The Tidings is a musical meditation on an unsung aspect of the Christmas story:
Herod’s slaughter of innocent children in his quest to kill the Christ child.
On that first Christmas, heralds of joy co-exist with grief, fear, and loss.
Authentic celebrations of Christmas today must do the same.
The Tidings offers us a path into this mysterious place of healing.
A Christmas Concert for Troubled Times
Paul Van Ness originally composed The Tidings in 1988 for his little church.
In 2021, a group of dedicated musicians brought this moving music accompanied by
new arrangements of old Christmas carols, to The Cabot Theater in Beverly. Massachusetts.
In 2022, American Public Television began broadcasting
this hour-long concert film on PBS stations nationwide.
Check your local PBS station for scheduled screenings or, if you are a member of PBS Passports,
access the film anytime through your membership.
Audiences Respond to The Tidings: In this short video, concert attendees and participants describe what makes The Tidings unforgettable.
“The most meaningful Christmas event
I’ve ever experienced.”
Reflections on The Tidings: The musicians who performed The Tidings share their personal experiences in this ten-minute film, and are joined by concert attendees in describing this extraordinary and breathtaking Christmas event.
