[聖誕頌歌]Angel\'s Carol 天使之歌 by John Rutter

John Rutter 是英國著名的聖歌作詞作曲家，指揮家，出版家等，他的一生譜寫了許多宗教頌歌，這幾天聽到的許多聖誕頌歌，不少是他譜寫的，其中我最喜歡聽Angel's Carol 天使之歌，旋律歌詞是如此優美，讓人感慨。。。

Lyrics:

1. Have you hear the sounds of the angel voices ringing out so sweetly, ringing out so clear? Have you seen the star shining out so brightly as a sign from God that Christ the Lord is here? Have you heard the news that they bring from heaven to the humble shepherds who have waited long? Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo! Hear the angels sing their joyful song.

2. He is come in peace in the winter's stillness, like a snowfall in the gentle night. He is come in joy. He is come in joy, like the sun at morning, filling all the world with radiance and with light. He is come in love as the child of Mary. In a simple stable we have seen his birth. Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo! Hear the angels singing 'Peace on earth'.

3. He will bring new light. He will bring new light to a world in darkness, like a bright star shining in the skies above. He will bring new hope. He will bring new hope to the waiting nations. When he comes to reign in purity and love. Let the earth rejoice. Let the earth rejoice at the Saviour's coming. Let the heavens answer with the joyful morn: Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo! ||: Hear the angels singing, 'Christ is born'. :||

John Milford Rutter CBE (born September 24, 1945(1945-09-24)) is an English composer, choral conductor, editor, arranger and record producer.

Born in London, he was educated at Highgate School, where a fellow pupil was John Tavener. He then read music at Clare College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the choir and then director of music from 1975 to 1979. In 1974, Rutter visited the United States at the invitation of choral musician Melvin (Mel) Olson and conducted the premiere of his cantata "Gloria" in Omaha, Nebraska, in the Witherspoon Hall of Joslyn Art Museum. The composition, commissioned by Olson's Voices of Mel Olson chorale, has become a much-performed favorite over the years. (In the same concert, the Young People's Choir of the Midlands performed Rutter's "Eight Childhood Lyrics" in its US premiere performance.) In 1981 he founded his own choir, the Cambridge Singers, which he conducts and with which he has made many recordings of sacred choral repertoire (including his own works), particularly under his own label Collegium Records. He still lives near Cambridge, but frequently conducts other choirs and orchestras around the world.

In 1980 he was made an honorary Fellow of Westminster Choir College, Princeton, and in 1988 a Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians. In 1996 the Archbishop of Canterbury conferred a Lambeth Doctorate of Music upon him in recognition of his contribution to church music.

He also works as an arranger and editor, most notably (in his youth) of the extraordinarily successful Carols for Choirs anthology series in collaboration with Sir David Willcocks.

List of compositions and arrangements

Carols

• "Angels' Carol" (Original composition)
• "Candlelight Carol" Original composition
• "Carol of the Children" Original Composition
• "Cantique de Noël" Arrangement
• "Christmas Lullaby"
• "Christmas Night" (Arrangement, the title song on the Cambridge Singers's first album)
• "Deck the Hall" (Arrangement)
• "Donkey Carol"
• "Dormi Jesu" (Arrangement)
• "I Wonder as I Wander" (Arrangement)
• "Jesus Child"
• "Joy to the World" (in pseudo-Handelian style)
• "Love Came Down at Christmas"
• "Mary's Lullaby"
• "Nativity Carol" (Original composition)
• "Of a Rose, a lovely Rose"
• "Rocking" (Arrangement and translation of Czech carol called "Hajej, nynej, Ježíšku")
• "Shepherd's Pipe Carol"
• "Silent Night" (Arrangement)
• "Star Carol"
• "There is a Flower" (Original composition)
• "The Very Best Time of Year"
• "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" (Arrangement)
• "Wexford Carol" (Arrangement)
• "What Sweeter Music"
• "Wild Wood Carol"
• "Gaelic Blessing"