He was a composer, teacher and bishop born in Drogheda, Ireland, who took his further studies at Ushaw College in Durham, England, from 1825 and in 1836 he was ordained as a priest.
Remaining at the college he became a general prefect teaching humanities followed by Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Dogmatic Theology and subsequently held the position of President. He moved to a house occupied by secular priests in 1849/1850 but returned to Ushaw after the house was burned down and continued his work as a professor.
Leaving the college once he became the chaplain to Lord Stourton but again returned to Ushaw after a period of 4 years in 1863.
30 years after his ordination at Upshaw College he took on the position of Roman Catholic Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle in 1866 and remained in that position for sixteen years until his death.
His works as a composer include hymns and carols such as “Jesus, My God, Behold at Length the Time” and “Hail, Holy Mission, Hail” and as a translator his “Angels We Have Heard on High” taken from the French “Les Anges dans nos Campagnes” is heard regularly throughout the Christmas period.
A writer of many pastoral letters, his other works include the publications St. Teresa’s Own Words: Instructions on the Prayer of Recollection, Instructions How to Meditate and an edition of Coelum Christianum.
He died in Newcastle when he was 69 years old and is buried at Ushaw.
Angels We Have Heard on High recordings
Arch Brass Quintet
AB 9401 (CD: We Wish You a Merry Christmas)
Arturo Delmoni
John Marks Records JMR 12 (CD: Rejoice!)
Violin – Arturo Delmoni
Violin – Alexander Romanul
Viola – Katherine Murdock
Cello – Nathaniel Rosen
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
Telarc 80087 (CD: The Many Moods of Christmas)
Conductor – Robert Shaw
Chicago Symphony Low Brass Ensemble
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Craig Duncan and David Schnaufer
Brentwood CD-5089J (CD: A Smoky Mountain Christmas)
Hammered Dulcimer and Fiddle – Craig Duncan
Mountain Dulcimer – David Schnaufer
Nicolas Esterhazy Sinfonia
Naxos 8 550670 (CD: Christmas Goes Baroque 2)
Percy Faith and His Orchestra
Columbia /Legacy CK 65401 (CD: Music of Christmas Vol. 2)
Deborah Henson-Conant
Golden Cage (CD: The Gift)
Harp– Deborah Henson-Conant
Holiday Brass
Music Masters 01782 (CD: Holiday Brass featuring Susan Slaughter)
Trumpet – Susan Slaughter
St. Louis Children’s Choirs – Concert Choir
Gregg Smith Singers recordings
Sony 66300 (CD: Voices of Christmas)
Gregg Smith Singers
Texas Boys Choir
Organ-E. Power Biggs
Arranger-Robert De Cormier
New Philharmonia Orchestra
London 421-095 (CD: Joy of Christmas)
Conductor – Richard Bonynge
Soprano – Joan Sutherland
Ambrosian Singers
Oklahoma Woodwind Quintet
Integra IMCD 801 (CD: A Christmas Delight)
Philadelphia Brass Ensemble
CBS MK 7033 (CD: A Festival of Carols in Brass)
Philadelphia Orchestra & Chorus
RCA 6430 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor – Eugene Ormandy
Robert Shaw Chamber Singers
Telarc 80377 (CD: Songs of Angels)
Robert Shaw Chorale and Orchestra
RCA 6429 (CD: A Festival of Carols)
Ayako Shinozaki
Sony Classical SFK 62677 (CD: Silent Night/Beautiful Melodies of Christmas)
Harp – Ayako Shinozaki
St. Louis Cathedral Choir
MusicMasters MM20047
Organ – John Romeri
Roger Wagner Chorale
Capitol CDP 7 94688-2 (CD: Joy to the World)
Joemy Wilson
Dargason Music DMCD 103 (CD: Gifts: Traditional Christmas Carols)
Hammer Dulcimer – Joemy Wilson
Tim Zimmerman & The King’s Brass
Track Records CD625 (CD: Tim Zimmerman & the King’s Brass)
Director – Tim Zimmerman
Sources:
- http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/c/h/a/chadwick_j.htm
- http://www.stmaryscathedral.org.uk/cathedral_life/previous_bishops/james_chadwick.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_We_Have_Heard_on_High
- http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/angels_we_have_heard_on_high_1.htm
- http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bchad.html