‘Silent Night’: The History of the Beautiful Christmas Hymn
“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.” The Christmas hymn “Silent Night,” or “Stille Nacht,” describing the events of Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem, is a holiday staple—but what is the history behind this iconic song?
“Silent Night” is now one of the most beloved Christmas hymns, and indeed Bing Crosby’s rendition of it was as of 2019 the second most popular Christmas song of all time. But, unlike many of the other beloved Christmas tunes in America, “Silent Night” was originally written in German as “Stille Nacht,” by a Catholic priest in Austria, with the melody composed by his church organist. The beauty, simplicity, sacred awe, and haunting melody of “Silent Night” have delighted Christians in multiple languages since it was first composed and played on a guitar in 19th century Austria.
Catholic Review explains that Fr. Josef Mohr was the pastor of St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Obendorf, Austria, in the year 1816 when he composed six verses of a poem that make up the lyrics for “Stille Nacht.” The Napoleonic Wars had finally ended, and for a brief time at least Europe could enjoy peace. Fr. Mohr gave his poem in 1818 to Franz Xavier Gruber, who was the organist for the church. Fr. Mohr wanted Gruber to compose the melody to go along with the verses, which would be sung by two people with a guitar accompanying them. That Christmas Eve, during Mass, the hymn was sung for the first time.
Gruber sang bass as the church choir sang the refrains of each verse. Father Mohr, a talented musician himself, played the guitar accompaniment. The tune was warmly received by those who heard it that first night.
Father Mohr died in 1848. Before his death, the composer of “Silent Night” is reported to have said that his composing of the Christmas carol was one of the “most treasured moments” of his life.
WRTI 90.1 says that Fr. Mohr had originally composed the lyrics while looking out over the peaceful, snowy town of Obendorf, and that he and Gruber sang the hymn together. A copy of the new hymn was taken by an organ builder/repair man to his own town, where it was picked up by traveling singers, and by 1834 it was being performed for the King of Prussia. It debuted in New York in 1839. Below you can listen to a rendition sung by German Werner Klemperer and Austrian John Banner.
As interesting historical context, Klemperer fled Germany with his Jewish father in the 1930s, and Banner was a Jew who barely escaped Austria and the Nazis. Banner and Robert Clary, the Frenchman who sings the second Christmas hymn in the clip, were Jews who lost much of their family to the Holocaust—Clary was himself incarcerated in Auschwitz concentration camp. So their renditions of the Christmas hymns have added meaning, as they survived hell and built a new life in America, still retaining their faith in God. The clip also features Bing Crosby holding the guitar upon which “Silent Night” was first played!
May the Child born in Bethlehem bless you this Christmas Day, and may you have a merry 12 Days of Christmas and New Year’s Day!
There is a new (painted no earlier than the 1950s) Nativity by Ruane Manning: “Nativity.”
Can’t post the image here, but it is proof that today’s artists are capable of good, even sacred, art if they chose.