Watch the New Choir Christmas Video: “O Come, Little Children”
Enjoy the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s newest music video just released for the holiday season on the Choir’s website and YouTube channel. The Mack Wilberg arrangement of this wonderful carol was performed for the first time by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square at the 2016 Christmas concert and is the title cut on their recently released O Come, Little Children CD and DVD.
This inspiring video depicts the pure love and generosity of children who each have unique struggles at Christmas time. Away from their own homes in a strange place, the children and their families each try to create a setting where the deeper meaning of Christmas—the birth of the Savior—can be felt. As they come together to share and reach out to another child in need of comfort, they all experience the joy and healing that come from the true meaning of the Nativity.
The lyrics to this endearing German Christmas carol were penned in 1798 by a Catholic priest, Christoph von Schmid. Many of Schmid’s poems and books were written in direct and simple language, as he hoped to teach children about faith and belief. This poem was an invitation especially to children to come see the Christ child in the manger.
O come, little children
O come, one and all.
O come to the cradle
In Bethlehem’s stall.
Come look in the manger,
There sleeps on the hay,
An infant so lovely,
In light bright as day.
The hay is His pillow.
The manger His bed.
The beasts stand in wonder
To gaze on His head.
Yet there, in the stable,
So humble and poor,
Come shepherds and wise men
To kneel at His door.
O bow with the shepherds
On low bended knee,
With hearts full of thanks
For the gift which we see.
O sing little children,
To Him you adore.
Sing joy to the world,
Love and peace evermore.
Though Schmid’s verses were set to various melodies in the 19th century, they are best known in this 1835 setting to the tune of a children’s song from 1790 composed by the German court musician Johan A. P. Schulz.
We invite you to enjoy the previous Christmas music videos by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square: