The music for this famous hymn was adapted and arranged
by Lowell Mason from an older melody which was then
believed to have originated from Handel, not least
because the theme of the refrain (“And heaven and
nature sing...”) appears in the orchestra opening and
accompaniment of the recitative “Comfort Ye” from
Handel's Messiah, and the first four notes match the
beginning of the choruses “Lift up your heads and
Glory to God” from the same oratorio. However, it can
be stated with cer...(+)
The music for this famous hymn was adapted and arranged
by Lowell Mason from an older melody which was then
believed to have originated from Handel, not least
because the theme of the refrain (“And heaven and
nature sing...”) appears in the orchestra opening and
accompaniment of the recitative “Comfort Ye” from
Handel's Messiah, and the first four notes match the
beginning of the choruses “Lift up your heads and
Glory to God” from the same oratorio. However, it can
be stated with certainty that Handel did not compose
the entire tune. Even if today “Joy to the World”
is commonly thought of as a Christmas song, its lyrics
were originally written by Isaac Watts as a hymn
glorifying Christ's triumphant return at the end of the
age.
The Xaphoon, often referred to as a "pocket saxophone," is a unique wind instrument developed in the 1970s by Brian Wittman in Maui, Hawaii. This compact instrument combines the qualities of a clarinet and a saxophone, yet it is much smaller and made either from bamboo or plastic. The Xaphoon offers a distinct, rich sound that belies its size, making it a favorite among traveling musicians and those looking for a portable, yet expressive instrument.