Christmas Bells

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
     And wild and sweet
     The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
     Had rolled along
     The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
     A voice, a chime,
     A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
     And with the sound
     The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
     And made forlorn
     The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said:
     "For hate is strong,
     And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" 

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
     The Wrong shall fail,
     The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!"

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) , "Christmas Bells", from Household Poems, published 1865

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , "Christmas Bells" [hymn], initials J. T.
by A. Fairbarn Barnes , "I heard the bells on Christmas Day", published 1934. [carol: SATB chorus and organ]
by W. H. Bentley , "Christmas Bells", op. 2 (Six songs) no. 5. [voice and piano]
by Arthur Bergh (1882-1962) , "I heard the bells on Christmas Day", published 1950. [carol: SATB]
possibly by Henry Rowley Bishop (1785-1855) , "I heard the bells on Christmas Day", to the tune "Illsey"
by A. (Alfred or Arthur?) Herbert Brewer (1865-1928) , "I heard the bells on Christmas Day"
by Frederic Field Bullard (1864-1904) , "Christmas Bells"
by John Baptiste Calkin (1827-1905) , "I heard the bells on Christmas Day"
by Ralph Dunstan (1857-1933) , "I heard the bells on Christmas Day"
by Will Earhart (1871-1960) , "Christmas Bells"
by Frederic R. Fontein-Tuinhout (1854-1909) , "Three Christmas Bells", op. 11, published 1906 [alto or bass-baritone and piano], from Three Serious Songs
by John Liptrot Hatton (1809-1886) , "The bells", published >>1869.
by Ernest George Hesser (1883-?) , "Christmas Bells"
by Samuel Liddle (1864?-1951) , "Christmas Bells", published 1907. [voice and piano]
by John Sebastian Matthews (1870-1934) , "Christmas Bells", published 1916. [carol-anthem: SATB a cappella]
by Geoffrey O'Hara (1882-1967) , "Good-will to men", published 1932. [voice and piano]
by B. Mansell Ramsey , "I heard the bells on Christmas day" [two part chorus of equal treble voices]
by Harriet Priscilla Sawyer , "Christmas Bells", published 1881. [voice and piano]

by Charles F. Lane , "Bells on Christmas", published 1936. [cantata: mixed voices and piano]

Date added to the website: 2008-06-07.

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