Rejoice, East and West pairs two of the most popular holiday pieces. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is one of the staples of music for the season of Advent. Its plaintive melody represents the subdued tone of Advent, waiting and anticipating during the four weeks before Christmas Day. The modal character has roots in Ancient Greece and is characteristic of the music from Middle Eastern countries. The melody of “Joy to the World” is attributed to George Frideric Handel. It first appeared in 1719 in a ...

E minor, D minor