Home worship planning history of hymns history of hymns. This book is about the production of the famous christmas song silent night. At my own church in a small town in america, i remember us all singing silent night together as we held candles at the end of every christmas eve service. Silent night includes vignettes of kaiser william iis christmas and of british general sir john frenchs response when he learned about the truces, but it mainly relates the many incidents which. Of course, the latter are easily discounted by manuscript arrangements of the carol by both mohr and gruber which were produced at various times between 1820 and 1855. The story of silent night, holy nighta christmas carol. It is written in beautiful prose not a shallow kids only type of book, but one that parents can enjoy as well. You can read claims that silent night was sung on christmas eve in 1818 and then. Nicholas in obendorf, a village near salzburg, austria, on christmas eve, 1818and they all. A short history of britains favourite christmas carol including the lyrics silent night dates back to early 19th century austria. How a beloved christmas carol was born of war and disaster 200 years ago by michael e. Tradition has it that the carol was composed for a text by his assistant priest joseph mohr on short notice for the christmas eve mass in.
Festive traditions the story of the christmas carol silent night the carol silent night has been translated into 140 languages and renditions have been sung by everyone, from bing crosby to. Dec 10, 2014 it remains one of the most famous christmas carols in the world today. The song and its story is a childrens picture book written by margaret hodges and illustrated by tim ladwig. In 1816 the text to silent night was written by fr. Silent night christmas carol, origins clarksville, tn.
You can read claims that silent night was sung on christmas eve in 1818 and then forgotten by its creators. First performed in a village church in austria, silent night quickly became one of the most popular christmas hymns in europe and today is sung all over the world in countless different languages. In my humble opinion, somehow the simple words convey the mystery and simplicity of the real christmas. We consider songs like away in a manger and silent night as classic christmas carols, but the very first christmas carol was written centuries earlier. Christmas there is suffused with the ubiquitous salzburgian carol silent night, first performed in 1819 in the small town of oberndorf bei salzburg. Tells of the village priest, josef mohr, who wrote the words and of the choirmaster, franz xaver gruber, who composed the music to silent night. Myths and fanciful tales gathered around its origins. Dec 19, 20 favorite classic christmas song silent night sung with beautiful harmonies. Nicholas church in oberndorf bei salzburg, austria.
It was written almost 200 years ago to be performed on christmas eve in st. Stille nacht, heilige nacht is a popular christmas carol, composed in 1818 by franz xaver gruber to lyrics by joseph mohr in the small town of oberndorf bei salzburg, austria. The song has been recorded by many singers across many music genres. Little ones will love singing along to this button sound board book. Silent night the birth of a christmas carol classic history. This account of the beloved carols history pays tribute to its creators and to the song itself. Exactly two hundred years later, its not the holiday season until youve heard silent night in the car, at the store and on tv all in the same day. Silent night or a new christmas carol from greta thunberg. Favorite classic christmas song silent night sung with beautiful harmonies. Silent night christmas carol, origins clarksville, tn online. How a beloved christmas carol was born of war and disaster 200 years ago the song debuted on christmas eve in 1818 in an austrian church. On christmas eve in 1818, in a small austrian town, father mohrs.
The book is divided into five chapters, which dickens titled staves. The story of the christmas carol 1953 12 out of 4 decent minute documentary taking a look at the song silent night from the time it was written to the music and finally to it being performed across the world. The museum is at the historical birthplace of joseph mohr, creator of the carol silent night. Today we think of christmas carols as songs we sing with family around the christmas tree or a warm fire during the christmas season. Hymn story silent night hymn lists by book of bible there are several variations on the story of the writing of this hymn, but they all center on the little church of st. Search the history of over 418 billion web pages on the internet. On christmas eve, 1818, in a small austrian village, a local catholic priest and a church organist composed a christmas carol that changed the course of holiday music forever. English hymnist isaac watts, who published the song in 1719, intended the song to be sung for easter. Ruane, the washington post on christmas eve in 1818, two men with a small guitar entered a church in oberndorf, austria, and prepared to sing a new christmas carol. The classic christmas carol silent night stille nacht, heilige nacht in the.
The history of the carol silent night, holy night this book covers the story of this famous christmas carol according to evidence from a document discovered in 1995. Most accounts suggest the truce began with carol singing from the trenches on. Its original title in german is stille nacht, heilige nacht. Featuring sturdy board book pages that are just the right size for small hands and a star icon sound button for children to. The music to silent night was composed in 1818 by franz gruber.
Pour yourself some eggnog, plug in the tree, and travel back to a snowy austrian winter in 1844. Readers looking for pictuebooks featuring christmas carols. The best christmas song and christmas carol subscribe. Few christmas carols evoke the season of peace and goodwill as readily as silent night. I spent 2 christmas seasons in harms way in beirut and on the saudi kuwaiti border. Tradition has it that the carol was composed for a text by his assistant priest joseph mohr on. Featuring angelic music from the vienna boys choir, this heartwarming documentary recounts the history of the worlds alltime favorite christmas carol. Dec 25, 2015 festive traditions the story of the christmas carol silent night the carol silent night has been translated into 140 languages and renditions have been sung by everyone, from bing crosby to. This song has an interesting history attached to it. Silent night, holy night is the full name of the carol. A manuscript for silent night in mohrs hand was discovered in 1995 which is dated 1816.
Nicholas church listened as the voices of the assistant pastor, father joseph mohr, and the choir director, franz xaver gruber, rang through the church to the accompaniment of father mohrs guitar. Dec 04, 2018 the mostpublished christmas hymn on the continent, joy to the world is yet another song on this list that was not meant to be a christmas song. During the early days of national public broadcasting in america, performances of the carol by the austrianamerican opera star ernestine schumannheink 18611936 became something of a christmas tradition, and secured the carols special place in the christmas rituals of america. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night luke 2. The story behind our favorite christmas carol traditions of faith from around the world myrna a. Great for christmas concerts, performances, choirs and churches. Silent night is a popular christmas carol, composed in 1818 by franz xaver gruber to lyrics by. The story of silent night, dvd christian book distributors. Also read give your christmas carols an entertaining twist by adding these popular christmas songs. It was declared an intangible cultural heritage by unesco in 2011. His lyrics were referring to the second coming of jesus. Dec 25, 2019 clarksville, tn on of the bestloved christmas carol of all time is silent night.
The german words to stille nacht were not familiar, but the tunesilent. Clarksville, tn on of the bestloved christmas carol of all time is silent night. Nicholas church experienced an illfortune as the organ had stopped functioning and there was no possibility it could work again for the liturgy. After world war i the advent of wireless broadcasting helped spread silent night even wider. Dec 19, 2019 christmas there is suffused with the ubiquitous salzburgian carol silent night, first performed in 1819 in the small town of oberndorf bei salzburg. Heilige nacht was heard for the first time in a village church in oberndorf, austria. Silent night landmarks in salzburg city silent night fans find additional clues to the history of the song in salzburg itself, the city where joseph mohr was born.
The voices of assistant pastor, father joseph mohr, and choir director, franz xaver gruber, rang through the church. Nicholas church in the village of oberndorf, austria. We may also think of them as songs sung by a cheerful group of people strolling through town spreading the christmas cheer. Here bill egan tells the true history of this beautiful piece of popular music. A christmas carol opens on a bleak, cold christmas eve in london, seven years after the death of ebenezer scrooges business partner, jacob marley. Silent night a history of the carol christmas carols. I know what its like to be far from home on christmas night. A great story all the more poignant as i read it during the christmas season. Scrooge, an ageing miser, dislikes christmas and refuses a dinner invitation from his nephew fredthe son of fan, scrooges dead sister. Some stories tell that both the poem and the music were hastily written that christmas eve.
The story of the world war i christmas truce of 1914. This book covers the story of this famous christmas carol according to evidence from a document discovered in 1995. A few weeks ago i watched a british short from 1939 called starlight night, which covered the same information but it was so drawn out and boring that it was. It was on christmas eve 1818, when a song that touched the worlds heart rang out for the first time. The oxford book of carols 1928 did not contain silent night, holy night. But in that fall of 1816, a young catholic priest, joseph mohr, had written a sixverse christmas poem that began stille nacht, heilige nacht silent night, holy night about the. This book has found its way quickly to our annual christmas literature read alouds. He published it in a book of christmas carols in 1859.
The secret history behind these timeless christmas carols. It is a book retelling the story about the creation of one of the most popular christmas carols. Fantastic book it is the 200th anniversary this christmas eve of the songs first performance, so it is especially meaningful to read this year. Silent night, holy night notes hymns and carols of christmas.
Numerous towns and villages in salzburg have ties to the story of silent night. In 2011 the silent night carol was added to the unesco list of immaterial cultural heritages. The silent night museum recounts the history behind the song. Silent night, one of the most famous songs of the christmas season, is being. This christmas marks the 200th anniversary of silent night. The classic christmas carol silent night stille nacht, heilige nacht in the original, it was composed by an austrian priest named joseph mohr, set to music by local schoolmaster and oragnist franz xaver gruber, and first performed in oberndorf bei salzburg in 1818 is used as the text for this lovely holiday book, with accompanying artwork by. Sep 20, 2019 silent night, holy night is the full name of the carol. With caveat children interested in the history of silent. Featuring bright illustrations, and the text that is inspired by the lyrics to the 1818 classic christmas song, silent night, this adorable sound book is sure to be a favorite of childrens this season.
It describes the historical background of the songs creation story and its most important. Hodges text is simplistic, straightforward, and rather poetic. While a prolific composer, little was published and none known now save this weihnachtslied christmas carol. The song and its story by margaret hodges goodreads.
A broken church organ was the reason silent night was created how the worlds most famous christmas carol came to be written and set to music. The silent night memorial chapel stands at the site where the song was performed for the very first time. The remarkable christmas truce of 1914 in pdf format. It promises stillness and peace, both of which are now in increasingly short supply.
As the fame of this carol grew, its whereabouts were slowly forgotten. There youll meet a young priest whose poem silent night would touch hearts all over the globe. On page 81, hymn 50, youngs name was identified as author of the translation. Some say that mohr simply wanted a new carol for the service and was fond of the guitar as an instrument. This charming story begins when grandpa strasser tells his grandchildren the story of how the strasser family helped make silent night one of the most famous christmas songs in history.