It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

Music: Willis, Richard Storrs (1819-1900) · Words: Sears, Edmund Hamilton (1810-1876) · Press play and watch the score light up — solo any part, slow it down, loop the hard bits. Free.

2 parts on separate tracksSlow-down 50–90%, pitch trueA-B loopPublic domain

Opens the practice studio: score follows the sound, every part on its own track.

Lyrics

1. It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth, To touch their harps of gold; "Peace on the earth, good will to men, From Heaven's all gracious King." The world in solemn stillness lay, To hear the angels sing.

2. Still through the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled, And still their heavenly music floats O'er all the weary world; Above its sad and lowly plains, They bend on hov'ring wing, And ever over its Babel sounds The blessèd angels sing.

3. Yet with the woes of sin and strife The world has suffered long; Beneath the angel strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not The love- song which they bring; O hush the noise, ye men of strife And hear the angels sing.

4. And ye, beneath life's crushing load, Whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow, Look now! for glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing. O rest beside the weary road, And hear the angels sing!

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Frequently asked questions

Is this free?
Yes — playback, part solo/mute, tempo control and looping are all free, right in the browser. The score and audio are generated from a public domain edition (Open Hymnal Project).
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Is this arrangement public domain?
Yes. Words, music and this edition are public domain, from the Open Hymnal Project. You may sing, perform and share it freely.