Music of the Week: December 22, 2023: Stille Nacht

“Silent Night” was born in Austria. It was one of those cultural miracles of human history that created an indelible impression on the minds and souls of innumerable Christians in Europe and, ultimately, the world.

Pastor Joseph Mohr composed the lyrics, which he wrote as a reverent poem in six stanzas. The music was created within a few hours on Christmas Eve 1818 by village teacher and church organist Franz Xaver Gruber playing on the guitar, and both men performed the humble piece during church mass on that same Christmas evening. Its purity and devotion have since become the emblem of celebrating that special night of the birth of Jesus.

The village of Oberndorf near Salzburg continues the tradition of Christmas Eve with that beautiful song in its original version, and so do virtually all households and families of Austria. This is where Catherine will be on Christmas Eve in 2023 as the community and people who come from far and wide gather together to sing Silent Night.

May it be a starry night, filled with divine love and peace for all humankind.

Related:

A Christmas carol: unwrapping ‘Silent Night’ in Austria

Silent Night (Wikipedia)

Joseph Mohr (Wikipedia)


8 Comments

  1. Catherine, thanks for this posting, one of the most beautiful Christmas songs in my view. I also love “adeste, fideles!” In Latin, best version ever by Luciano Pavarotti.

  2. True story: Normally, the cats always flee to the other side of the house while we open presents and sing carols. Not in 2021.

    That year, the family was together at on Christmas Eve and we started singing the old German/Austrian carols (I am a first generation Canadian). Anyhoo, for some reason the cats stayed in the living room that year.
    NO JOKE – Charlie(the orange cat) was so moved by Stille Nacht that he started singing with us – ALL THREE verses! The look of utter bliss on his face is forever etched in my memory. That’s when I knew that Stille Nacht resonates on a completely different level than any other piece of music that was ever composed.

    I’m hoping for a 2023 repeat.

    1. Wow. What a moment. Wherever we are, we can all sing Silent Night together on Christmas Eve.

  3. Catherine, thank you and Solari for bringing this beautiful song and the history of it. Following along in the language as it is sung, that I do not know, I learned it. I sigh with delight and love to all. Happy Christmas celebration to you!!

    1. That is so beautiful! I have seen many amazing shows on the Time Squares billboards but nothing that perfect. What a Christmas. The divine keeps pushing through.

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