Blog Carolling - Silent Night (Stille Nacht)

Blog Carolling is something new to me, but  I am pleased to follow the request to join in from FootnoteMaven’s,

My all time faovurite carol is " Silent Night"  in a simple unadorned arrangement, like the original, with guitar accompaniment.  It  has beautiful harmony and is very moving sung softly, especially in German which reminds us of favourite holidays in Bavaria and Austria.

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

Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht
Alles sclaft. einsam wacht
Nur das traute heilige Paar
Holden Knabe in lockigten Haar
Schlafe in himmlische Ruh
Schlafe in himmlische Ruh



It was Dec. 24th ,1818 in a small Austrian village called Oberndorf, just hours before Christmas mass and pastor Joseph Mohr's musical plans for the evening service were in ruins,  since the organ of his church (St. Nicholas Kirche) had broken down.   In a moment of inspiration, he found a Christmas poem he had written two years earlier and  asked   his friend Franz Gruber, the church organist, to set it to music for the choir and congregation to sing.

Franz Gruber's composed  that night  the first version of the world renowned Christmas carol “Stille Nacht”, sung to a guitar.

Sing along with this lovely German version, with a harp accompaniment  at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6gnRvumDiA

Not Oberndorf Church, Austria, but one in the typical style of the region
- Ramsau Church,  Bavaria  (my own photograph)

Free clipart at http://www.123rf.com/clipart-vector/rural_scene.html