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On this Christmas Day, we take a look at a single musical chord that some consider sacred. It’s been called a rare moment of drama in liturgical music, and it’s showcased in the final verse of “O Come All Ye Faithful,” rising up under the lyrics “Word of the Father,” leading many to dub it the “Word of the Father Chord.”
Host Robin Young spoke to musicologist Martin Clarke from Open University in the UK about the chord and why it resonates, literally and figuratively, for so many people.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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