The Carols of Christmas

A Celebration of the Surprising Stories Behind Your Favorite Holiday Songs

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Holidays, Christmas, Christianity
Cover of the book The Carols of Christmas by Andrew Gant, Thomas Nelson
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Andrew Gant ISBN: 9780718031534
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publication: September 15, 2015
Imprint: Thomas Nelson Language: English
Author: Andrew Gant
ISBN: 9780718031534
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication: September 15, 2015
Imprint: Thomas Nelson
Language: English

From Oxford professor and renowned British composer, a joyous account of the history behind our favorite carols.

Everyone loves a carol—in the end, even Ebenezer Scrooge. They have the power to summon up a special kind of mid-winter mood, like the aroma of gingerbread or the twinkle of lights on a tree. It’s a kind of magic.

But how did they get that magic? Andrew Gant—choirmaster, church musician, university professor, and writer—tells the story of some twenty carols, each accompanied by lyrics and music, unraveling a captivating, and often surprising, tale of great musicians and thinkers, saints and pagans, shepherd boys and choirboys. Readers get to delve into the history such favorites as “Good King Wenceslas,” “Away in a Manger,” and “O, Tannenbaum,” discovering along the way how “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” came to replace “Hark, how all the welkin’ ring” and how Ralph Vaughan Williams applied the tune of an English folk song about a dead ox to a poem by a nineteenth century American pilgrim to make “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”

A charming book that brims with anecdote, expert knowledge, and Christmas spirit, this is a fittingly joyous account of one of the best-loved musical traditions.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

From Oxford professor and renowned British composer, a joyous account of the history behind our favorite carols.

Everyone loves a carol—in the end, even Ebenezer Scrooge. They have the power to summon up a special kind of mid-winter mood, like the aroma of gingerbread or the twinkle of lights on a tree. It’s a kind of magic.

But how did they get that magic? Andrew Gant—choirmaster, church musician, university professor, and writer—tells the story of some twenty carols, each accompanied by lyrics and music, unraveling a captivating, and often surprising, tale of great musicians and thinkers, saints and pagans, shepherd boys and choirboys. Readers get to delve into the history such favorites as “Good King Wenceslas,” “Away in a Manger,” and “O, Tannenbaum,” discovering along the way how “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” came to replace “Hark, how all the welkin’ ring” and how Ralph Vaughan Williams applied the tune of an English folk song about a dead ox to a poem by a nineteenth century American pilgrim to make “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”

A charming book that brims with anecdote, expert knowledge, and Christmas spirit, this is a fittingly joyous account of one of the best-loved musical traditions.

More books from Thomas Nelson

Cover of the book Sunday Best by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book 1 Corinthians by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book Leaving A Godly Legacy by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book Partly Right by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book Rock Harbor Search and Rescue by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book The Theft of America’s Soul by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book Signs of Life by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book Shock Talk by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book 5 Minutes with Jesus by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book Life Lessons from 1 and 2 Thessalonians by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book Friendship 911 Collection by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book I Give Up by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book How to Find Anybody, Anywhere by Andrew Gant
Cover of the book The Golden Thread by Andrew Gant
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy