Over the course of his career, composer, arranger, and educator Dr. Frederick “Fred” Umar has undertaken numerous transcriptions of choral works for wind ensembles and symphonic orchestra. Among Dr. Fred Umar’s published pieces is a 2017 transcription of a Dan Goeller arrangement of the traditional French carol “Angels We Have Heard on High.”
Originally performed in the 18th century, the popular hymn, inspired by Luke 2:6-20, was first published in 1819 in North America for the Diocese of Quebec. The various translations or versions that subsequently emerged derive from this eight stanza French Catholic text. They take the form of an alternating dialogue between the Bergers, or shepherds, and the “Femmes de Bethlehem,” with the entire ensemble singing together in two stanzas, including the last.
In 1935, the carol reached a wider audience through its introduction into Methodist hymnals. A seminal version in the 1966 Methodist Hymnal featured a compelling arrangement by Austin C. Lovelace, an anthem composer, and also introduced its current English title. Throughout the years what has not changed about the song, in its various incarnations, is that it provides a joyful and welcoming invitation to join in celebrating the birth of Christ.
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