 = Joyful , Joyful = 
 
 " Joyful , Joyful " is a song by contemporary Christian music band Casting Crowns from their fourth studio album Until the Whole World Hears ( 2009 ) . Written by Mark Hall and Bernie <unk> and produced by Mark A. Miller , the song is a re @-@ interpretation of the hymn " Joyful , Joyful We Adore Thee " and Ludwig van Beethoven 's Symphony No. 9 . " Joyful , Joyful " , a CCM and alternative CCM song , is driven by a string section that has been compared to Coldplay 's song " Viva la Vida " . It received positive reviews from music critics and received airplay over the 2010 Christmas season , peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart . 
 
 = = Background and recording = = 
 
 " Joyful , Joyful " , is a <unk> of the hymn " Joyful , Joyful We Adore Thee " ( itself a re @-@ arrangement of a theme from Beethoven ) . Hall felt that there are many Christian songs that have been around and sung so long that the meaning behind them is lost ; he commented that " you hear them so many times you don 't really hear what they 're saying anymore " , listing the original version of " Joyful , Joyful We Adore Thee " as an example . 
 Although the song is a re @-@ interpretation of " Joyful , Joyful We Adore Thee " , Mark Hall and Bernie <unk> are credited with writing the song . It was produced by Mark A. Miller and recorded by Sam Hewitt , Michael Hewitt , and Dale Oliver at Zoo Studio in Franklin , Tennessee ; the string instrument tracks were recorded by John Painter and Leslie Richter at Ocean Way in Nashville , Tennessee . Digital editing was handled by Michael Hewitt , while mixing was handled by Sam Hewitt . The song was mastered by Andrew <unk> , Shelly Anderson , <unk> <unk> and Daniel <unk> at Georgetown Masters in Nashville . 
 
 = = Composition = = 
 
 " Joyful , Joyful " is a song with a length of four minutes and twenty @-@ eight seconds . According to the sheet music published by Musicnotes.com , " Joyful , Joyful " is a CCM and alternative CCM set in common time in the key of F major with a tempo of 120 beats per minute . Mark Hall 's vocal range in the song spans from the low note of B ♭ 3 to the high note of <unk> . The song has regarded as a re @-@ invention of " Joyful , Joyful We Adore Thee " and Beethoven 's Symphony No. 9 , the song alters the format of the former , <unk> the song 's overall structure while adding a chorus . " Joyful , Joyful " is led by a " driving " and " <unk> " string section that has been compared to Coldplay 's " Viva la Vida " . Mark Hall felt that the band 's arrangement brought out the message of one of the song 's final verses ( " God our Father / Christ our brother / all who live in love are <unk> / teach us how to love each other / and fill us to the joy divine " ) ; Hall described the message by saying " God 's our father and Christ 's our brother , we have this connection with God . But if we can 't love each other , the joy isn 't completed . Its not real joy yet until we know how to love the people that are around us " . 
 
 = = Reception = = 
 
 
 = = = Critical response = = = 
 
 " Joyful , Joyful " received positive reviews from music critics . Andrew Greer of CCM Magazine praised the song as a " fitting ode " to Beethoven 's Symphony No. 9 . Roger Ham of Christianity Today praised it as one of the best songs off of Until the Whole World Hears . Tony Cummings of Cross Rhythms praised the song as having " the same kind of string arrangement which made Coldplay 's ' Viva La Vida ' so enjoyable " . <unk> <unk> of Gospel Music Channel regarded the song as a highlight of the album . Roger Gelwicks of Jesus Freak <unk> , while describing the song as " interesting " , felt that it wasn 't much of an improvement over the rest of the album . 
 
 = = = Chart performance = = = 
 
 " Joyful , Joyful " received airplay over the 2010 Christmas season , debuting at number forty @-@ two on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart for the chart week of December 11 , 2010 . In its fifth week on the chart , the chart week of January 8 , 2011 , it reached its peak position of number three . 
 
 = = Credits and personnel = = 
 
 Credits lifted from the album liner notes for Until the Whole World Hears . 
 Recording 
 Recorded Zoo Studio in Franklin , Tennessee . 
 <unk> recorded at Ocean Way in Nashville , Tennessee . 
 
 = = Charts = = 
 
 
 