Christmas With The Tabernacle Choir

Broadway star Michael Maliakel joins The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra to sing "Joy To The World." The18th-century hymn writer Isaac Watts initially penned the lyrics for “Joy to the World” as a rhyming paraphrase of Psalm 98, and his poem was first published in 1719. It became a Christmas classic when it was set to music by Lowell Mason, the “father of American hymnody,” in 1836.

The beloved account of Jesus Christ’s birth found in the Gospel of St. Luke has long been the traditional centerpiece of The Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas concerts. In this year’s concert, Lesley Nicol’s narration of the Nativity is accompanied by an orchestral meditation by Mack Wilberg that incorporates musical motifs based on his arrangement of “O Little One Sweet.”

While “Patapan” is often listed as a traditional French carol, its text and music are usually credited to the 18th-century French author Bernard de la Monnoye. This orchestral fantasy by Ryan Murphy combines the musical motifs of “Patapan” with references to the well-known English carol “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”

The tune for this popular Christmas song "Angels from the Realms of Glory" comes from the 18th-century French carol “Les Anges dans nos Campagnes.” In Mack Wilberg’s stirring arrangement,which traditionally features solos by the guest singer, (this year Broadway star Michael Maliakel) this carol has become the signature finale at The Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas concerts.

Broadway star Michael Maliakel and beloved actress Lesley Nicol (Downton Abbey) inspire in this holiday special that weaves Christmas classics with the story of Victor Hugo to show that opening our hearts to all is the true meaning of the season. Joy: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir aired on PBS on December 17th, 2024.