How the lyrics Silent Night cast a spell on the world

The lyrics of the song Silent Night Holy Night from Oberndorf

The lyrics Silent Night is not only known in German-speaking countries. In the meantime, he has conquered the whole world. There is hardly a country that does not have that Christmas time "Silent Night, Holy Night" resounds from the speakers. No matter whether in shopping centers or at home. The song text Silent Night has successfully made its triumphal march around the world. The lyrics weren't exactly in the cradle. Its author, Joseph Mohr, was a simple pastor from Oberndorf. His life path from Salzburg had led him there. Here he wrote the text of the song on December 24, 1818, which is sung all over the world for Christmas today.

The full lyrics of the song are Silent Night

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Everything is asleep, lonely wakes
only the faithful sacrosanct couple.
"Gentle boy in curly hair,
sleep in heavenly peace
sleep in heavenly peace! "

Silent Night! Holy Night!
God's son, oh how laughing
love from your divine mouth,
since the saving hour strikes us:
Jesus in your birth.
Jesus in your birth.

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Brought to the world salvation,
from the sky golden heights
let us see the mercy of abundance:
Jesus in human form.
Jesus in human form.

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Where today all power is
fatherly love poured,
and as a brother cordially enclosed
Jesus the peoples of the world.
Jesus the peoples of the world.

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Long thoughtful,
as the Lord, freed from the wrath,
in the fathers' early hours
promised protection to all the world
promised protection to all the world.

Silent Night Holy Night,
Shepherds first announced!
by the angel Halleluja
it sounds aloud from far and near:
Jesus, the Savior is here!
Jesus, the Savior is here!

 

I did not know before that there are six verses to this song. Usually only the first two and last stanzas of the song are sung. After Joseph Mohr had finished his text, he went to Arnsdorf village school teacher and organist Franz Xaver Gruber. He wrote a melody for it on the same day. That's how the song Silent Night Holy Night came about.

 

 

Oberndorf – place of origin of the lyrics of the song Stille Nacht

The St. Nikolai Church, where the song was sung for the first time, no longer exists today. Oberndorf has instead built a small chapel in this place, reminiscent of the two creators of the most famous Christmas carol in the world. The chapel is just a few steps from the banks of the Salzach River. This separates the Austrian Oberndorf from Bavarian Laufen on the other side of the river. On the other side of the chapel, there is a small museum that tells the story of the song and its two creators. In it 1818 was the house of the knife.

 

Hard childhood Joseph Mohrs in Salzburg

Joseph Mohr was an outcast son from the beginning an outcast. His mother and father were prevented by the Napoleonic Wars from carrying out their marriage before the birth of their son. Instead, the father went to war and came back years later. In the meantime, the mother fought to give her son a reasonably bearable life. This became the custody of the Domvikars of Salzburg, who sent him to high school. This was also the one who ensured that Joseph Mohr could study theology. The completion of his studies, however, did not entitle the young Joseph to enter the service of the Church. It even needed a special permission of the pope. Only after he had received these, he could take a job as assistant pastor in Oberndorf. More about the Life story of Joseph Mohr you will learn in this article.

 

An impression of Oberndorf and the memorial chapel to the two creators of the most famous Christmas carol in the world will be provided by Petar's video. From here, the lyrics Silent Night began its triumphal march around the world. Check it out. It's worth taking a look:

 

The lyrics Silent Night made Joseph Mohr famous

At least after his death. Because Joseph Mohr didn't have much of it during his life. The song with the lyrics Silent Night was performed for the first time at the end of midnight mass on December 24, 1818 in the Oberndorf church. It didn't take long for it to be sung in other places as well. The master organ builder Karl Mauracher probably got the ball rolling. He heard the song and took it to his hometown of Fügen. It was sung there at Christmas the following year. It was first printed on a flyer in Dresden in 1833, where it was one of four songs said to have come from the Tyrol. At that time nobody knew the curate and composer of the song, Franz Xaver Gruber. It was spread by the Strasser siblings, who roamed the country with Tyrolean songs.

 

 

Franz Xaver Gruber - The composer for the song text Silent Night

Conrad Franz Xaver Gruber came from the small town of Ach an der Salzach, just a few kilometers from Burghausen. Originally he was to become a linen weaver like his father. However, his teacher recognized the musical talent of the young Franz Xaver. He convinced his father to allow him to become a teacher. As such, he had to deal intensively with music. Already 1805 he began his musical education at the Stadtpfarrorganisten Georg Hartdobler in neighboring Burghausen. He trained as a teacher in Ried im Innkreis and in Salzburg. He finally got his first job as a teacher in Arnsdorf. To improve his financial situation, he took over the duties of organist and cantor in the St. Nikolai Church in Oberndorf from 1816 to 1829. There, Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber met and became friends.

Premiere in Oberndorf - the lyrics of the song Silent Night inspire the world

Finally, on December 24, 1818, the two performed the song for which they had written the lyrics Stille Nacht and composed the music in St. Nikolai Church on December 330, XNUMX. Gruber accompanied it on the organ and Mohr played the guitar. To commemorate this, there are the Silent Night historical plays during Advent, which commemorate this remarkable evening. Even today, the lyrics of the song Silent Night and the accompanying music fascinate people all over the world. The song is now part of Austria's intangible world cultural heritage. Singers, missionaries and a clever promotion helped the song become known worldwide. Today it is sung in XNUMX different languages ​​and dialects at Christmas time.

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Source of the lyrics to the song Silent Night: Research for the article on the lyrics of the song Silent Night on site. We would like to thank Salt and the City, Salzburg Tourismus and Tourismus Salzburger Seenland for their support with this research. However, as always, our opinion remains unaffected.

Text Lyrics Stille Nacht : © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos Lyrics Silent Night: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Video lyrics Stille Nacht : © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline