Choral Choir (SATB) - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1011424 Composed by Tim Risher. Christian,Contemporary,Praise & Worship,Sacred. Octavo. 14 pages. Tim Risher #3374761. Published by Tim Risher (A0.1011424). Instrumentation: Choir (SATB) and organDuration: ca. 3'00Level: Upper IntermediatePsalm 107, O Give Thanks unto the Lord, is a song of thanksgiving to God. At 43 verses, it is one of the longer psalms in the bible; I have set only a few of the total for this piece - 1-3, 9, and 16.The organ keeps up a consistent jazz-like pattern throughout, building to a joyful ending.Although written for a church service, especially for a service of joy and praise, it can be successfully presented at concerts and other shows.The composer is a member of BMI, and can be reached at timrisher @ gmail dot com for more information.

Piano Solo - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1399497 Composed by Alfred Bryan and Fred Fisher. Arranged by Timothy Stapay. Broadway,Celtic,Film/TV,Irish,Musical/Show,Singer/Songwriter,Standards. Score. 4 pages. Timothy Stapay #982786. Published by Timothy Stapay (A0.1399497). Peg o' My Heart was written in 1912 by Alfred Bryan and was based on a musical comedy by the same name. While it was first performed in New York City, the song has long been associated with St. Patrick's Day because of the Irish connections in the musical.The beauty of this song lies in its ability to transcend time and connect with listeners on a personal level. Its simple yet profound lyrics capture the essence of love and longing, allowing listeners to reflect on their own experiences and emotions. Whether it reminds you of a lost love, a distant memory, or a cherished moment, “Peg O’ My Heart� has a way of evoking raw emotions and stirring the soul.Lyrics: Peg O' My Heart, I love you, We'll never part, I love you, hear little girl, Sweet little girl, Sweeter than the rose of Erin, are your winning smiles endearin', Peg O' My Heart, Your glances with Irish art entrance us, Come, be my own, Come, make your home in my heart.

Piano,Viola - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.548519 Composed by Wade. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christmas. Score and part. 6 pages. Jmsgu3 #3388141. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.548519). O Come All Ye Faithful arranged with new harmony for the final verse.  O Come, All Ye Faithful O Come, All Ye Faithful is an English translation of the Latin Christmas carol Adeste Fideles. No one knows exactly who wrote it. One theory holds that King John IV of Portugal (1604–1656) wrote it. Another theory says John F. Wade or John Reading wrote it. Nowadays, we usually attribute it to John Wade. Seems like Stonyhurst College in Lancashire owns the oldest manuscript. It is from the year 1751. Lyrics Frederick Oakeley, a Catholic priest in 1841, wrote the English translation. This translation is probably the most common in English-speaking states. To begin with, the hymn had only four verses. Later, the verses grew to eight. Music directors often cut various verses because otherwise, the song goes too long. Some believe that St. Bonaventure wrote the first Latin lyrics. Others hold that King John IV of Portugal is responsible. Yet even others think the Cistercian monks wrote them. King John IV His subjects called King John IV of Portugal The Musician King. He became king in 1640. In addition to performing the duties of a king, he composed and wrote as a music journalist. King John built a very large music library. Unfortunately, the massive earthquake in Lisbon ruined the library in 1755. In addition to building his library, the king started a Music School that produced many accomplished musicians. The king also worked diligently to get instrumental music approved by the Vatican for use in his churches. Aside from his authorship of Adeste Fideles, he is famous for another popular choral setting of the Crux Fidelis, a prevalent Lenten hymn. Performance in Context Verses are sometimes left out because all eight verses would take too long to perform. More to the point, though, some of the verses may be unsuitable for whatever church calendar they are intended. The eighth verse deals with the Epiphany, so it makes sense to sing this on Epiphany Sunday but not on other Sundays. Similarly, other verses are used for whether the event is Midnight Mass or regular daytime Mass.  

Piano Trio - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.548647 Composed by Wade. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christmas. 7 pages. Jmsgu3 #3407487. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.548647). O Come, All Ye Faithful O Come, All Ye Faithful arranged for piano trio ( piano, violin & cello) featuring a thought-provoking re-harmonization of the final verse. O Come, All Ye Faithful is an English translation of the Latin Christmas carol Adeste Fideles. No one knows exactly who wrote it. One theory holds that King John IV of Portugal (1604–1656) wrote it. Another view says John F. Wade or John Reading wrote it. Nowadays, we usually attribute it to John Wade. It seems like Stonyhurst College in Lancashire owns the oldest manuscript. It is from the year 1751. Lyrics Frederick Oakeley, a Catholic priest in 1841, wrote the English translation. This translation is probably the most common in English-speaking states. To begin with, the hymn had only four verses. Later, the verses grew to eight. Music directors often cut various verses because otherwise, the song goes too long. Some believe that St. Bonaventure wrote the first Latin lyrics. Others hold that King John IV of Portugal is responsible. Yet even others think the Cistercian monks wrote them. King John IV His subjects called King John IV of Portugal The Musician King. He became king in 1640. In addition to performing the duties of a king, he composed and wrote as a music journalist. King John built an extensive music library. Unfortunately, the massive earthquake in Lisbon ruined the library in 1755. In addition to making his library, the king started a Music School that produced many accomplished musicians. The king also worked diligently to get instrumental music approved by the Vatican for use in his churches. Aside from his authorship of Adeste Fideles, he is famous for another popular choral setting of the Crux Fidelis, a prevalent Lenten hymn. Performance in Context Verses are sometimes left out because all eight verses would take too long to perform. More to the point, though, some of the poems may be unsuitable for whatever church calendar they are intended. The eighth verse deals with the Epiphany, so it makes sense to sing this on Epiphany Sunday but not on other Sundays. Similarly, other poems are used for whether the event is Midnight Mass or regular daytime Mass.  

Piano Quartet - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.548646 Composed by Wade. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christmas. 8 pages. Jmsgu3 #3407471. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.548646). O Come, All Ye Faithful The traditional Adeste Fideles was arranged for a piano quartet ( piano, violin, viola & cello) featuring a thought-provoking re-harmonized final verse. O Come, All Ye Faithful is an English translation of the Latin Christmas carol Adeste Fideles. No one knows exactly who wrote it. One theory holds that King John IV of Portugal (1604–1656) wrote it. Another view says John F. Wade or John Reading wrote it. Nowadays, we usually attribute it to John Wade. It seems like Stonyhurst College in Lancashire owns the oldest manuscript. It is from the year 1751. Nevertheless, the O Come All Ye Faithful: Piano Quartet version has a re-harmonized final verse for more energy and drive. Lyrics Frederick Oakeley, a Catholic priest in 1841, wrote the English translation. This translation is probably the most common in English-speaking states. To begin with, the hymn had only four verses. Later, the verses grew to eight. Music directors often cut various verses because otherwise, the song goes too long. Some believe that St. Bonaventure wrote the first Latin lyrics. Others hold that King John IV of Portugal is responsible. Yet even others think the Cistercian monks wrote them. King John IV His subjects called King John IV of Portugal The Musician King. He became king in 1640. In addition to performing the duties of a king, he composed and wrote as a music journalist. King John built an extensive music library. Unfortunately, the massive earthquake in Lisbon ruined the library in 1755. In addition to making his library, the king started a Music School that produced many accomplished musicians. The king also worked diligently to get instrumental music approved by the Vatican for use in his churches. Aside from his authorship of Adeste Fideles, he is famous for another popular choral setting of the Crux Fidelis, a prevalent Lenten hymn. Performance in Context Verses are sometimes left out because all eight verses would take too long to perform. More to the point, though, some of the poems may be unsuitable for whatever church calendar they are intended. The eighth verse deals with the Epiphany, so it makes sense to sing this on Epiphany Sunday but not on other Sundays. Similarly, poems are used for whether the event is Midnight Mass or regular daytime Mass.  

Piano,Violin - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.548518 Composed by Wade. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christmas. 4 pages. Jmsgu3 #3388143. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.548518). O Come All Ye Faithful arranged with new harmony for the final verse. Score: 3 pages, part: 1 page.O Come, All Ye Faithful O Come, All Ye Faithful is an English translation of the Latin Christmas carol Adeste Fideles. No one knows exactly who wrote it. One theory holds that King John IV of Portugal (1604–1656) wrote it. Another theory says John F. Wade or John Reading wrote it. Nowadays, we usually attribute it to John Wade. Seems like Stonyhurst College in Lancashire owns the oldest manuscript. It is from the year 1751. Lyrics Frederick Oakeley, a Catholic priest in 1841 wrote the English translation. This translation is probably the most common in the English-speaking states. To begin with, the hymn had only four verses. Later, the verses grew to eight. Music directors often cut various verses because otherwise, the song goes too long. Some believe that St. Bonaventure wrote the first Latin lyrics. Others hold that King John IV of Portugal is responsible. Yet even others think the Cistercian monks wrote them. King John IV His subjects called King John IV of Portugal The Musician King. He became king in 1640. In addition to performing the duties of a king, he composed and wrote as a music journalist. King John built a very large music library. Unfortunately, the massive earthquake of Lisbon ruined the library in 1755. In addition to building his library, the king started a Music School that produced many accomplished musicians. The king also worked diligently to get instrumental music approved by the Vatican for use in his churches. Aside from his authorship of Adeste Fideles, he is famous for another popular choral setting of the Crux Fidelis, a prevalent Lenten hymn. Performance in Context Verses are sometimes left out because all eight verses would take too long to perform. More to the point though, some of the verses may be unsuitable for whatever of the church calendar they are intended. The eighth verse deals with the Epiphany, so it makes sense to sing this on Epiphany Sunday, but not other Sundays. Similarly, other verses are used according to whether the event is Midnight Mass or regular daytime Mass.

Baritone Horn TC,Euphonium,Piano - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.552827 Composed by Adam. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christian,Christmas. Score and part. 10 pages. Jmsgu3 #3410423. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.552827). O Holy Night arranged for Baritone Horn & Piano. Duration: 4:56 Score: 5 pg, 44 ms. Solo part: 2 pg. Piano part: 3 pg.Cantique de Noël The French composer Adolphe Adam was already famous as a composer of many successful ballets and operas. Then, in the 1840’s he wrote his most famous work - O Holy Night. The original song title was Minuit Chretiens or Cantique de Noël.  Placide Cappeau provided the original song lyrics. The song was first performed in Roquemaure by the opera singer Emily Laurey at midnight mass in 1847. It became very popular among the French, much the way that Silent Night was famous elsewhere. In the 1850’s John S. Dwight, a Unitarian minister and music teacher translated the song into English.   Adolphe Adam In his younger years, Adam studied organ and composition at the Paris Conservatoire. He also played the timpani in the Conservatoire orchestra. Adam used his savings and borrowed money to open a new opera house - the fourth opera house in Paris in 1847. Unfortunately, the Revolution of 1848 forced him to close. He taught composition at the Paris Conservatoire from 1849 until his death in 1856. Placide Cappeau The poet Cappeau was an advocate of the French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire.  Voltaire was renowned for criticizing the Catholic church, religious intolerance, and dogma in general. Consequently, Cappeau made the Redeemer figure in his song a kind of reformer of injustices, in particular, the problem of original sin. To begin with, people recognized Cappeau’s theology as eccentric, probably even doubtful. Theology In the earlier form of Minuit, the Christ figure descends to intervene with His Father’s plan to punish mankind.  Traditional doctrine pronounces that Christ came from love, not to intervene. This version also declares that Christ appeared to expunge the original sin of Adam. Cappeau removed this part from his poem years later, because he just didn’t believe it.  He preferred to portray Christ as the reformer of disparity and unfairness. Before long, the writer/politician Alphonse de Lamartine referred to the Minuit as the the Marseillaise of religion. Most French churchmen agreed with this idea but certainly did not consider it a tribute.  Register for free lifetime updates and revisions at www.jamesguthrie.com

Alto Saxophone,Piano - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.548668 Composed by Adam. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christian,Christmas. Score and part. 10 pages. Jmsgu3 #3410421. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.548668). O Holy Night arranged for alto sax & piano. Duration: 4:56, 44 ms. Score: 5 pg Part: 2 pg, piano part: 3 pg.Cantique de Noël The French composer Adolphe Adam was already famous as a composer of many successful ballets and operas. Then, in the 1840’s he wrote his most famous work - O Holy Night. The original song title was Minuit Chretiens or Cantique de Noël.  Placide Cappeau provided the original song lyrics. The song was first performed in Roquemaure by the opera singer Emily Laurey at midnight mass in 1847. It became very popular among the French, much the way that Silent Night was famous elsewhere. In the 1850’s John S. Dwight, a Unitarian minister and music teacher translated the song into English.   Adolphe Adam In his younger years, Adam studied organ and composition at the Paris Conservatoire. He also played the timpani in the Conservatoire orchestra. Adam used his savings and borrowed money to open a new opera house - the fourth opera house in Paris in 1847. Unfortunately, the Revolution of 1848 forced him to close. He taught composition at the Paris Conservatoire from 1849 until his death in 1856. Placide Cappeau The poet Cappeau was an advocate of the French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire.  Voltaire was renowned for criticizing the Catholic church, religious intolerance, and dogma in general. Consequently, Cappeau made the Redeemer figure in his song a kind of reformer of injustices, in particular, the problem of original sin. To begin with, people recognized Cappeau’s theology as eccentric, probably even doubtful. Theology In the earlier form of Minuit, the Christ figure descends to intervene with His Father’s plan to punish mankind.  Traditional doctrine pronounces that Christ came from love, not to intervene. This version also declares that Christ appeared to expunge the original sin of Adam. Cappeau removed this part from him poem years later, because he just didn’t believe it.  He preferred to portray Christ as the reformer of disparity and unfairness. Before long, the writer/politician Alphonse de Lamartine referred to the Minuit as the the Marseillaise of religion. Most French churchmen agreed with this idea but certainly did not consider it a tribute.  Register for free lifetime updates and revisions at www.jamesguthrie.com

Piano and voice - Digital Download SKU: LV.18107 Composed by A. Clifton. Courtship & love, Spouses, Time. Lester S. Levy Collection. 2 pages. Published by Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries (LV.18107). The Green Spot That blooms o'er the Desert of Life. Written by The late Rt. Honble. J.P. Curran. The Music By A. Clifton. Published [n.d.] by John Cole in Baltimore. Composition of strophic with chorus with piano and voice instrumentation. Subject headings for this piece include Courtship & love, Spouses, Time. First line reads O'er the desert of life, when you vainly pursued, Those panthoms of hope which their promise disown.. About The Lester S. Levy CollectionThe Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music consists of over 29,000 pieces of American popular music. Donated to Johns Hopkins University Sheridan Libraries, the collection's strength is its thorough documentation of nineteenth-century American through popular music. This sheet music has been provided by Project Gado, a San Francisco Bay Area startup whose mission is to digitize and share the world's visual history.WARNING: These titles are provided as historical documents. Language and concepts within reflect the opinions and values of the time and may be offensive to some.

Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1162693 Composed by Music: Hans Leo Hassler. Arranged by Thomas Quigley. Christian,Praise & Worship,Religious. 8 pages. Thomas Quigley #763068. Published by Thomas Quigley (A0.1162693). This well known chorale tune is sensitively arranged for intermediate level student or amateur quartets. Carefully crafted harmonies, at times chromatic, enhance the solemn mood making this a very appropriate piece for a religious ceremony. A deep sense of expressiveness is heightened in the skillful use of the beautiful, rich timbre of the brass quartet.

Solo Guitar - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1316133 By The Candlelight Guitarist. By Adolphe-Charles Adam. Arranged by Bradley Powell. Christian,Christmas,Classical,Holiday,Religious. Individual part. 4 pages. Geofonica Artistworks #904870. Published by Geofonica Artistworks (A0.1316133). This arrangement of O Holy Night is an excerpt from Christmas Suite 1225 (Part 1) - a new album by The Candlelight Guitarist (aka Bradley Powell). It features fingerstyle classical guitar, with a fresh chordal interpretation, moving bass and internal lines, and other distinctive stylistic features. O Holy Night can be seen and heard in the Candlelight Guitarist YouTube video of Christmas Suite 1225 (Part 1) beginning at 5:25 (see timeline). ABOUT: Brad Powell (aka The Candlelight Guitarist) began guitar at age ten, inspired by The Beatles. At 15, he became a protégé of jazz guitarist Joe Pass, and later studied classical guitar under Vincent Macaluso and at California State University, Northridge under Ronald Purcell, with a master class under Andrés Segovia. Brad was featured performing Gerald Wilson's Sonata for Guitar and Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl, with the composer conducting. Brad was mentored in composition by David Rose (composer for Little House on the Prairie). Brad has composed music for TV, including Hill Street Blues and The 'A' Team, working with Mike Post. Brad has ten albums as The Candlelight Guitarist. When not making music, Brad is often out hiking with his four dogs. Brad has also played as the solo guitarist for Disney's Princess Breakfast Adventure at Disney's Grand Californian Resort by Disneyland (since 2019), providing music for the Disney Princesses (Belle, Tiana, Jasmine, Rapunzel, Mulan, Aurora, Ariel, Pocahontas, Cinderella, and their friends and guests).COMMENTS FROM LONG-ESTABLISHED REVIEWERS (for this and other Candlelight Guitarist recordings)...Dr. Beth - Amazon.com #1 Hall of Fame reviewerBrad has a knack for putting together gentle, soothing guitar medleys which provide the perfect background or relaxation soundtrack.Bill Binkelman - Music Reviewer for Zone Music Reporter and New Age RetailerThe Candleight Guitarist is your tour guide to a land of easy-going, warm, and inviting instrumentals.Rebecca of Amazon - Amazon.com HALL OF FAME TOP 500 REVIEWERBradley Powell's flawless playing allows you to completely relax into sleep or relax into an evening of candlelight and romance. I've fallen into a peaceful sleep while listening to this music and have also spent relaxing afternoons reading while The Candlelight Guitarist wove an intricate tapestry of sounds to nurture my heart. ...  Bradley Powell's music is infused with natural ambience. As rich sounds renew your spirit, you can relax into a deep sigh of the heart. His style is artistic, heart healing and filled with romantic and cultural influences.Vicki Blizzard (Editor, PaperWorks and Crazy for Cross-Stitch! magazines) in CREATIVITY e-Letter: Music to filter into my dreams. My new favorite to listen to is classical guitar music by Bradley Powell.Jana L. Perskie Ceruleana (New York, NY USA) ~ Amazon.com TOP 50 Reviewer.The talented and creative Bradley Powell is the Candlelight Guitarist. His music is original and some of the most soul soothing I have ever heard.Bob McKillop, founder and publisher, MaineFolkMusic.comBrad Powell is a talented and highly trained California guitarist and composer who calls himself The Candlelight Guitarist, and for good reason. His music is perfect for situations in which candlelight figures prominently. Quiet meditation, romance, intellectual stimulation – the soft, pure tones of his Spanish and classic instrumental style open up your heart and render it more receptive to the spiritual messages that these pursuits engender.Grady Harp - Amazon HALL OF FAME TOP 100 REVIEWERmusic to soothe and calm and enrich the psyche. Would that there were more Brad Powells out there to help us all through these times. The world would be a saner place!

Accordion,Double Bass,Guitar - Digital Download SKU: A0.1068910 Composed by Lars Ek. Folk,World. Full Performance. Duration 88. Lars Ek Cosmos Music c/o Musik & Underhållningsskrädderiet AB #1924309. Published by Lars Ek Cosmos Music c/o Musik & Underhållningsskrädderiet AB (A0.1068910). My first acquaintance with Lars Ek Hot Trio refers to the autumn of 1982. It took place in Bergen during the annual enrollment of accordionist by the name TREKKSPILLGALLA In Grieghallen where Lars Ek until now been unknown. It has become a tradition with a Swedish touch during these autumn hits. Strong names Ebbe Jularbo, Roland Cedermark, Norwegian-Swede Olaf Wernersen to name a few. But no one has so far been stormed the audience as Lars Ek Hot Trio did. To experience the original Frosini, Nisse Lind, Ragnar Sundquist represents something new and good in the Accordion music. Genuine original accordion music that we remember so dearly good from the 1930-40's and which had been lying idle since then. The above-mentioned debut has caused several national border crossings for the trio. The last is the spring tour in western Norway this year (1985), where I had the honor to accompany the ensemble from Nor fjord Bergen. An experience for both the audience and the musicians. Yet we feel the turbulence after Lasses bellows murmur down the valley-society’s country. At Voss reached climax when history's first Trekkspill-fan-club became a fact of Lars Ek Fan Club. In alternating western country natural emanation from our flower at the fjord to the mountain huge snowstorm where we stood firm on the Vika Mountain on our way to Voss. After waiting up to a snow plow and colon driving, Lars Ek experience a new Norway. These strong impression of the natural contrasts mixed with the local population intimacy and spontaneity and contact Lasse put on the idea of a Norway-LP, which therefore now been completed in record time. Finally, I would quote one of Norway's largest newspapers to: Lars Ek is the best we have heard - and seen - on the accordion. Do not let it go three more years before he is in Bergen again. Welcome back, Lasse, Bengt and Kalle. Bergen in May 1985 Kind regards from John Mandelid.

Piano,Tenor Saxophone - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.548677 Composed by Adam. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christian,Christmas. Score and part. 10 pages. Jmsgu3 #3410441. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.548677). Duration: 4:56. Score 5 pg. 44 ms. Solo part: 2 pg. Piano part: 3 pg.Cantique de Noël The French composer Adolphe Adam was already famous as a composer of many successful ballets and operas. Then, in the 1840’s he wrote his most famous work - O Holy Night. The original song title was Minuit Chretiens or Cantique de Noël.  Placide Cappeau provided the original song lyrics. The song was first performed in Roquemaure by the opera singer Emily Laurey at midnight mass in 1847. It became very popular among the French, much the way that Silent Night was famous elsewhere. In the 1850’s John S. Dwight, a Unitarian minister and music teacher translated the song into English.   Adolphe Adam In his younger years, Adam studied organ and composition at the Paris Conservatoire. He also played the timpani in the Conservatoire orchestra. Adam used his savings and borrowed money to open a new opera house - the fourth opera house in Paris in 1847. Unfortunately, the Revolution of 1848 forced him to close. He taught composition at the Paris Conservatoire from 1849 until his death in 1856. Placide Cappeau The poet Cappeau was an advocate of the French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire.  Voltaire was renowned for criticizing the Catholic church, religious intolerance, and dogma in general. Consequently, Cappeau made the Redeemer figure in his song a kind of reformer of injustices, in particular, the problem of original sin. To begin with, people recognized Cappeau’s theology as eccentric, probably even doubtful. Theology In the earlier form of Minuit, the Christ figure descends to intervene with His Father’s plan to punish mankind.  Traditional doctrine pronounces that Christ came from love, not to intervene. This version also declares that Christ appeared to expunge the original sin of Adam. Cappeau removed this part from his poem years later, because he just didn’t believe it.  He preferred to portray Christ as the reformer of disparity and unfairness. Before long, the writer/politician Alphonse de Lamartine referred to the Minuit as the the Marseillaise of religion. Most French churchmen agreed with this idea but certainly did not consider it a tribute.  Register for free lifetime updates and revisions at www.jamesguthrie.com

Piano,Soprano Saxophone - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.548675 Composed by Adam. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christian,Christmas. Score and part. 10 pages. Jmsgu3 #3410437. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.548675). Duration: 4:56. Score 5 pg. 44 ms. Solo part: 2 pg. Piano part: 3 pg.Cantique de Noël The French composer Adolphe Adam was already famous as a composer of many successful ballets and operas. Then, in the 1840’s he wrote his most famous work - O Holy Night. The original song title was Minuit Chretiens or Cantique de Noël.  Placide Cappeau provided the original song lyrics. The song was first performed in Roquemaure by the opera singer Emily Laurey at midnight mass in 1847. It became very popular among the French, much the way that Silent Night was famous elsewhere. In the 1850’s John S. Dwight, a Unitarian minister and music teacher translated the song into English.   Adolphe Adam In his younger years, Adam studied organ and composition at the Paris Conservatoire. He also played the timpani in the Conservatoire orchestra. Adam used his savings and borrowed money to open a new opera house - the fourth opera house in Paris in 1847. Unfortunately, the Revolution of 1848 forced him to close. He taught composition at the Paris Conservatoire from 1849 until his death in 1856. Placide Cappeau The poet Cappeau was an advocate of the French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire.  Voltaire was renowned for criticizing the Catholic church, religious intolerance, and dogma in general. Consequently, Cappeau made the Redeemer figure in his song a kind of reformer of injustices, in particular, the problem of original sin. To begin with, people recognized Cappeau’s theology as eccentric, probably even doubtful. Theology In the earlier form of Minuit, the Christ figure descends to intervene with His Father’s plan to punish mankind.  Traditional doctrine pronounces that Christ came from love, not to intervene. This version also declares that Christ appeared to expunge the original sin of Adam. Cappeau removed this part from his poem years later, because he just didn’t believe it.  He preferred to portray Christ as the reformer of disparity and unfairness. Before long, the writer/politician Alphonse de Lamartine referred to the Minuit as the the Marseillaise of religion. Most French churchmen agreed with this idea but certainly did not consider it a tribute.  Register for free lifetime updates and revisions at www.jamesguthrie.com