This holiday carol dates back to Germany in the late Middle Ages
Over time, there have been translations of the original text and variations on the tune. A few variations are attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach, although at least one version was written by his father-in-law and first cousin once removed, Johan Michael Bach.
Some of us first came to know this song as “Good Christian Men, Rejoice,”an English version of it.
It’s a nice tune played either reflectively or in an upbeat manner. The most prominent version of the latter was released about 50 years ago by British musician Mike Oldfield, He’s best known for “Tubular Bells,” the piece that accompanied “The Exorcist” in 1973.
(Here’s a shocker: Mike Oldfield is less than a year older than I am. He recorded “Tubular Bells” and set down this version of “In Dulci Jublio” while I was still in college!)
Oldfield’s version feels like a jig. Makes you wonder what Bach or his father-in-law/cousin would have thought of it.
SUBJECTISM 