On Christmas Eve 1818, the villagers gathered for Christmas mass in the Church of St Nicholas in Oberndorf, a snow-covered village at the foot of the Austrian Alps near Salzburg. Because the church’s organ was not in a playable state, the curate and the village schoolteacher had composed a special song which could be accompanied on a guitar. The melody of the new song was evocative of a lullaby, as were the words, describing the baby Jesus sleeping peacefully. And so the churchgoers that night heard the gentle tones of the Christmas carol ‘Silent night, holy night’ for the first time. They had no idea of the success the song would have over the next two centuries.
But those present must have been impressed by it. Within a few years, the song had spread from Oberndorf not just throughout Austria, but right around the world. In 2011, it was recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural asset. One reason for the song’s success is its simple melody, composed by village schoolteacher and organist Franz Xaver Gruber (1787-1863). In the 6/8 time typically used for lullabies, it soothes the listener and creates a contemplative atmosphere. The lyrics, originally written by curate Joseph Mohr (1792-1848) as a poem, are both captivating and denominationally neutral.
