The Christmas Story About 'Silent Night, Holy Night' ~ Best Gift Ideas Online

The Christmas Story About 'Silent Night, Holy Night'

The Christmas carol, 'Silent night' is among the most popular carols of all times. Did you even imagine that it could have a Christmas story to support its origin? Well if legend is to be believed the song was scripted as a poem by Joseph Mohr, the assistant to the priest at St. Nicholas' Church, in Austria.

Christmas as we all know is a festival of songs, candles, prayers and music. It was a chilly winter of 1818 and just days before Christmas. As Christmas was nearing, it was discovered that the Church organ was broken. Certain Christmas stories support the fact that mice had eaten the bellows of the organ; others emphasize that Gruber the organist, broke the organ himself. It is also believed that frequent flooding of the area resulted in rust and mildew to affect the condition of the church organ, thereby making it functionless.

All said and done, there had to be a way out, for music and carols without which the celebrations would not be complete. Mohr had written a simple poem which could be easily comprehensible to villagers. This poem expressed beautifully, the wonder of the birth of Jesus Christ. He asked his friend Franz Gruber, to compose music to accompany his poem. They then decided to sing it together, using a guitar which Gruber played, to add music to their singing.

The song was sung for the first time at the Christmas Eve midnight services, on December 24; 1818.It was not famous till about 1825, when the script was accidently discovered in the organ loft, along with the music notes. It was discovered by Carl Mauracher, who was from an area in the mountains of Tyrol, which had many traveling folk choirs who performed throughout Europe. He carried the carol back home, and eventually it became a popular song with the choirs. They travelled across the globe and spread its popularity wherever they went.

It is interesting to know that a manuscript for "Silent Night" in Mohr's handwriting was discovered much later in 1995 and was dated 1816. Mohr has credited the melody used for the carol, to Franz Gruber. The song though sung by them for the fist time, was made famous by others like Carl. It remains an all time favorite Christmas song till date.

Irrespective of the details of what Mohr and Gruber did, they have undeniably given a carol to the world, which is timeless and so popular that every Child knows the song. The tune is slow yet catchy and is apt for winter nights. It fills one with a feeling of deep sorrow coupled with an innate joy about the Lord, which is inexplicable.

That was the interesting Christmas story about 'Silent Night'. The music composed centuries ago is still reverberating in our ears and stirring the soul. This cannot be just another Christmas story that you hear and forget. Like the song, this will be in our minds forever.

By: Amrith K.A

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