Jesus Christ is Risen Today (EASTER HYMN) Christ the Lord is Risen Today (VICTIMAE PASCHALI) Hymn to Joy/Alleluia, Alleluia (ODE TO JOY) Alleluia, Alleluia, Let the Holy Anthem Rise (HOLY ANTHEM)
a HUGE #1: Jesus Lives (ST. ALBINUS) #2: Victimae Paschali, as translated in The Hymnal #3: He is Risen (NEANDER) #4: Awake My Heart with Gladness (AUF, AUF, MEIN HERZ)
Honorable mention for EASTER HYMN, "The Day of Resurrection" (you could sing it recto tono, and it'd still sound good), and Regina Coeli (in Latin, unaccompanied).
It's probably easier to just say the only Easter hymns I don't absolutely love are "Alleluia, Alleluia" and "Holy Anthem".
Mine is - Jesus lives! Thy terrors now (ST ALBINUS) [no. 88, H1940]
Others are - Welcome, happy morning (FORTUNATUS) The strife is o'er (VICTORY) Come, ye faithful, raise the strain (GAUDEAMUS PARITER) Christians, to the Paschal victim (VICTIMAE PASCHALI) [the Sequence] That Easter Day with joy was bright (PUER NATUS)
And a minus - Hail Thee, festival day (SALVE FESTA DIES) : not this one (nor any of its siblings) ever got off the ground with me
Oh! And the charming Easter carol, The whole wide world rejoices now - (Hilariter) Also: This joyful Eastertide (VREUCHTEN) And: Good Christian men (Gelobt sei Gott)
The first is far and away my own personal favorite (I've done at least half a dozen harmonizations, one set of four is included with the Vatican II Hymnal).
1. At the Lamb's high feast we sing (Salzburg, 77. 77. D)
2. Come, ye faithful, raise the strain (Gaudeamus Pariter, a.k.a. Ave Virgo Virginem, 76. 76. D)
3. Christ Jesus lay in death's strong bands (Christ lag in Todesbanden, 87. 87. 78. 74, J.S. Bach setting)
4. That Easter day with joy was bright (Puer Nobis Nascitur, L.M.)
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