Silent Night
A Reason To Smile
‘Tis the season for many things, and one of those is music. Christmas carols fill the air. Even those who do not celebrate the holiday often find resonance in the beauty the music can evoke. The songs speak of many things: the story of Christmas, its celebration, and the sights and sounds of winter. There are words of peace, contemplation, and goodwill.
The very act of caroling is itself an expression of art and a symbol of the bonds that hold us together. The merging of voices in song, with or without accompanying instrumentation, is a profoundly human endeavor present in cultures in every part of the world. And while professional musicians certainly have put their stamp on the season (hello, Mariah Carey), this is also a time for amateur voices — from street corners to holiday parties to church sanctuaries — to shine.
There is so much beautiful talent in this world, especially when we can come together in peace. The melding voices of a choir offers a particularly precious sign of hope at a time that is all too fractured and discordant.
We wanted to celebrate Christmas in song as A Reason To Smile, while also acknowledging that this holiday is not a religious tradition of many of our readers. We have chosen what has been dubbed the most recorded Christmas song of all time, “Silent Night.” The words come from an 1816 poem — “Stille Nacht” — written by Austrian priest Joseph Mohr. The story goes that he was inspired by an evening walk amid a quiet snow-filled landscape. An era of violent conflict had recently convulsed Europe with the Napoleonic Wars. A silent night was something to cherish.
The music came a few years later, a collaboration with a local teacher and organist, Franz Xaver Gruber. The original melody evolved slightly over the years to what we know today. A song with more than 137,000 recordings offers a lot of options to feature. We chose a few from different musical genres, proving there are many ways to honor a classic and celebrate the season.
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and a restful and reflective time to all.
We start with the wonderful opera star Jessye Norman accompanied by a boys choir:
Here is country superstar Brad Paisley’s version:
And we close with a jazzy rendition, courtesy of the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis:
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I no longer celebrate Christmas but I have very fond memories of many Christmas carols.
The very first song I sang in public was We Three Kings. I was in elementary school.
Silent Night is a particular favorite Christmas carol to me. It’s simply….beautiful.
Music moves our emotions. That’s the beauty of music. Christmas carols evoke memories, many good. Many not so.
I was eight years old when my Santa Claus fantasy came to a painful end.
When you’re wondering why the Jolly Guy didn’t your project unit drop by, and to your Granny you run to cry and leaning down she tells you “ Dry your tears ‘ bout them presents Sonny. Your daddy got drunk and spent all his money”
I made the connection. And, for all intents and purposes, that was it for Christmas and me.
Still….Silent Night, We Three Kings, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and many other carols move my long ago broken heart.
The eight year old boy in me learned the hard way there is no Santa Claus. But I, at 75, still love the beautiful music dressing the holiday because I know it has no attachment to the mythical fat guy in the red suit who didn’t come down our non-existent chimney in our housing project unit way back then.
Christmas carols are the soundtrack we need today more than ever.
All is calm, all is bright. The very words that most of us wish would come to fruition. Thank you for being a bright light, Mr. Rather. Hopefully next year Christmas will be celebrated in Israel without the sadness that lingers there at this time.