Rejoice, East and West

Rejoice, East and West pairs two of the most popular holiday pieces. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is one of the staples of music for the season of Advent. Its plaintive melody represents the subdued tone of Advent, waiting and anticipating during the four weeks before Christmas Day. The modal character has roots in Ancient Greece and is characteristic of the music from Middle Eastern countries. The melody of “Joy to the World” is attributed to George Frideric Handel. It first appeared in 1719 in a collection by Isaac Watts, who adapted the text. It is one of the most published Christmas hymns in North America and is one of the most iconic songs for celebrating the birth of Christ. The connection between these two contrasting pieces is “rejoice.” In “Emmanuel” the modal tones arrive at a major chord and the words exclaim “Rejoice, rejoice!” This is where a bridge is composed to arrive at a jubilant introduction of “Joy to the World.” This arrangement teaches students dynamic contrast, tempo changes, slurs and ties.