Christmas Musicals for Church
Issue link: https://read.jwpepper.com/i/1248543
3 JMG1030 PREFACE Beginning with the first Sunday in December each year, it is common to find Christian churches everywhere presenting special Christmas programs. We have come to call these Christmas cantatas or Christmas musicals. Historically, this practice is centuries old, with the first recorded presentation being that of St. Francis of Assisi performing the Midnight Mass in the small Italian village of Greccio on Christmas Eve in the year 1223. St. Francis presented this Midnight Mass in front of a live nativity scene or creche as they are often called. In succeeding years the term Nativity Play was generally applied to such observances and music played an important role. Such was the case in a Nativity Play from the 1500's when the German carol, While by the Sheep We Watched, was first performed. The composer/lyricist's name has long been unknown so it is now attributed to one of my favorites, the prolific and versatile composer known as Anonymous. This carol first appeared in print in 1895 in octavo form arranged by the German conductor, composer, and arranger, Hugo Jüngst. It has also been called the "echo carol." Since that time the carol we now know as How Great Our Joy has become a staple in music of the Advent/Christmas season. The theme is joy. Joy and happiness are not the same for believers. We can have eternal joy in Christ, while happiness can be a temporal concept. As we experience this musical, let us join in celebrating that same joy that was celebrated by St. Francis of Assisi centuries ago, and continues now and for years to come, based on the gift of Heaven's Love. Praise we the Lord in heaven on high! -Stan Pethel For Preview Only