Angels we have heard on high

Angels we have heard on high. French traditional carol, translated by James Chadwick* (1813-1882). The French carol, in eight stanzas, is printed in the New Oxford Book of Carols (1992), to which this entry is greatly indebted. The original text seems to have been in dialogue form, and the editors of NOBC have arranged it for singing by the Shepherds (‘Bergers’, stanzas 1, 3, 6) and the Women (‘Femmes de Bethlehem’, stanzas 2, 4 and 7). Stanzas 5 and 8 were sung by all (‘Tous’): ‘Les anges dans nos campagnes’ (Bergers) ‘Bergers, pour qui est cette fête?’ (Femmes de Bethlehem) ‘Ils annonçent la naissance’ (Bergers) ‘Cherchons tous l’heureux village’ (Femmes) ‘Dans l’humilité profonde’...