse collection from a list like this , allowing the sermons to cover
more different emphases of the Christmas message, as well as emphasizing the
idea of the celebration extending throughout the world and through the
centuries.  (In that case, perhaps something from the 20th century should be
included?  maybe something by a top 20th century hymnwriter like Timothy
Dudley-Smith?   I know that wouldn't necessarily fit the "top of all time"
idea....just a thought.)

A couple of other observations.  The FIRST "Christmas carol" is of course
the ANGELS' song in Luke 2--so often repeated in later carols, so something
which strongly emphasizes that would well be emphasized in the 'prime spot'
(Sunday before Christmas?)    Seond,  note that this song is one of a series
of four-- the first "Advent-Christmas" songs, from Mary's Magnificat to
Zacharias' song in Luke 1 to Simeon's song in the temple (end of Luke 2).
I actually did a Christmas eve service based on these four songs many years
ago.

Bruce Johnson
www.WorshipMap.com


----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Worship List sponsored by WorshipMusic http://www.worshipmusic.com/ -
 Visit the Worship Resource Center at http://www.praise.net/worship/ -
 Need help with your subscription?   Contact worship-help@praise.net -
----------------------------------------------------------------------