Franz Xaver Gruber 1787 - 1863
Up until now, we have always talked about prolific composers that have written a lot of music for the world. Well, this one had written a single ‘hit’ and went down in history for composing one of the most famous tunes in all the world. You know the song for sure!
Franz Gruber was born on the 25th of November, 1787 in a small Austria city known as Hochburg. His family was very poor and made a living as linen weavers. As far as his father was concerned. He was to follow in his footsteps and take up the same trade. He tried his hardest and convinced his father that his true calling was to become a musician. Well, his father gave in and he started studying music.
After completing his musical training in Burghausen and his teaching degree, he became an elementary teacher in a small village by the name of Arnsdorf in 1807. At the same time, he also worked there as an organist. Yet, he also took up another organist job in a near-by village called Oberndorf.
The song he was noted for writing originated in Austria, and so its original version is actually German, known by the name ‘Stille Nacht’(Silent Night). The words to the song were written by the priest Joseph Mohr. He had written the text in the form of a poem much earlier. It is still contemplated why this poem had been transformed into a Christmas carol.
The song’s origin can only be speculated upon based on stories and rumours passed down throughout the generations. Legend has it that on December 24th, 1818, there was a problem with the church’s organ in the small village of Oberndorf, just outside of the city of Salzburg, Austria. In desperation to have music for the Christmas mass, Father Mohr gave a poem he had written two years earlier to Franz Gruber and asked him to write something. Silent night was performed on that Christmas Eve in the St. Nicolas Church. I had been written for soprano, tenor, and choir. Oh, and lets not forget the guitar accompaniment!
Since then, the song has been translated into over 300 languages and is sung around Christmas every year. By the time it was first recorded in 1866, it had already become popular all around the world...
The song had supposedly been the cause of what was considered somewhat of a miracle. It is said that on the Christmas Eve of 1914, the German and British troops were lying in their trenches. For some reason, after a moment of silence, a German started singing ‘Silent Night’ in German and then, the British retorted by singing the same carol in English. Right smack dab in the middle of World War I, the British and the Germans had stopped fighting and called what is known today as the ‘Christmas Truce’. There is no proof stating this, yet I would like to believe that these people had taken the Christmas spirit in and chosen to think about humanity instead of their differences.
On a different note, interestingly enough, Silent Night still remains to this very day a very special and sacred song in Salzburg, Austria and its surroundings. In contrast to many cities around the world, which play the song all repeatedly throughout the Christmas season, the song can only be heard in Salzburg on Christmas Eve, and is very reluctantly listened to beforehand. Tradition in Salzburg is to sing the song to candlelight on Christmas Eve in church and around the Christmas tree.
I speak from experience when I say, if you ever teach guitar to youngsters in Salzburg… as far as the parents will ever be concerned, the kids can play whatever they would like on the guitar, as long as they learn to play Silent Night for the family on Christmas Eve.
Here is the first verse of the song literally translated into English. There are subtle differences:
Silent Night! Holy Night! Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
All is asleep, alone standing guard, Alles schläft; einsam wacht
only the godly tender pair. Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar.
Holy infant with curly hair, Holder Knab' im lockigen Haar,
Sleep in heavenly peace! Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
Have a Merry Christmas !
------------ Michael Ferris
