December 24, 1818, saw the first performance of "Silent Night" in the church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf, Austria.This beloved carol was two years in the making.
In 1816 a young Austrian priest named Father Josef Mohr (1792 - 1848) wrote in the German language a beautiful six-stanza poem on the birth of the Christ child. At that time Mohr was assigned to a pilgrimage church in the Alpine town of Mariapfarr, not far from the home of his grandfather. While we do not know what inspired Mohr to write his poem, we do know he took the poem with him when he was transferred to the village of Oberndorf the following year (1817).
Early on December 24, 1818, Mohr traveled quickly from Oberndorf to nearby Arnsdorf, to the home of musician and school teacher Franz Xaver Gruber (1787 - 1863), who lived in the apartment over the town schoolhouse. In addition to his teaching in Arnsdorf, Gruber was the organist and choir director at St. Nikolaus Church where Mohr served as assistant pastor. On this day Mohr showed Gruber his poem. He may have also given Gruber a bit of melody, but we are not certain. Mohr asked Gruber to finish the song and create an arrangement for duet and chorus with guitar accompaniment. The new song had to be ready for performance at Midnight Mass that night. We are not certain why the song had to be ready for that evening, but we have some possible reasons. Some have suggested that the organ was not working, either because of mice-eaten organ bellows or because of rust and mildew caused by periodic flooding of the nearby Salzach River. Others think that Mohr, who dearly loved guitar music, just wanted a new carol for Christmas. Whatever the reason, the song had to come together quickly.
Mohr returned to Oberndorf and Gruber followed several hours later with the finished arrangement. Mohr would sing melody and Gruber would sing a bass harmony. There was not enough time for the choir to learn and rehearse the entire song, so Gruber had the choir echo the duet by repeating the last two stanzas of each verse in four-part harmony. That night, at the Midnight Mass in St. Nikolaus Church, Mohr and Gruber stood in front of the main alter and sang while Mohr played his guitar and the choir echoed. And so the carol “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht!” (Silent Night, Holy Night) was heard for the first time.
Over the next few years Karl Mauracher, a master organ builder and repairman from the Ziller Valley, made several trips to Oberndorf to work on the St. Nikolaus organ. During one of these visits he either found or was given a copy of the carol and he took it home with him. The carol then began its journey around the world as a “Tyrolean Folk Song.”
Two traveling families of folk singers from the Ziller Valley, named Strasser and Rainer, added the song into their performing repertoire. We know from the local newspaper that the Strassers sang the song in a concert in Leipzig in December 1832. It was during this time that several of the melody’s notes were changed, and it evolved into the melody we commonly hear. We also know from a historical plaque that the Rainer Family sang the carol before an audience which included Austrian Emperor Franz I and Russian Tsar Alexander I. In 1839, the Rainers performed “Stille Nacht” for the first time in America, at the Alexander Hamilton Monument outside Trinity Church in New York City.
Although Gruber made attempts during his life to claim authorship of the carol melody, it was thought at various times that the melody was composed by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven. The controversy was finally put to rest when an arrangement of the song written in Mohr's own hand was found and authenticated. The authorities could plainly see in the upper right hand corner of the first page that Mohr had written, “Melodie von Fr. Xav. Gruber.”
Gruber produced a number of orchestral arrangements of the song during his life. The original guitar arrangement is missing, but five other Gruber manuscripts of the carol exist. The discovered manuscript by Joseph Mohr (ca. 1820) is for guitar accompaniment and is probably the closest to the arrangement and melody sung at Midnight Mass in 1818.
The people of Austria consider the song a national treasure. They traditionally perform it only on Christmas Eve.
Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht!
by Josef Mohr
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Alles schläft, einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar,
Holder Knabe mit lockigem Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh.
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb’ aus deinem holdseligen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund’,
Christ, in deiner Geburt,
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Die der Welt Heil gebracht,
Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn,
Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt sehn,
Jesum in Menschengestalt,
Jesum in Menschengestalt!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Wo sich heut alle Macht
Väterlicher Liebe ergoß,
Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß
Jesus die Völker der Welt,
Jesus die Völker der Welt!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Lange schon uns bedacht,
Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit
In der Väter urgrauer Zeit
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß,
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Hirten erst kund gemacht;
Durch der Engel Halleluja
Tönt es laut von fern und nah’;
Christ der Retter ist da,
Christ der Retter ist da!
Below is the literal translation of the text from German to English by Bettina Klien.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Silent Night! Holy Night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon godly tender pair.
Holy infant with curly hair,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Brought the world gracious light,
Down from heaven's golden height
Comes to us the glorious sight:
Jesus, as one of mankind,
Jesus, as one of mankind.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
By his love, by his might
God our Father us has graced,
As a brother gently embraced
Jesus, all nations on earth,
Jesus, all nations on earth.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Long ago, minding our plight
God the world from misery freed,
In the dark age of our fathers decreed:
All the world redeemed,
All the world redeemed.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Shepherds first saw the sight
Of angels singing alleluia
Calling clearly near and far:
Christ, the Saviour is born,
Christ, the Saviour is born.
Below is an English translation of the hymn found in many western hymnals. Stanzas 1 and 3 were translated from German in 1863 by John F. Young (1820 – 1885). The translator of stanzas 2 and 4 is unknown.
Silent Night, Holy Night!
by Josef Mohr; translated by John F. Young
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Silent night, holy night
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
-
In 1816 a young Austrian priest named Father Josef Mohr (1792 - 1848) wrote in the German language a beautiful six-stanza poem on the birth of the Christ child. At that time Mohr was assigned to a pilgrimage church in the Alpine town of Mariapfarr, not far from the home of his grandfather. While we do not know what inspired Mohr to write his poem, we do know he took the poem with him when he was transferred to the village of Oberndorf the following year (1817).
Early on December 24, 1818, Mohr traveled quickly from Oberndorf to nearby Arnsdorf, to the home of musician and school teacher Franz Xaver Gruber (1787 - 1863), who lived in the apartment over the town schoolhouse. In addition to his teaching in Arnsdorf, Gruber was the organist and choir director at St. Nikolaus Church where Mohr served as assistant pastor. On this day Mohr showed Gruber his poem. He may have also given Gruber a bit of melody, but we are not certain. Mohr asked Gruber to finish the song and create an arrangement for duet and chorus with guitar accompaniment. The new song had to be ready for performance at Midnight Mass that night. We are not certain why the song had to be ready for that evening, but we have some possible reasons. Some have suggested that the organ was not working, either because of mice-eaten organ bellows or because of rust and mildew caused by periodic flooding of the nearby Salzach River. Others think that Mohr, who dearly loved guitar music, just wanted a new carol for Christmas. Whatever the reason, the song had to come together quickly.
Mohr returned to Oberndorf and Gruber followed several hours later with the finished arrangement. Mohr would sing melody and Gruber would sing a bass harmony. There was not enough time for the choir to learn and rehearse the entire song, so Gruber had the choir echo the duet by repeating the last two stanzas of each verse in four-part harmony. That night, at the Midnight Mass in St. Nikolaus Church, Mohr and Gruber stood in front of the main alter and sang while Mohr played his guitar and the choir echoed. And so the carol “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht!” (Silent Night, Holy Night) was heard for the first time.
Over the next few years Karl Mauracher, a master organ builder and repairman from the Ziller Valley, made several trips to Oberndorf to work on the St. Nikolaus organ. During one of these visits he either found or was given a copy of the carol and he took it home with him. The carol then began its journey around the world as a “Tyrolean Folk Song.”
Two traveling families of folk singers from the Ziller Valley, named Strasser and Rainer, added the song into their performing repertoire. We know from the local newspaper that the Strassers sang the song in a concert in Leipzig in December 1832. It was during this time that several of the melody’s notes were changed, and it evolved into the melody we commonly hear. We also know from a historical plaque that the Rainer Family sang the carol before an audience which included Austrian Emperor Franz I and Russian Tsar Alexander I. In 1839, the Rainers performed “Stille Nacht” for the first time in America, at the Alexander Hamilton Monument outside Trinity Church in New York City.
Although Gruber made attempts during his life to claim authorship of the carol melody, it was thought at various times that the melody was composed by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven. The controversy was finally put to rest when an arrangement of the song written in Mohr's own hand was found and authenticated. The authorities could plainly see in the upper right hand corner of the first page that Mohr had written, “Melodie von Fr. Xav. Gruber.”
Gruber produced a number of orchestral arrangements of the song during his life. The original guitar arrangement is missing, but five other Gruber manuscripts of the carol exist. The discovered manuscript by Joseph Mohr (ca. 1820) is for guitar accompaniment and is probably the closest to the arrangement and melody sung at Midnight Mass in 1818.
The people of Austria consider the song a national treasure. They traditionally perform it only on Christmas Eve.
"Stille Nacht", scored by Franz Xaver Gruber.
Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht!
by Josef Mohr
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Alles schläft, einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar,
Holder Knabe mit lockigem Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh.
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb’ aus deinem holdseligen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund’,
Christ, in deiner Geburt,
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Die der Welt Heil gebracht,
Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn,
Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt sehn,
Jesum in Menschengestalt,
Jesum in Menschengestalt!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Wo sich heut alle Macht
Väterlicher Liebe ergoß,
Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß
Jesus die Völker der Welt,
Jesus die Völker der Welt!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Lange schon uns bedacht,
Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit
In der Väter urgrauer Zeit
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß,
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Hirten erst kund gemacht;
Durch der Engel Halleluja
Tönt es laut von fern und nah’;
Christ der Retter ist da,
Christ der Retter ist da!
Below is the literal translation of the text from German to English by Bettina Klien.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Silent Night! Holy Night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon godly tender pair.
Holy infant with curly hair,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Brought the world gracious light,
Down from heaven's golden height
Comes to us the glorious sight:
Jesus, as one of mankind,
Jesus, as one of mankind.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
By his love, by his might
God our Father us has graced,
As a brother gently embraced
Jesus, all nations on earth,
Jesus, all nations on earth.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Long ago, minding our plight
God the world from misery freed,
In the dark age of our fathers decreed:
All the world redeemed,
All the world redeemed.
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Shepherds first saw the sight
Of angels singing alleluia
Calling clearly near and far:
Christ, the Saviour is born,
Christ, the Saviour is born.
Below is an English translation of the hymn found in many western hymnals. Stanzas 1 and 3 were translated from German in 1863 by John F. Young (1820 – 1885). The translator of stanzas 2 and 4 is unknown.
Silent Night, Holy Night!
by Josef Mohr; translated by John F. Young
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Silent night, holy night
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
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