Angelic Host - Christmas Joy
by Stephanie Grant
Title
Angelic Host - Christmas Joy
Artist
Stephanie Grant
Medium
Digital Art - Digital / Photography
Description
A heavenly host proclaims Joy to the World.
This image makes a wonderful greetings card or decorative Christmas gift as a pillow, print or tote bag.
Joy to the World well known as a Christmas carol, was written by English hymn writer Isaac Watts, based on the second half of 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 song celebrating hisfirst coming.
The music was adapted and arranged to Watts' lyrics by Lowell Masonin 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. The name "Antioch" is generally used for the tune.
As of the late 20th century, "Joy to the World" was the most-published Christmas hymn in North America.
Uploaded
November 19th, 2015
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