1.1 Germanic music - christmas carols  (Page 2/3)

3. Shtil-leh nockt, hie-lee-geh nockt

Goh-tez zone, oh vee lockt

Leeb owss die-nem gate-lee-ken moont

Dah oonts shlaykt dee ret-ten-deh stoont

Creest een die-naw geh-boort (twice)

Familiar english translation: silent night

1. Silent night, holy night

All is Calm, All is bright

"Round yon Virgin mother and child,

Holy infant so tender and mild,

Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace!

2. Silent night, holy night,

Shepherds quake at the sight.

Glories stream from heaven afar.

Heavenly hosts sing "Alleluia,

Christ the Savior is born, Christ the savior is born!

3. Silent night, holy night,

Son of God, love's pure light,

Radiant beams from thy holy face

with the dawn of redeeming grace:

Jesus, Lord at thy birth, Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

The story of "silent night"

Introduction

Avoid confusion and provide an extra geography lesson by explaining that Austria is a country in Europe right next to Germany. Point it out on a globe or map. Explain that German is the main language of both Germany and Austria and also parts of Switzerland. If necessary, using a globe or world map, clarify the difference between Austria and Australia. You may wish to avoid letting the children know ahead of time that the story is about "Silent Night"; the effect of the tale is greater with a little surprise at the end!

Tell your students the story of how "Silent Night" was written. There are many children's picture books available that tell this story. Check your library to see if any are available. There is also a children's video called "Silent Mouse" that tells the story from the point of view of one of the church mice. The story is also told (and "Stille Nacht" sung in German with some mispronunciations) on the CD "John Denver/The Muppets: A Christmas Together". Or tell the children the following tale, based on the true story of the first performance of this carol:

The story

The little village of Oberndorf is nestled in the mountains of Austria. In the winter the mountains are covered with snow. Have you ever gone out on a snowy evening and noticed how quiet it is? There are no birds singing or insects buzzing. The children who have been out in the daytime playing in the snow go inside for dinner; almost everyone is inside staying warm. Even the sounds that you do hear, like the crunch of your boots in the snow, seem softened, as if the snow is a blanket that muffles sounds so that the trees can stay asleep until spring.

In the year 1818, Joseph Mohr was the assistant pastor of the church in Oberndorf. Imagine him walking one evening through the village. The sun has already set, but it's not very dark or scary. There is fresh snow on the ground, and it's a clear, calm, moonlit night, with no wind at all. Imagine how bright it is, with the moon reflecting off all the snow and light spilling out of the windows of the houses in the village.

Everyone else was already inside for the night, but Joseph didn't mind being out alone. To him, the silence of the village seemed calm and peaceful. But there was another silence that made Joseph sad. It was nearly Christmas and the organ in the church was broken. There was no time to fix it before Christmas. He knew the villagers could sing without an organ, but it seemed a shame not to have special music for Christmas. He had been worrying about it on and off all day, but now the peacefulness of the quiet, snowy village made him feel calm again and helped him to remember that, to him, the important thing about Christmas was not the music, it was the baby Jesus.