It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

1849 literary work by Edmund Sears For the 1984 film, see It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (film).

It Came Upon the Midnight ClearThe Angel Appearing to the Shepherds, 1634, by RembrandtGenreChristmas carolWritten1849TextEdmund SearsBased onLuke 2:14Meter8.6.8.6 (CMD)Melody"Carol", by Richard Storrs Willis, or "Noel", adapted by Arthur Sullivan "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear", sometimes rendered as "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear", is an 1849 poem and Christmas carol written by Edmund Sears, pastor of the Unitarian Church in Wayland, Massachusetts. In 1850, Sears' lyrics were set to "Carol", a tune written for the poem the same year at his request, by Richard Storrs Willis. This pairing remains the most popular in the United States, while in Commonwealth countries, the lyrics are set to "Noel", a later adaptation by Arthur Sullivan from an English melody.

[edit] Edmund Sears Edmund Sears composed the five-stanza poem in common metre doubled during 1849. It first appeared on December 29, 1849, in The Christian Register in Boston, Massachusetts. Sears served the Unitarian congregation in Wayland, Massachusetts, before moving on to a larger congregation at First Church of Christ, Unitarian, in Lancaster, also known as The Bulfinch Church, for its design by Charles Bulfinch. After seven years, he suffered a breakdown and returned to Wayland. He wrote It Came Upon the Midnight Clear while serving as a part-time preacher in Wayland. Writing during a period of personal melancholy, and with news of revolution in Europe and the United States' war with Mexico fresh in his mind, Sears portrayed the world as dark, full of "sin and strife", and not hearing the Christmas message.

"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear"

Instrumental of the tune "Carol" – piano, violin, and English horn; variation in first phrase present (see above) Problems playing this file? See media help.

Sears is said to have written these words at the request of his friend, William Parsons Lunt, pastor of United First Parish Church, Quincy, Massachusetts, for Lunt's Sunday school. One account says the carol was first performed by parishioners gathered in Sears' home on Christmas Eve, but to what tune the carol was sung is unknown as Willis' familiar melody was not written until the following year. According to Ken Sawyer, Sears' song is remarkable for its focus not on Bethlehem, but on his own time, and on the contemporary issue of war and peace. Written in 1849, it has long been assumed to be Sears' response to the just ended Mexican–American War. The song has been included in many of the Christmas albums recorded by numerous singers in the modern era.

[edit] Richard Storrs Willis, composer of the tune common to the United States In 1850, Richard Storrs Willis, a composer who trained under Felix Mendelssohn, published a "choir study" that was originally paired with other lyrics. This tune eventually came to be known as "Carol". Pairings of Sears' lyrics with Willis' tune had already begun to appear by 1880, and it is still the most widely associated tune with Sears' lyrics in the United States.

Audio playback is not supported in your browser. You can download the audio file.

Sir Arthur Sullivan, composer of the tune common to Commonwealth countries In Commonwealth countries, the tune called "Noel", which was adapted from an English melody in 1874 by Arthur Sullivan, is the usual accompaniment. This tune also appears as an alternative in The Hymnal 1982, the hymnal of the United States Episcopal Church.

Audio playback is not supported in your browser. You can download the audio file.

[edit] The full song comprises five stanzas. Some versions, including the United Methodist Hymnal and Lutheran Book of Worship, omit verse three, while others (including The Hymnal 1982) omit verse four. The 1985 hymnal of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints omits verses three and four. Several variations also exist to Sears' original lyrics.

It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold; "Peace on the earth, good will to men From heaven's all-gracious King" – The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled, And still their heavenly music floats O'er all the weary world; Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hovering wing, And ever o'er its Babel-sounds The blessed angels sing.

But with the woes of sin and strife The world has suffered long; Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not The love-song which they bring; – Oh hush the noise, ye men of strife, And hear the angels sing!

And ye, beneath life's crushing load, Whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow, Look now! for glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing; – Oh, rest beside the weary road And hear the angels sing!

For lo! the days are hastening on By prophet bards foretold, When with the ever circling years Comes round the age of gold; When Peace shall over all the earth Its ancient splendors fling, And the whole world give back the song Which now the angels sing.

— Sears, Edmund H. (Edmund Hamilton), Sermons and Songs of Christian Life, pp. 17-18, Library of Congress and The Internet Archive.

Unlike many Victorian‑era hymns that lean heavily on overt religious zeal, "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" offers a reflective, almost contemplative mood that fits snugly into the quieter moments of Advent services. Its lyrical focus on peace rather than pageantry resonates with the British tradition of understated Christmas worship, where the message of a universal yearning for harmony often outweighs the spectacle. The tune most UK congregations use – Arthur Sullivan’s adaptation of an older English melody – carries a dignified, lilting quality that feels both familiar and reverent, making it a safe choice for choirs of all sizes. This combination of gentle text and dignified music ensures the carol slots neatly into services, school concerts and community carol sing‑alongs alike.

If you’re planning a December programme, consider the vocal strengths of your ensemble before selecting an arrangement of "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear". For mixed‑voice choirs, a four‑part SATB version with a modest orchestral accompaniment will highlight the melody without overwhelming the singers. Smaller groups might opt for a simple piano‑only arrangement, focusing on clear diction of Sears’ verses. When using the Sullivan‑tuned version, remember the original key is comfortable for most adult voices; transposing down a step can aid youth choirs. Adding a brief instrumental intro – perhaps a solo oboe or harp – offers a serene opening that mirrors the carol’s midnight theme and sets a reflective tone.

Many listeners assume the carol celebrates the nativity scene directly, yet its verses actually reference the angels’ proclamation of peace to a world bruised by conflict. This nuance can be lost when performers rush the tempo, turning the piece into a peppy festive number rather than a meditative prayer. Encourage singers to adopt a measured pace, allowing the lyrical longing for “peace on earth” to breathe. Additionally, the title is often misquoted as "a midnight clear"; sticking to the original phrasing respects Edmund Sears’ poetic intent and avoids confusion when searching for sheet music or programme notes.