In the Annunciation to the Shepherds from the Gospel According to Luke, angels appear to a group of shepherds near Bethlehem, bringing the news that the savior has just been born. This inspired the Anglo-Irish bishop James Chadwick to compose “Angels We Have Heard on High. Since it was composed, in 1862, this musical account of the shepherds’ reaction to the glad tidings has become a much-beloved Christmas carol.
Now imagine Jon Schmidt and Steven Sharp Nelson of the Piano Guys along with Peter Hollens, David Archuleta, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir getting together to sing “Angels We Have Heard on High.” That’s what they did and it’s a tremendous performance. Better yet, we’ve posted the incredible music video for you below.
It starts out on an intimate scale, in front of a hearth with Christmas decor all around and children dressed up to reenact the shepherds’ visit to the manger. Gradually it transitions to a larger scene featuring the entire choir, and professional actors playing the people gathered at the manger. It ends with a really unique visual effect. The music is absolutely superb, as are the videography and costumes. All told, over a thousand people came together to make this stunning performance possible. No wonder the video has over 16 million views!
Schmidt, Nelson, Hollens, and Archuleta did a really great job, but it was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir that really stole the show. This now world-famous choir was founded in 1847, at the time the Mormon settlers arrived in what is now Utah. The choir has toured the world, broadcast concerts since the 1920s, released recordings, and appeared at countless high-profile events. But it’s the Christmas concert series that’s the real highlight of the year for the “MoTab.”
What did you think of this “Angels We Have Heard on High”? We’d love to hear your review in the comments at Facebook. Be sure to like and share: this is guaranteed to get all your friends into the Christmas spirit.
