As "Silent Night" became the hit of the world

In fact, one quickly says the genesis of the song: the auxiliary priest Josef Mohr Already two years ago, he had had the poem at the time when he was coadjutor of Mariapfarr in the Lungau written. On December 24, 1818, he handed it to the teacher of the village of Arnsdorf

Franz Xaver Gruberwho is in the parish church of Oberndorfer St. Nicola as an organist earned extra income, "with the request to write a suitable melody for 2-voice choir and for guitar = accompaniment to write" as Gruber three and a half decades after the first in writing.

"The latter gave the same evening to this muscular clergyman, according to his desire … his simple composition, which was immediately produced during the holy night with all the applause."

Mohr sings the tenor voice and plays the guitar, Gruber took over the lower part, remembered Gruber Son in a letter.

The distribution of the song has already begun in the following years. The organ builder Zillertal Carl Mauracher was in 1819 to repair the organ Arnsdorf and 1825 to build a new organ

Oberndorf and brought home. And there, they also attracted Strbader, brother and sister, from Laimach (municipality of Hippach), who went shoemaker to various fairs and markets and sang their products singing. In addition, they acted as "Tyrolean national singer". In the winter of 1831/32, they occurred at Leipzig also "silent night". It should be the August Saxon publisher Robert Friese A little later, he publishes the first engraving of the song as one of four "Tyrolean Song Offices". "Silent Night" has become a folk song, composer and poet have not been transmitted.

Through the appearances of various "Tyrolean national singers", including brothers and sisters Rainer de Fügen, and numerous publications in collections of songs and songs, the broadcast of Salzburg Christmas song especially in Protestant areas Germany through concerts, emigrants and missionaries, but eventually around the world. In a few hours, the composition was gradually a

Welthit,

When "Silent Night" arrived in the Prussian royal house, the Berlin Court Orchestra sent a request to the archdiocese in 1854 Saint Pierre in

Salzburgbecause you Johann Michael Haydn (1737-1806, brother Joseph Haydn) was presumed to be the author who died Salzburg had worked. The request came here to the real composer Franz Xaver Gruberwho became aware for the first time of the supraregional significance of his song, which had hitherto reached him. He then wrote an "Authentic Reason for the Composition of Christmas song "Silent night! He also wrote a score of his original composition, since in the meantime the D major has a major C and from the 6 / 8- a 3/2. There had also been changes in the text in the meantime.