As it is approaching Christmas we are now looking at the top ten Christmas Carols. At number 9 is In Dulci Jubilo, this wasn’t selected during lockdown for the St Fillan’s online Songs of Praise – it’s a long time since I have sung it!
In Dulci Jubilo is Latin for In Sweet Rejoicing. This carol is a mixture of both German and Latin text, and dates back to the Middle Ages aronf 1328. Subsequent translations into English, such as J. M. Neale’s arrangement “Good Christian Men, Rejoice” have increased its popularity, and Robert Pearsall’s 1837 macaronic translation is a mainstay of the Christmas Nine Lessons and Carols.
Mike Oldfield’s made an unforgettably jaunty version reached no 4 in the UK singles charts in 1976. Here are Pans People on Top of the Pops
Is is thought to have been written by the German mystic Heinrich Seuse – he wrote:
Now this same angel came up to the Servant (Suso) brightly, and said that God had sent him down to him, to bring him heavenly joys amid his sufferings; adding that he must cast off all his sorrows from his mind and bear them company, and that he must also dance with them in heavenly fashion. Then they drew the Servant by the hand into the dance, and the youth began a joyous song about the infant Jesus …
It is a carol full of joy at Christmas.