The carol was written in 1984 and was first recorded by Rutter's own group, the Cambridge Singers.
This carol was commissioned by John Romeri, then Director of Music at the Church of the Assumption in Bellevue, Pennsylvania.
[1] Rutter drew inspiration from Geertgen's painting, Nativity at Night.
[2] The carol was included on the Cambridge Singers' 1987 album Christmas Night.
It has since been recorded by many artists, including Neil Diamond (on his 1994 album The Christmas Album, Volume 2), Joseph McManners (on his 2005 album In Dreams), Aled Jones (including a version in Welsh), and several important choirs including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.