Oh Holy Night

So our goal this Christmas was to post one Christmas song each week….. this has not yet happened. But it’s never too late! So we are starting today The first one were posting-because it’s the one completely complete is “Oh Holy Night.”  This is Steven’s favorite Christmas song! I Love it too, but he is especially passionate about it

I think it’s important to share the story behind the song, because it’s probably not what you would first guess. It’s a tad long, but stick with me. “Oh Holy Night” was written in 1847 by a french poet named Placide Cappeau de Roguemaure (mouth-full). He was known more for his poetry then he was for his church attendance, and so everyone was surprised when the priest asked him to write a poem for christmas mass. In a dusty coach, traveling down a bumpy road on the way to Frances capital city, and using the book of Luke as his guide, the poet started imagining what it would have been like to be present at the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. He was so inspired that by the time he got to the city, the entire poem called “Cantique de Noel” was complete.

He was so excited about his poem, that he soon realized he needed to turn this poem into a song. He was not musically inclined, and so asked one of his friends, a well know classical musician, Adolphe Charles Adams, for help. As a man of Jewish ancestry, for Adolphe the words of “Cantique de Noel” represented a day he didn’t celebrate and a man he did not view as the son of God. Nevertheless, Adams quickly went to work, attempting to connect an original score to the beautiful words. Adams’ finished work pleased both poet and priest. The song was performed just three weeks later at a Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

Initially the church excepted the song, and it became one of the most popular Christmas songs in France. However, they soon found out that the writer abandoned the church to join the socialist movement and learned that the composer was a Jew, and so it was denounced and buried. The French people loved the song, and continued to sing it.  A decade later an American writer, named John Sullivan Dwight-felt that this wonderful Christmas song needed to be introduced to America.

On Christmas Eve 1906, Reginald Fessenden-a 33-year-old university professor and former chief chemist for Thomas Edison-did something long thought impossible. Using a new type of generator, he spoke into a microphone and, for the first time in history, a man’s voice was broadcast over the airwaves, and he said: “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed,” he began in a clear, strong voice, hoping he was reaching as far as he thought he would.

Radio operators sat shocked as their normal coded impulses, were interrupted by a professor reading from the gospel of Luke. To the few who caught this broadcast, it must have seemed like a miracle-hearing a voice somehow from far away. Fessenden was probably unaware of the sensation he was causing; he couldn’t have known that men and women were rushing to their wireless units to catch this Christmas Eve miracle. After he finished reciting the birth of Christ, he picked up his violin and played “O Holy Night,” the first song ever sent through the air via radio waves. Cool huh??  When the carol ended, so did the broadcast-but not before music had found a new medium that would take it around the world.

“O Holy Night” has been sung millions of times in churches in every corner of the world and I just love that  this song was requested by a forgotten priest, written by a poet who would later split from the church, and was given music by a Jewish composer. I am so glad it did not stay hidden, because despite it’s “scandalous” beginning, God has used this song to reach many people, and it continues to bless us lyrically and musically. Let this be a reminder that God can use any circumstance to His glory!  I think its one of the only Christmas songs I could just stop and cry too, it’s that awesome and impacting. Thanks for reading my long-winded description- I actually left out a lot, so as not to put you to sleep We hope your blessed by the song, look for our next post on, ” O come O come Emmanuel. Should be up tomorrow, if I can get my booty in there and record some more stuff Love and Hugs. Once again, click on the title for a link to download the song.

Oh Holy Night

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend!

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!