Angels from the Realms of Glory
Encyclopedia
"Angels from the Realms of Glory" is a Christmas carol
written by English poet James Montgomery
. It was first printed in the Sheffield Iris
on Christmas Eve
1816, though it only began to be sung in churches after its 1825 reprinting in the Montgomery collection The Christian Psalmist and in the Religious Tract Society
's The Christmas Box or New Year's Gift.
Before 1928, the hymn was sung to a variety of tunes, including "Regent Square", "Lewes" by John Randall, and "Wildersmouth" or "Feniton Court" by Edward Hopkins. In the United States, the hymn is today most commonly sung to the tune of "Regent Square" by Henry Smart
. In the United Kingdom, however, the hymn came to be sung to the French carol tune "Iris" (Les anges dans nos campagnes, the tune used for "Angels We Have Heard on High
") after this setting was published in the Oxford Book of Carols
, except that the "Gloria in excelsis Deo" refrain is sung in place of Montgomery's original "Come and worship Christ the new-born King' refrain.
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
written by English poet James Montgomery
James Montgomery
James Montgomery was a British editor, hymnwriter and poet. He was particularly associated with humanitarian causes such as the campaigns to abolish slavery and to end the exploitation of child chimney sweeps....
. It was first printed in the Sheffield Iris
Sheffield Iris
The Sheffield Iris was an early weekly newspaper published on Tuesdays in Sheffield, England.The first newspaper to be published in Sheffield to see any degree of success was the Sheffield Weekly Journal in 1754...
on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
1816, though it only began to be sung in churches after its 1825 reprinting in the Montgomery collection The Christian Psalmist and in the Religious Tract Society
Religious Tract Society
The Religious Tract Society, founded 1799, 56 Paternoster Row and 65 St. Paul's Chuchyard, was the original name of a major British publisher of Christian literature intended initially for evangelism, and including literature aimed at children, women, and the poor.The RTS is also notable for being...
's The Christmas Box or New Year's Gift.
Before 1928, the hymn was sung to a variety of tunes, including "Regent Square", "Lewes" by John Randall, and "Wildersmouth" or "Feniton Court" by Edward Hopkins. In the United States, the hymn is today most commonly sung to the tune of "Regent Square" by Henry Smart
Henry Smart
Henry Thomas Smart was an English organist and composer.Smart was born in London, a nephew of the conductor Sir George Smart. He studied first for the law, but soon gave this up for music...
. In the United Kingdom, however, the hymn came to be sung to the French carol tune "Iris" (Les anges dans nos campagnes, the tune used for "Angels We Have Heard on High
Angels We Have Heard on High
"Angels We Have Heard on High" is a Christmas carol. The song commemorates the story of the birth of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel of Luke, in which shepherds outside Bethlehem encounter a multitude of angels singing and praising the newborn child....
") after this setting was published in the Oxford Book of Carols
Oxford Book of Carols
The Oxford Book of Carols was published in 1928 by Oxford University Press. Its influence derives from its anthologists Percy Dearmer, Martin Shaw and Ralph Vaughan Williams and their choice of carol tunes, provision of new words for old tunes and the continuing reinvigoration of English church...
, except that the "Gloria in excelsis Deo" refrain is sung in place of Montgomery's original "Come and worship Christ the new-born King' refrain.