I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

About This Piece

Music: John B. Calkin

Text: Henry W. Longfellow

Arranged by: Brett Stewart

• SATB (No Piano)
• Orchestration: picc.2.3.2.2 – 4.0.3.1 – timp – perc(3) – hp – org – str

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Text:

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.

I thought, how as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along th’unbroken song

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 peeled 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.”

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!