"O Holy Night" is a well-known
Christmas carolA Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
composed by
Adolphe AdamAdolphe Charles Adam was a French composer and music critic. A prolific composer of operas and ballets, he is best known today for his ballets Giselle and Le corsaire , his operas Le postillon de Lonjumeau , Le toréador and Si j'étais roi , and his Christmas...
in 1847 to the
FrenchFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
poem "Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians) by
Placide CappeauPlacide Cappeau was a French poet and the author of the well-known poem, "Minuit, chrétiens" , which was set to music by Adolphe Adam. He was born on 25 October 1808 at 8 p.m. in Roquemaure...
(1808–1877), a wine merchant and poet, who had been asked by a parish priest to write a Christmas poem.
UnitarianUnitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
minister
John Sullivan DwightJohn Sullivan Dwight was a Unitarian minister, transcendentalist and America's first influential classical music critic.-Biography:...
, editor of
Dwight's Journal of Music, created a singing edition based on Cappeau's French text in 1855. In both the French original and in the two familiar English versions of the
carolA carol is a festive song, generally religious but not necessarily connected with church worship, and often with a dance-like or popular character....
, the text reflects on the birth of
JesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and of mankind's redemption.
Lyrics
| Placide Cappeau's Cantique de Noël |
Literal English Translation |
- Minuit, chrétiens, c'est l'heure solennelle,
- Où l'Homme-Dieu descendit jusqu'à nous
- Pour effacer la tache originelle
- Et de Son Père arrêter le courroux.
- Le monde entier tressaille d'espérance
- En cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.
-
- Peuple à genoux, attends ta délivrance.
- Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur,
- Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur !
- De notre foi que la lumière ardente
- Nous guide tous au berceau de l'Enfant,
- Comme autrefois une étoile brillante
- Y conduisit les chefs de l'Orient.
- Le Roi des rois naît dans une humble crèche :
- Puissants du jour, fiers de votre grandeur,
-
- A votre orgueil, c'est de là que Dieu prêche.
- Courbez vos fronts devant le Rédempteur.
- Courbez vos fronts devant le Rédempteur.
- Le Rédempteur a brisé toute entrave :
- La terre est libre, et le ciel est ouvert.
- Il voit un frère où n'était qu'un esclave,
- L'amour unit ceux qu'enchaînait le fer.
- Qui lui dira notre reconnaissance,
- C'est pour nous tous qu'il naît, qu'il souffre et meurt.
-
- Peuple debout ! Chante ta délivrance,
- Noël, Noël, chantons le Rédempteur,
- Noël, Noël, chantons le Rédempteur !
|
Midnight, Christians, it is the solemn hour,
When God-man descended to us
To erase the stain of original sin
And to end the wrath of His Father.
The entire world thrills with hope
On this night that gives it a Savior.
-
- People kneel down, wait for your deliverance.
- Christmas, Christmas, here is the Redeemer,
- Christmas, Christmas, here is the Redeemer!
- May the ardent light of our Faith
- Guide us all to the cradle of the infant,
- As in ancient times a brilliant star
- Guided the Oriental kings there.
- The King of Kings was born in a humble manger;
- O mighty ones of today, proud of your greatness,
-
- It is to your pride that God preaches.
- Bow your heads before the Redeemer!
- Bow your heads before the Redeemer!
- The Redeemer has overcome every obstacle:
- The Earth is free, and Heaven is open.
- He sees a brother where there was only a slave,
- Love unites those that iron had chained.
- Who will tell Him of our gratitude,
- For all of us He is born, He suffers and dies.
-
- People stand up! Sing of your deliverance,
- Christmas, Christmas, sing of the Redeemer,
- Christmas, Christmas, sing of the Redeemer!
|
| John Sullivan Dwight's Version |
Unattributed Version |
- O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
- It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.
- Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
- Til He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
- A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
- For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
-
- Fall on your knees! O hear the angels' voices!
- O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
- O night divine, O 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 come the wise men from Orient land.
- The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;
- In all our trials born to be our friend.
-
- He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger,
- Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
- Behold your King, Before Him lowly bend!
- Truly He taught us to love one another;
- His law is love and His gospel is peace.
- Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
- And in His name all oppression shall cease.
- Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
- Let all within us praise His holy name.
-
- Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
- His power and glory evermore proclaim.
- His power and glory evermore proclaim.
|
O! Holy night! The stars, their gleams prolonging,
Watch o'er the eve of our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error, longing
For His appearance, then the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
-
- Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
- O night divine, the night when Christ was Born;
- O night, O holy night, O night divine!
- Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
- With glowing hearts we stand by the Babe adored.
- O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
- And come now, Shepherds, from your flocks unboard.
- The Son of God lay thus within lowly manger;
- In all our trials born to be our Lord.
-
- He knows our need, our weakness never lasting,
- Behold your King! By Him, let Earth accord!
- Behold your King! By Him, let Earth accord!
- Truly He taught us to love one another,
- His law is love and His gospel is peace.
- Long live His truth, and may it last forever,
- For in His name all discordant noise shall cease.
- Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
- With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
-
- Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
- His power and glory evermore proclaim!
- His power and glory evermore proclaim!
-
- (The second and third chorus
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
es are,
- often replaced with a refrain of the first).,
- (The second verse is often omitted in most public,
- renderings.),
- (Also the final chorus, His power and glory ,
- evermore proclaim!, is often switched to French-,
- English mix: Noël, Noël, O Night, O Night Divine.),
|
Notable renderings
On 24 December 1906,
Reginald FessendenReginald Aubrey Fessenden , a naturalized American citizen born in Canada, was an inventor who performed pioneering experiments in radio, including early—and possibly the first—radio transmissions of voice and music...
, a Canadian inventor, broadcast the first
AMAmplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
radio program, which started with a phonograph record of '
Ombra mai fu"Ombra mai fu" is the opening aria from the 1738 opera Serse by George Frideric Handel.-Context:The opera was a commercial failure, lasting only five performances in London after its premiere. In the 19th century, however, the aria was rediscovered and became one of Handel's best-known pieces...
' followed by him playing "O Holy Night" on the
violinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and singing the final verse. The carol therefore was the second piece of music to be broadcast on radio.
Tenor Enrico Caruso recorded a version in 1916 which is still in print today.
Three different
country musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artists have charted on the
BillboardBillboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country SongsHot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts with renderings of "O Holy Night:"
Martina McBrideMartina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
, John Berry and
Josh GracinJoshua Mario "Josh" Gracin is a country music singer. A former member of the United States Marine Corps, he first gained public attention as the fourth-place finalist on the second season of the Fox Networks talent competition American Idol.After his elimination from the show, Gracin completed his...
. McBride's rendering charted on five separate occasions, peaking at No. 74 in 1997, No. 67 in 1998, No. 49 in 1999, No. 57 in 2000 and No. 41 in 2001. Berry's charted at No. 55 in 1996 and No. 63 in 1998, and Gracin's at No. 59 in 2006..
Luciano Pavarottiright|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
's title record was his first to go platinum, in 1984.
Mariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
sang the song on her 1994 album
Merry ChristmasMerry Christmas is a holiday album and fourth studio album by American singer Mariah Carey. Released by Columbia Records on November 1, 1994, the album features both cover versions of popular Christmas tunes, including some original material...
, and a live version of it is included on her second Christmas album
Merry Christmas II YouMerry Christmas II You is the thirteenth studio album and second Christmas album by American singer Mariah Carey. The album was released on November 2, 2010 and features four original songs, all-time Christmas classics and a re-recorded version of her 1994 Christmas hit "All I Want for Christmas Is...
(2010).
David FosterDavid Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
arranged and produced the song successfully for several different artists including
Michael CrawfordMichael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City...
, whose rendering in the 1993 TV special
The David Foster Christmas Album was also featured on Foster's best-selling corresponding album (No. 48 Billboard Top 200 in 1993) as well as Crawford's own
A Christmas Album (No. 98 Billboard Top 200 in 1999) and the
Trans-Siberian OrchestraTrans-Siberian Orchestra is an American progressive metal band founded in 1993 by producer, composer, and lyricist Paul O'Neill, who brought together Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli and keyboardist and co-producer Robert Kinkel to form the core of the creative team. Since then, TSO sold nearly 8...
's platinum-selling DVD
The Ghosts of Christmas EveThe Ghosts of Christmas Eve is a 1999 made-for-TV concert film showcasing a Christmas music performance by Trans-Siberian Orchestra with guest performers Michael Crawford and Jewel...
; secondly,
Celine DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
(voted most popular rendering in a 2004 poll and featured on her 5x platinum album
These Are Special TimesThese Are Special Times is a Christmas album by Canadian singer Céline Dion, released on October 30, 1998 through Epic subsidiary 550 Music...
), then
Josh GrobanJoshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
(No. 1 Billboard Adult Contemporary in 2002) and most recently by
Andrea BocelliAndrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
for his 2009 double platinum
My ChristmasMy Christmas is the thirteenth studio album and first holiday album released by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.The album is a compilation of seasonal holiday favorites, mainly in English, with a few selections in Italian, German, and French, produced by multiple Grammy Award winner David Foster,...
album,
Jackie EvanchoJacqueline Marie "Jackie" Evancho is an American child singer described as a classical crossover artist. After entering some talent competitions, issuing an independent album, Prelude to a Dream, and attracting interest on YouTube, she gained wider popularity in 2010 with her performances in the...
for her 2010
EPAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
"O Holy Night",
Michelle WilliamsTenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
in
Destiny's ChildDestiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
2001 album "8 Days of Christmas", and in 2011 Argentinian tenor Javier Fontana for his second album
Appassionato.
In December 2010,
NorwegianNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
band
RöyksoppRöyksopp is a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland....
featured an instrumental
electronic musicElectronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
version on their website under the French title "Le Cantique de Noël".
External links