If you really want to appreciate the ‘effects of the oral tradition’ go and read a few of the stories about the origins of this Christmas Carol. More or less the hard facts you find are the same but the way they’re put together varies. Its interesting, really it is.
Christmas Carol Was First Written As A Poem:
A Clergyman, who lived in an Austrian alpine village scribed this carol a hundred and ninety five years ago; the year was 1818 and the village was known as Oberndorf. It was the week of Christmas.
His name was Father Josef Mohr. On a day during Christmas week he went to visit a family who lived in a cabin high up on the surrounding hills. He walked there and the hike proved most pleasant for him and fortuitous for us. During the walk he became so aware of the loveliness of God’s creation. He thought the silence composed the best music until he neared the brook and heard the water singing as it danced over the water worn stones. The emerald green trees must have looked stunning lining the ridge that offset the deep, clear, blue sky.
When he arrived, it was early evening and he was warmly greeted at the door. When he stepped in, the first thing he saw was a newly born babe with its mother in adoring attendance. Since we have no video production to view on YouTube LOL or a viral video to view that was sent to us thru one of the many social media networks http://www.cowboysfanspro.com/Black-Deion-Sanders-Cowboys-Jersey.html?cat=863 , we’ll have to rely on those who’ve suggested that this walk put Father Josef Mohr into a reflective state of mind about the original Nativity scene. There would be no doubt his state of mind since he was in the middle of preparing for the upcoming caroling service that he would officiate Christmas eve.
By the time he left for the Vicarage it was early nightfall. The moon shone all around and glistened brightly. It was almost like walking in daylight. But it was nightfall; a silient night and Father Mohr felt it to be particularly holy night,… so calm and bright. BUT, little did he know that while he was gone, and all the while as he walked through this dreamy winter landscape, something happened in the church that would threaten his lovely plan for a wonderful Christmas Evening Service!
What Went Wrong?:
Well, lend me an ear and I’ll tell you! His friend, the notable and beloved of all http://www.cowboysfanspro.com/Black-Daryl-Johnston-Cowboys-Jersey.html?cat=913 , Choir Master and music teacher discovered that the organ would not play a single note! Remember that this is a village hidden deep in the Austrian Alps! What could he now do with this broken organ? Mind you, no pressure, but it is soon to be Christmas Eve and what is a Christmas Eve Service anywhere in the world without music?! Christmas Eve with everyone happy, singing together with no organ music!? A clear disaster was at hand with no way to turn it around. Franz Gruber thank heavens above, was a consummate Maestro, as such he could play more than one instrument. Its good to know then, that as soon as Father Josef arrived home http://www.cowboysfanspro.com/Black-Darren-McFadden-Cowboys-Jersey.html?cat=872 , he quickly wrote down the words to the simplest of poems that for our joy is still close to the very heart beat of Christmas services all over the world: ‘Silent Night’, now 195 yrs old, still heard all through the festive season.
Somehow its a bit magical to consider that this simple hymn written some 195 yrs. ago was to become perhaps the most known and beloved Christmas carol of them all. His friend the Choir Master suggested to him that the carol was definitely a Christmas hymn and he felt that the very lyrics suggested the tune it should have.
Poet & Composer:
Wonderful, don’t you think, that while we don’t even have a video production we can view to prove this to ourselves, we are told that we can rely on the fact that like most music teachers, Franz Gruber played more than one instrument; he also played the guitar. He took the simple loveliness of the beautiful sparse poem now titled ‘Silent Night’ http://www.cowboysfanspro.com/Black-Dan-Bailey-Cowboys-Jersey.html?cat=879 , and set it to a memorable melody. The rest is history and most of that is well documented. How the Christmas carol was taken by the organ mender (someone had to come and fix that breathless heap of wood! LOL ) back to his small village and taught the simple song to a small group of children.
What Happened Next To The Song?:
Then it ended up in the most famous cathedral of Salzburg, St. Peters. Then it travelled somehow to Paris…then to London and from there it arrived like so many other immigrants, to America. First in the big cities then to the small towns and now everywhere, during the Christmas season, you’ll hear ‘Silent Night, Holy Night.
I Heard Silent Night Sung In It’s Native Language:
This hymn was written by two native Austrians and as good fate and fortune would have it, I had the privilege of sharing a friendship with an Austrian woman. On one Christmas Eve http://www.cowboysfanspro.com/Black-Dak-Prescott-Cowboys-Jersey.html?cat=906 , she, not being a Christian, sang it to me. Michele was in a sort of exile from her homeland. After the war, she and her husband fled from the impending influence of Nazi Germany and made their home in Canada. On this night, we sat there together looking out on what was a glorious view of the snow capped Canadian Rockies and the deep midnight blue waters, Lake Kootenay. British Columbia was a long ways from Austria.