The German mystic Heinrich Suso
wrote this carol in 1328, or maybe even prior, after experiencing a
vision where he was sung "In Dulci Jubilo" by angels and they took
his hand and danced with him.It is a macaronic song, which is
a mix of Latin and any language such as English, or in this case,
German.The music was first seen in a Leipzig University library
manuscript at the turn of the 1400s and it has been performed,
translated and published regularly ever since.A new
verse, "O Patris Caritas", was added in 1545 and it is thought that
the author may have been Martin Luther. The earliest translation
into English was by the Scot, John Wedderburn, who had been exiled
to Germany after having been accused of heresy, and it appeared in
his publication Gude an Godlie Ballatis
sometime around 1540.A Swedish translation appeared in
Paies Cantiones in 1582 and later
translations into English appeared as "Lyra Davidica" in 1708, a
version that appeared in Musical Times
by Robert Lucas de Pearsall in 1795 and "In Dulci Jubilo - To the
House of God We'll Go" by Sir John Bowring in 1825.The
music itself has been re-arranged several times throughout its
history with the first known arrangement by Georg Rhau in 1544 and
later versions by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and
Michael Praetorius.Such was the popularity of the
tune that it has been said that in 1745 at the Moravian Mission in
Bethelehem, Pasadena, it was sung in 13 Indian and European
languages simultaneously.A famous adaptation of the carol
is "Good, Christian Men Rejoice" which was written by John Mason
Neale and Thomas Helmore after being given a copy of Piae Cantiones.Two other adaptations are "Now Sing We, Now Rejoice" by
Arthur T. Russell and "Now Sing We All" by Elizabeth Poston.The song was also brought to the attention of popular music
fans in December 1975 when Mike Oldfield had his own translation of
it reach No. 4 in the UK charts and it is featured in Leroy
Anderson's Suite of Carols for Brass
Choir.
Leroy Anderson and His Orchestra
recordings
Decca B0003552-02 (CD: A Leroy Anderson
Christmas)
