One of the Christmas season's most revered songs is commemorated on its 200th anniversary
If there’s one song that captures the true spirit of Christmas, it must be “Silent Night.” The song’s message of peace has been sung in more than 300 languages. Everyone from Elvis to Nat King Cole to Stevie Nicks has joined “Silent Night”‘s chorus, with few renditions as popular as Bing Crosby’s:
“It’s a lullaby, and it’s not just a lullaby for the baby Jesus, but really for all of us,” said Bruce Forbes, professor emeritus of religious studies at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa.
“The Christmas song especially relates to average common people because of the very character of the song. It’s easy to learn, it’s in a good, singable range, and it expresses I think the feelings of the people,” Forbes said.
The year was 1816, right after the Napoleonic Wars, when a poem of simple verse was written in German. “Stille Nacht! Heilig-eh Nacht!” or “Silent Night, Holy Night” was the masterwork of Joseph Mohr, an assistant priest in the small Austrian village of Mariapfarr.
