Recording

Merry Christmas Tonight The Isles of Rhythm

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The renowned classical composer Franz Schubert was so impressed with this poem from The Lady of the Lake (1810) by the great Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott, that he was moved to put it to music. Many of the lyrics, always sung in Latin and attributed to Scott, are based on the Marian prayer known as the Hail Mary found in the Gospel of Luke. Schubert considered this his best work. It is fitting that Mary should have such a beautiful Christmas song written to her since, without her, there would be no Christmas.

— Kevin Sanders, April, 2009