Twas the night before Christmas in 1818, Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber created the Christmas Carol "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht" Silent Night, Holy Night now the common property of the entire Christian world , was performed for the first time in Austria .
2018 marks the 200th anniversary of this song and may it be played, sung and shared all around the world to unite us in harmony on 24 December 2018.
May we all take a step back in time to reflect on what life was like 200 years ago for those who lived and made such incredible contributions to our society.
All the best to those who are in Austria for this incredible anniversary, I'm sure that there will be many who visit your lovely country singing this hymn in years to come.
Official Website for Commemerations of Stillenacht
https://www.stillenacht.com/en/
The Quiet Hour
"Silent Night, Holy Night"
High up in the Austrian Alps, in the region known as Tyrol - 'the land in the mountians' - we find the brithplace of the "Silent Night, Holy Night." Here the Tyrloean peaks, world famed for their snow-capped grandeur, rise in the lofty simplicity into the cool clear air, guarding little, smiling, peaceful valleys.
"Far up in these Alpine mountian, where a love of music is nature's gift to every child, nestles the remote town of Oberndorf, Austria. Here in 1818 lived a devout young Austrian priest, Joesph Mohr, & his friend, the village school master & church organist, Franz Gruber, who were together destined to give the world this beautiful Christmas hymn. The two men, both great lovers of music, had often talked of the fact that 'the perfect Christmas song had not yet been.
"Mediatating on this thought, Mohr sat in his church study on Christmas Eve 1818.
Outside, the hushed stillness of the night heightened the snowclad beauty of the mountian scene. the pure spririt of those high peaks filled his heart with vision of the radiant peace and joy ofthe first Christmas tidings 'Jesus the Saviour is born'. The thoughts which had long been forming in his mind suddenly found clear, musical expression that night in the song which we have come to know as 'Silent Night, Holy Night'.
"The next morning, Christmas day, Mohr hurried to his friend's home with the manuscript of his precious song. Gruber read it intently, and exclained with uncontrolled enthusiasm, 'Friend Mohr, you have found it - the right song - God be praised'!
"Gruber, thrilled with the spirit of his friend's verses, at once set to work to compose a perfect melody for the 'perfect song'. Fianlly the soft, flowing air we now use came to him. 'It sings itself, you song,' he criued to the delighted priest. Gruber's real contribution to music lies in the beauty and simplicity of the tune, in is perfect blending in spirit with Mohr's verses. the two men then sang the hymn over together, to have it ready for the church service that night.
'Later in the same evening, when the villagers gathered in the gray little mountian church, Mohr and Gruber sang their new Christmas song before its first audience. it touched these listeners deeply, and after the service, they thanked the two friends with tears of joy in their eyes."
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.
Silent Night, Holy Night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories streamfrom heavens afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia;
Christ, the saviour is born.
Silent Night, Holy Night!
Son of god, Love's pure light,
Radiant beams from Thy Holy face,
With the dawn pf redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Silent Night, Holy Night!
Guiding star, lend thy light,
see the eatern wise men bring,
Gifts and homage to our King,
Jesus, the Saviour is born.
Text courtesy of the National Library New Zealand -Papers Past NZ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MTBM19391220.2.6
The words of this sacred song were written by Vicar Josef Mohr and the music by school teacher Franz Xaver Gruber, who at it's fiirst performance, on December 24, 1818, accompanied himself on a guitar.
The identical musucial instrument was to be used by Professor Felix Gruber, the grandson of the composer, in singing the carol after the consecration & opening of the chapel at Oberndorf, near Salzburg - text courtesy of Evening Star, Issue 22769, 2 October 1937 Papers Past NZ
Mozart's Grand Piano
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19371002.2.30.1
When @Lizzie placed online about the Month of Celebration topic, in my wisdom I thought, what can I write about that may be different so I looked up the year "1818", 200 years ago, in Papers Past and have come up with an array of Past, Present and future items I hope we all can take inspiration from, share, reflect, reminisce and reflect on for the betterment of the whole world.
In advance, for those of you reading this topic, I will be posting images that may use up Data on your internet plan so if you are on Limited data save it to read when you are on another device