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O Holy Night (original title Cantique de Noël)
Based on the French-language poem Minuit, chrétiens, written in 1843 by poet Placide Cappeau
Music by composer Adolphe Adam The English version, with small changes to the initial melody, is by John Sullivan Dwight
“Cantique de Noël” (Placide Cappeau, 1847)
“O Holy Night” (English translation by John Sullivan Dwight, 1855)
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 A 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 qu’un 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 !
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining; It is the night of the dear Saviour’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 world 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 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 came the wise men from the 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 no stranger. Behold your King, before Him lowly bend! Behold your King, 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! Then ever, ever praise we! His power and glory evermore proclaim! His power and glory e
This song a banger. Easily a Top 5 Christmas carol (though I am not prepared to come up with that list.) You know it was good because it got an English language cover only 12 years later – which is almost immediately when updated for inflation. As Christmas lyrics go, “a thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices” is also one of the best lines from the Christmas carol genre.
O Holy Night has a long an interesting history, as well as a place in contemporary culture. I mean, one of the most famous recent versions of the song was performed by South Park‘s Eric Cartman. (via wiki)
History
“Cantique de Noël” first premiered at the Midnight Mass of 1847 in Roquemaure. “Within a generation or so”, according to Christmas carol historian William Studwell, “Cantique de Noël” has been translated into many languages and received many renditions. One of the earliest publications was an organ arrangement published around 1855. The song saw large popularity throughout France as early as 1864, where the Catholic music journal Revue de Musique Sacrée stated that the song “has been performed at many churches during Midnight Masses” and “is sung in the streets, at social gatherings, and at bars with live entertainment.” In 1848 France underwent a revolution; “Cantique de Noël” was praised by the French poet Alphonse de Lamartine as “a religious Marseillaise“, in reference to the 1792 revolutionary song that became the national anthem of France, which worried some amidst the revolution. Additionally, many leaders within the Christian church criticized the song’s “militant tone and dubious theology”, according to America magazine. They particularly opposed the line “Et de son Père arrêter le courroux” (“to cease the wrath of his Father”), which they felt depicted an angry and vengeful God in contrast to Jesus. This resulted in the song’s exclusion from Catholic hymnals. Most of the song’s criticism was however directed at its lyricist and composer. Catholic music critics derided Cappeau as a socialist and a drunk, and his apostasy from Christianity in his later years also garnered criticism; And Adam received criticism when false rumors spread about him supposedly being Jewish. A notable example of this was in 1930, when the composer Vincent d’Indy wrote an article that erroneously included Adam’s name in a list of Jewish composers and declared they were motivated purely by financial gain, as opposed to the article’s subject, Richard Wagner.
Revue de Musique Sacrée declared “Cantique de Noël” “debased and degenerated” in 1864, recommending that the song “go its own way, far from houses of religion, which can do very well without it.” This did not however prevent the song’s popularity increasing internationally. The Canadian composer and folkloristErnest Gagnon first heard the song performed at a Midnight Mass at the Church of Saint-Roch, and imported it to Canada in 1858, starting in Quebec at a Midnight Mass performance by the eldest daughter of René-Édouard Caron. Although some concern about the song began in ecclesiastic circles there as well, the song became very popular in the country, and it became a tradition for soloists to perform the song at Midnight Masses. On September 22, 1936, the Catholic Church in Canada banned “O Holy Night” from being performed in churches, along with other songs and wedding marches, the Canadian national anthem, and many versions of Ave Maria, including those by composers such as Franz Schubert, Charles Gounod, Pietro Mascagni, and Jules Massenet. According to the secretary of the archbishop, the reason for the ban of these songs was the desire for the promotion and exclusive use of Gregorian chant and Gregorian music.
John Sullivan Dwight first discovered “O Holy Night” while researching songs to critique for his publication Dwight’s Journal of Music. Dwight praised the song, but as an abolitionist, also resonated with its themes of equality: “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!” This perfectly captured views of abolishing slavery, which was the primary source of opposition amidst the ongoing American Civil War. His publishing of “O Holy Night” saw high levels of popularity in the United States, especially within the North. Although disputed due to a lack of formal documentation, the first song played over a radio broadcast is usually attributed to inventor Reginald Fessenden‘s performance of “O Holy Night” on violin in 1906.
Meanwhile, it was still common to be discriminatory of the song in France after World War II; French composer Auguste Sérieyx notably would rebuke those who performed the song on organ and in choirs, and the priests who “tolerate or encourage them.” By 1956 the song was “expunged from many dioceses due to the emphatic aspect of its lyrics as much as the music itself, and the contrast they provide with the holiday liturgy”, according to Paris publication Le Dictionnaire du Foyer Catholique.
Since the song’s creation, there have been demonstrations of spiritual usage of the song within Christian circles. One legend states that in 1870, French troops sung the song on Christmas Eve during the Franco-Prussian War during trench warfare, and combat temporarily ceased. In 2004, the song was sung by a Catholic priest to a dying American Marine soldier while deployed in Fallujah, Iraq.
Modern usage
William Studwell stated in his book The Christmas Carol Reader that “O Holy Night” is “the most popular carol in France and belongs in the upper echelon of carols on an international basis.” It is common tradition in French and Canadian culture to have a solo performance at Midnight Mass. Its difficult higher registers result in anticipation that its wide range of notes be sung on pitch.
The song has been recorded by numerous pop, classical, and religious singers. Several renditions by popular artists have appeared on record charts:
1994: Mariah Carey, from her first studio holiday album, Merry Christmas, reached No. 70 on the U.S. BillboardHoliday 100 chart. It was re-released as a single in 1996 and 2000; a re-recorded live rendition is included on her 2010 follow-up album Merry Christmas II You. In 2023, her single was certified Platinum in the United States by RIAA for selling over 1 million units. It reached No. 28 in Italy and it was certified Gold. It reached the top-twenty in Iceland, peaking at number 19.
2012: Ladywell Primary School in Motherwell, Scotland, released “O Holy Night” as a digital download on November 21, 2012. The school donated 90 percent of proceeds from the song to the Meningitis Research Foundation in memory of a student who had died of meningococcal septicaemia. The remaining 10 percent went to school funds. It reached No. 39 on the UK Singles Chart.
This song has charted a bunch of times, as it has been covered innumerable times. It climbed all the way up to #1 only a couple of those times (at least that I’ve found.) Mr. Josh Groban got there, but so did a cover from the cast of Glee.
Who did it better? Do you have a favorite cover of O Holy Night?
