WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2023, OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
This week I’m writing on some of the traditional Christmas Hymns. Today I’m writing on Oh Come All Ye Faithful (or Adeste Fideles). Below is some history from Wikipedia.
“O Come, All Ye Faithful," also known as "Adeste Fideles," is a Christmas carol that has been attributed to various authors, including John Francis Wade (1711–1786), John Reading (1645–1692), King John IV of Portugal (1604–1656), and anonymous Cistercian monks. The earliest printed version is in a book published by Wade. A manuscript by Wade, dating to 1751, is held by Stonyhurst College in Lancashire.
The original four verses of the hymn were extended to a total of eight, and these have been translated into many languages. In 1841, the English Catholic priest Frederick Oakeley translated the hymn into English as "O Come All Ye Faithful," which became widespread in English-speaking countries.
The text is usually credited to John Francis Wade in modern English hymnals, whose name appears on the earliest printed versions. Wade, an English Catholic, lived in exile in France and made a living as a copyist of musical manuscripts which he found in libraries. He often signed his copies, possibly because his calligraphy was so beautiful that his clients requested this. In 1751, he published a printed compilation of his manuscript copies, Cantus Diversi pro-Dominicis et Festis per annum. This is the first printed source for Adeste Fideles.
The version published by Wade consisted of four Latin verses. Later in the 18th century, the French Catholic priest Jean-François-Étienne Borderies wrote three additional verses in Latin. Another anonymous Latin verse is rarely printed.
The text has been translated innumerable times into English. Today's most common version is a combination of one of Frederick Oakeley's translations of the original four verses and William Thomas Brooke's translation of the three additional verses. It was first published in Murray's Hymnal in 1852. Oakeley originally titled the song "Ye Faithful, approach ye" when it was sung at his Margaret Chapel in Marylebone (London) before being altered to its current form
Besides John Francis Wade, the tune has been attributed to several musicians, from John Reading and his son to Handel and even the German composer Gluck. The Portuguese composer Marcos Portugal and King John IV of Portugal are also credited. Thomas Arne, whom Wade knew, is another possible composer. There are several similar musical themes written around that time, though it can be hard to determine whether these were written in imitation of the hymn, whether the hymn was based on them, or whether they are totally unconnected.
In particular, I remember this as the first Christmas hymn for a service/Mass. If a church choir is singing it, they might be processing down the center aisle to their choir location.
As a bass, we didn’t sing in the chorus on the first two “O Come, let us adore Him” - and then with a full sound for the last “O Come, let us adore Him and Christ the Lord.” (Ponderously!!!)
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I have also played this many times with bands and orchestras - including Leroy Anderson's “A Christmas Festival.”
With so many Christmas hymns - to me, it seems hard to get them all sung and thus, some churches might have a Christmas Choir concert.
LOVE WINS
LOVE TRANSFORMS
KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, DECEMBER 20, 2023
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