He was as hymn-writer, author and canon born in Shrewsbury, England as the youngest son of Charles Oakeley, Bart. who was Governer of Madras, India. He studied at Christ Church, Oxford, and in 1827 he was made Fellow of Balliol followed by joining the Tractarian Party.
He held the position of prebendary at Lichfield Cathedral in 1832, and becoming a preacher he was heard at Whitehall, London, in 1837 and Margaret Chapel, London, in 1839, but often returned to Oxford to visit his friend W.G. Ward. After standing by his friend in 1845 when he had been condemned, and also defending Tract CS he was suspended by his bishop. He decided to move into a Littlemore community and within a month or two moved into the Catholic Church.
He took further studies at St. Edmond’s College and was ordained in 1847 which led to him holding a position as rector of St. John’s Islington, London and canon at the Westminster chapter.
As an author his works include Aristotelian and Platonic Ethics, Homilies, Whitehall Sermons and Lyra Liturgic: Reflections in Verse for Holy Days and Seasons, and as a hymn writer and translator his most famous work was the 1841 translation from Latin to English of “Adeste, Fideles” which he would rename “O Come All ye Faithful”. He died in Islington, London, in 1880 aged 77.
Adeste, Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful) recordings
BBC Welsh Chorus
Nimbus NI5310 (CD: Celebration: Christmas Fanfares & Carols)
Conductor – John Hugh Thomas
Trumpets – Fanfare Trumpeters of the Welsh Guards
Organ -Huw Tregelles Williams
Black Dyke Mills Band
Chandos 4541 (CD: A Christmas Fantasy)
Boston Pops
Philips 416 287 – 2 (CD: We Wish You a Merry Christmas)
Conductor – John Williams
DG 419 414-2 (CD: White Christmas)
Conductor – Arthur Fiedler
RCA 09026-61685-2 (CD: Pops Christmas Party)
Conductor – Arthur Fiedler
Sony SK 48232 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor – John Williams
Tanglewood Festival Chorus
Chicago Symphony Low Brass Ensemble
VOX 7501 (CD: Christmas with the Symphony Brass of Chicago)
Conductor – Barry Faldner
Connie Francis recordings
Adeste Fidelis (Frederick Oakeley/John Frances Wade)
Polygram HMCD 3001 (CD: Christmas In My Heart)
Vocals – Connie Francis
Conductor – Geoff Love
Harvard University Choir recordings
Adeste Fidelis (Frederick Oakeley/John Francis Wade)
Pro Organo CD 7134 (Christmas in the Busch)
Conductor – Murray Forbes Somerville
Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra
Director – Robert Mealy
The Harvard Brass
Soprano – Awet Andemichael
Bass – Mark Risinger
Organists – Erica Johnson and Edward Jones
Paul Hill Chorale recordings
O Come All Ye Faithful (Frederick Oakeley/John Francis Wade)
Centaur CRC 2258 (CD: A Paul Hill Chorale Christmas)
Arranger – Jackson Berkey
Conductor – Paul Hill
Organist – Sondra Proctor
National Capital Brass and Percussion Ensemble
Kings College Choir, Cambridge
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
Naxos 8.990005 (CD: Joy to the World)
Conductor – Richard Hayman
Rochester Pops Orchestra
Koch CHD 1531 (CD: Joy to the World – Carols for Orchestra and Chorus)
St Louis Philharmonic Orchestra
Sonari records – 7 55724 00272 3 (CD: Christmas with the Philharmonic)
Conductor – Robert Hart Baker
Robert Shaw Chorale Recordings
RCA 6429 – 2 – RG (CD: A Festival of Carols)
Arrangers – Robert Shaw/Alice Parker
Roger Wagner Chorale recordings
Delos 3072 (CD: To Catch a Christmas Star)
Conductor – Roger Wagner
California State University Handbell Choir
Sources: