O HOLY NIGHT

Music: Adolphe Charles Adam 
Text: Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure; trans. John Sullivan Dwight 
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg 

In the fall of 1847, a French wine merchant, Placide Cappeau, was asked by his local priest to write a Christmas poem. Not long after, Placide Cappeau showed this poem, “Minuit, chrétiens,” to the famed French composer Adolphe Adam, and within a few days Adam had composed a musical setting for it. Placide Cappeau took the new song back to his home town of Roquemaure, where it was first performed at a midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, 1847. The standard English translation, by the American Unitarian minister and music critic John Sullivan Dwight, dates from 1855. 

“O Holy Night” is one of the most dramatically beautiful Christmas carols ever penned but is unfortunately performed only rarely because of the melody’s extended range. This resplendent arrangement by Mack Wilberg, originally written especially for The Tabernacle Choir and The King’s Singers, was published in 2009.

O holy night, night divine,
O holy night, O night divine!

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!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace;
Chains shall He break for each soul is our brother,
And in His name all oppressions 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, night divine.
O holy night, O night divine!