1 Silent night, holy night!
Golden stars shed their light,
While yon virgin tenderly wakes
At the manger till morning breaks
O'er the heavenly Child.
2 Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Radiant beams of glory appear,
And the message of joy they hear:
Christ, the Savior, is born.
3 Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Shines so softly out of Thine eyes;
'Tis the light of salvation we prize,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Joseph Mohr was born into a humble family–his mother was a seamstress and his father, an army musketeer. A choirboy in Salzburg Cathedral as a youth, Mohr studied at Salzburg University and was ordained in the Roman Catholic Church in 1815. Mohr was a priest in various churches near Salzburg, including St. Nicholas Church. He spent his later years in Hintersee and Wagrein.
Bert Polman… Go to person page >
Although he composed nearly one hundred works, Franz Gruber is remembered for only one–the tune of "Silent Night," composed on Christmas Eve, 1818. He scored the tune for tenor and bass soli (sung by Mohr and Gruber on that night) with the final phrase to be repeated in harmony (sung by the villag…